Preparations for the Future
Canadian John Hewitt is honest when he composes, performs and sings. As a musician he creates with the ideas that come to him and his music is soulful, and tells heartfelt stories that can leave the listener deciding what the song means to them.
Hewitt has toured in Canada and in North America, and this fall he will perform at the Folk Alliance Region West Festival in October.
Jupiter Index: Talk about who are your musical influences?
John Hewitt: From the age of 15 I have been heavily inspired by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Van Morrison and the Grateful Dead. Of course, there's the Beatles and Tom Petty and a few others. Mostly the older songwriters before my time.
JI: How you blend the many different musical styles you know as a musician?
JE: Many of my influences had various elements to their style and art, blended all together. It's a lot like a melting pot of 60's and 70's folk, rock, blues and R&B. Rather than fitting into one box, the Americana moniker tends to help describe that melting pot. To us it seems natural and most audiences tend to dig a majority of those genres so it works.
JI: Do you still remember the first song you ever wrote? Can you describe it?
JE: I recall early songwriting at the age of 13/14. I recall not understanding the process or what would become my process. I think the first song. was called "What Do You Want Me to Do?" and I am sure it was terrible :)
JI: What was the first record/CD you bought and what made the melodies and lyrics special for you?
JE: The first album I received was a hand me down of Tom Petty's "Wildflowers" and "Full Moon Fever" and both of these albums changed my life. Lyrically and melodically they are technically simple albums but the points that are made within that simplicity are nothing short of genius. I recall buying "Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II" and that was the album that changed me and made me want to be a writer.
JI: Talk about your song writing – what is your process like?
JE: Songwriting for me is a lot like a necessity of life. Unlike breathing however it comes and goes and I channel it when it comes and I don't miss it when it's gone. I never sit down to write a song, a song flies by me and I grasp at what I can catch in the moment. Most of the songs you'll hear in my catalog were written in under 30 minutes. Tweaked over a short but extended period but the roadmap comes fast. It's like taking a picture. Music and melody almost simultaneously.
JI: Can you share how you get ready for a show?
JE: It's a big process. It starts months in advance. Being my own manager and agent; I am behind every aspect of what we do. My preparation starts months in advance. Rehearsals leading up to the tour, personal practice. By the time I am getting on stage 99% of the work is done. The rest there is no preparing for. Being on stage is the last thing left that doesn't come with an algorithm.
JI: Which concerts/performances have you attended in the past that moved you for the musical ability and skill of the artist/ band? What was it about the show that still stays with you?
JE: Bruce Cockburn. I saw him with his trio at Edmonton Folk Fest. I was beside the mainstage sort of backstage/sidestage. After watching all the big noises (Which oftentimes is what main stages are, the loudest act gets the biggest reaction) Bruce sat down and played a quiet, melodic acoustic set with a sparse trio and it was better than any big noise I'd heard. I've also recently been to see Edmonton performer Regina Espina a few times and what she's doing in the shadow of the old folk revival is pretty on par with anything that existed at that time. Truly mesmerizing every time.
JI: Would you like to add anything more to your fans about your music?
JE: We just hope to keep doing what we're doing, and to keep growing as artists. The whole game is to wade in the water so it never becomes stagnant. We've been pretty good at that so far, but once in a while the extremities get tired. If you like the artists I mentioned above, we'd appreciate if you gave your ears a chance to dig what we've got!
by G.M. Burns
Hewitt has toured in Canada and in North America, and this fall he will perform at the Folk Alliance Region West Festival in October.
Jupiter Index: Talk about who are your musical influences?
John Hewitt: From the age of 15 I have been heavily inspired by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Van Morrison and the Grateful Dead. Of course, there's the Beatles and Tom Petty and a few others. Mostly the older songwriters before my time.
JI: How you blend the many different musical styles you know as a musician?
JE: Many of my influences had various elements to their style and art, blended all together. It's a lot like a melting pot of 60's and 70's folk, rock, blues and R&B. Rather than fitting into one box, the Americana moniker tends to help describe that melting pot. To us it seems natural and most audiences tend to dig a majority of those genres so it works.
JI: Do you still remember the first song you ever wrote? Can you describe it?
JE: I recall early songwriting at the age of 13/14. I recall not understanding the process or what would become my process. I think the first song. was called "What Do You Want Me to Do?" and I am sure it was terrible :)
JI: What was the first record/CD you bought and what made the melodies and lyrics special for you?
JE: The first album I received was a hand me down of Tom Petty's "Wildflowers" and "Full Moon Fever" and both of these albums changed my life. Lyrically and melodically they are technically simple albums but the points that are made within that simplicity are nothing short of genius. I recall buying "Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II" and that was the album that changed me and made me want to be a writer.
JI: Talk about your song writing – what is your process like?
JE: Songwriting for me is a lot like a necessity of life. Unlike breathing however it comes and goes and I channel it when it comes and I don't miss it when it's gone. I never sit down to write a song, a song flies by me and I grasp at what I can catch in the moment. Most of the songs you'll hear in my catalog were written in under 30 minutes. Tweaked over a short but extended period but the roadmap comes fast. It's like taking a picture. Music and melody almost simultaneously.
JI: Can you share how you get ready for a show?
JE: It's a big process. It starts months in advance. Being my own manager and agent; I am behind every aspect of what we do. My preparation starts months in advance. Rehearsals leading up to the tour, personal practice. By the time I am getting on stage 99% of the work is done. The rest there is no preparing for. Being on stage is the last thing left that doesn't come with an algorithm.
JI: Which concerts/performances have you attended in the past that moved you for the musical ability and skill of the artist/ band? What was it about the show that still stays with you?
JE: Bruce Cockburn. I saw him with his trio at Edmonton Folk Fest. I was beside the mainstage sort of backstage/sidestage. After watching all the big noises (Which oftentimes is what main stages are, the loudest act gets the biggest reaction) Bruce sat down and played a quiet, melodic acoustic set with a sparse trio and it was better than any big noise I'd heard. I've also recently been to see Edmonton performer Regina Espina a few times and what she's doing in the shadow of the old folk revival is pretty on par with anything that existed at that time. Truly mesmerizing every time.
JI: Would you like to add anything more to your fans about your music?
JE: We just hope to keep doing what we're doing, and to keep growing as artists. The whole game is to wade in the water so it never becomes stagnant. We've been pretty good at that so far, but once in a while the extremities get tired. If you like the artists I mentioned above, we'd appreciate if you gave your ears a chance to dig what we've got!
by G.M. Burns
