MUSIC INSIGHT through the BS , I was at a point where I was kind of half way doing both jobs . You know 5:30 a . m . construction site days , and playing music until 2:30 a . m . aren ’ t conducive to each other . So , I would come into work and be half asleep , and be working on a $ 300,000 concrete job . I didn ’ t make any big mistakes , but I could have , Thank God I didn ’ t . So between the construction setbacks of 2008 , and the fact that they really knew I came to play music , I was let go . But , they did it in a nice way , like , “ hey , man , you ’ re doing a good job , but you came to play music , and we ’ ve heard you play , so go for it ”. Still , being where I was from it was a tough thing to do . You got a degree , you got a good job , and you stuck with it for decades . You worked on your 401K , and that ’ s just what you did . Now , I was kind of pushed into the light of pursuing music full time . I did get a severance though . A whole $ 2,370 ! I bought a plane ticket to New Zealand , ended up staying about three months . I just did a walk about , and learned a lot about myself , about meeting people . I was as far as I could get from Hokes Bluff , Alabama , but as close as I could get to me .
WE : So , you take your sabbatical and do your self-discovery , and come back fresh and ready to take on Nashville , then what happens in terms of landing a record deal , and what happened that threw the proverbial monkey wrench into those initial plans ?
DW : Beginning in October of 2010 I got a tour offer with Willie Nelson , and I got multiple offers to sign with major labels from Universal South , to Warner , to Sony , and a few others . I met Luke Lewis , who was a legend in the business . He came in in a hat and flip-flops and looking like the people I grew up around . I told my manager , I don ’ t care what this guy offers me , I want to sign with this guy . So , to cut to the chase , Luke signs me , gives me this great deal , we start working on this album , and everything is going awesome … or so I think . I ’ m making a great record , with great songs . Then , all of a sudden , Luke Lewis retires , moves to Charleston and starts playing golf every day . So a new guy comes in , and then four labels merge to form this musical conglomerate . About the same time the publishing company I ’ m signed with merges with BMI , and all these changes start to happen , right in the middle of me doing this album . We throw my single , “ Simple Life ”, but it really didn ’ t get pushed . There were 60 artists with the company , and I got cut . He let 25 of the current artists go , and I was one he hadn ’ t personally signed and wasn ’ t his favorite , so I didn ’ t make that cut . As I said in prefacing this story though , I have no hard feelings at all toward any of the people involved in any of the past deals . Lewis had to do what he did in order to make the company work like he needed it to . It happens .
WE : As anyone knows , who ’ s spent any time -or heard enough stories about the ever changing music and entertainment industry-- those kind of tough breaks are in the rear view mirrors of many successful artists . How did you handle that and what impact did it have on your dream and drive ?
DW : You know , Will , it ignited some fire in my soul , and I just told my manager
32 April 2017
INSIGHT