By Kymber Hill
Posted April 25, 2017
On an April night in 2011, people gathered at a music venue in Birmingham, Alabama to hear the music of a British singer-songwriter. Some people were there for the first time; others were seasoned fans. A then 25-year-old Bobby Long took the stage with only an acoustic guitar and a bunch of compelling original songs and captivated the crowd with both his music and his charm.
That was the first time I had the pleasure of seeing Bobby Long in concert. At the time, a song he had co-written was included in the soundtrack of the blockbuster film Twilight, and he had just released his debut album, A Winter Tale. He would continue to make a name for himself as a songwriter to be reckoned with on the release of Wishbone, his second album, in 2013.
Long started to build an audience for his music when he was playing pubs in London while attending University. With his move to the U.S., his fan base has grown steadily as the result of constant touring both in the U.S. and internationally. In 2014, Long took a leap of faith in those fans and turned to PledgeMusic, a crowdfunding site that helps artists raise money for albums, touring and other needs. His third album, Ode to Thinking, was successfully funded by the campaign and was released by Compass Records in 2015. Last year, Long once again turned to his dedicated fans for support for his fourth album, and thanks to them, he is currently recording his new album.
Not only has he found success in his music career, but he has also published two volumes of poetry: Losing My Brotherhood, released in 2012 and his latest book, Losing My Misery, which arrived in December.
Bobby Long will be performing at Eddie’s Attic on Sunday, April 30, 2017. Tickets are $15 and available now at eddiesattic.com.
I was able to ask Long some questions about his poetry, music and his upcoming album:
Check out Kymber Hill’s interview with Bobby Long below:
KH: You have successfully funded the recording of your next album thanks to a PledgeMusic campaign, which you were also able to do for your most recent album, Ode to Thinking. How does it feel to know that your fans are behind you and this platform to ensure new music is released?
BL: It’s pretty humbling, and it’s so important for my career that I am able to do it. It allows me the luxury of time and to be able to pay people for working on the record with me, which is essential. I have great people working with me on the recording.
KH: It must have taken a huge leap of faith in your fans to get you to try using PledgeMusic the first time around. Were you ever worried that you wouldn’t meet your goal?
BL: Yes, of course. I was really nervous because although I think it’s a great platform and the way of the future, you can never be sure if people will latch on. I think what’s really important is that people who pledged for my album are now looking at other artists in similar situations. People get it and understand what PledgeMusic can do. It’s not a path of desperation or greed; it’s a way to keep music with the people like you and me and away from the money and guys in white sneakers who control the money.
KH: In past interviews, you have mentioned that you were in a rock band when you were younger. You also have mentioned that you weren’t really excited about playing acoustic guitar. What made you switch over from the electric guitar to the acoustic guitar? And do you still try to incorporate electric guitar into your songwriting/performances when possible?
BL: I switched to acoustic guitar because it just fit more with the songs I was writing at the time. I think I was a bit short-sighted back then, and now I really view them as equal options that offer different ways for me to play. On my new record, I’m playing mostly clean electric so it really just varies on the song.
Read entire interview here...
