Page 78 - ION Indie Magazine JulyAug 2023

MH: What style or genre of music do you consider yourself and
how would you describe your style of playing and music?
Country? Traditional country? Pop country?

AD: I’m not sure where the masses would classify my brand of
country music just yet. I’m interested to see how that shakes out. It’s
not pop country, and I wouldn’t say it’s traditional country either but it
takes some influence from traditional country. I would say it’s
somewhere in the realm of Luke Combs’ brand of country music. I
definitely don’t sound like him, but it’s sort of that cross between rock
music and the country music of 20 years ago. That’s the best way I
could describe it.

MH: What is your creative process like when it comes to writing
lyrics and music arranging?

AD: Usually I’ll have a line or a melody come to me -- and I go from
there. It could be while I’m playing guitar, or it could be while I’m
driving down the road. The new EP has examples of both. The
opening line of ‘Casino Road’ came to me as I was driving on the
highway between my house and Tulsa. On the other hand, ‘Down 99’
is a song that was done almost entirely from the bottom up while
sitting in my home studio playing guitar.

MH: Do you write alone, or do you collaborate with another
artist?

AD: All of the music I am about to release was written alone, with the
exception of ‘Casino Road’ where there is one line in the chorus that
my wife is responsible for! However, as of late, I have started to
collaborate with other singer/songwriters here in Oklahoma, which
has been super fun. I’m excited to see what we can come up with in
the near future!

MH: I'm sure each and every one of your songs is special and
dear to you in every way. Which song or songs touches your
heart the most and what is the back story behind it?

AD: I don’t mean for this song to be coming up a third time, but it
would have to be ‘Casino Road!’ It’s a break-up song that has some
of my most favorite lyrics that I’ve ever written. The second verse
especially tells a story that I think is pretty much universal for anyone
who has ever been through a difficult break up. It’s been a song for
me that the more I listen to it and think about the lyrics, the more I
appreciate it. It feels goofy to say that about my own song, but it’s
true. It just feels like it captures all the emotions I remember having
in the aftermath of previous relationships.