Hot Takes with Greg Hall
Greg Hall will be performing and joining Mike in conversation on Wednesday, February 19 at 7pm
Greg Hall is a singer/songwriter based in the hills of Western Massachusetts. Born with music all around and raised by horses on a farm in another part of the Northeast, his upbringing has shaped a career playing his brand of folk/country songs across New England, touring with his own band and as a member of Ward Hayden & the Outliers. In the tradition of his favorite songwriters, Elliott Smith and Willie Nelson, his lyrics are centered on the grounded intimacy of personal moments and universal human stories.
Greg Hall's new release, "Birds & Roses" showcases his personal approach to lyric writing in an acoustic setting. Twangville says, "The arrangements are beautifully stripped to the core, his voice and acoustic guitar in the forefront."
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1. When did you first start playing guitar and what got you inspired to try it?
I received my first guitar on my 10th birthday, a yamaha acoustic meant for beginners. It's the only present I asked for that year so I left my Mom with little choice I suppose. No one in the family expected me to stick with the guitar since my fascination came on quickly one night when a family friend brought a guitar to the house and played some songs, I can't remember which songs but I have a vague memory of some Jimmy Buffett. Once I started on that yamaha guitar, I knew music was it for me. I actually still own that guitar, it's cased in a closet covered in stickers that came with the Beck album "The Information". I'm glad that I never got rid of it.
2. What was the first song you learned and felt you really nailed it?
I was the perfect age for the pop-punk movement, and Blink-182 were the greatest to do it in my opinion. I was obsessed and would listen to their CDs on repeat in the days that you had your discman and a CD book of maybe 10 CDs. The first song that I learned was "All the Small Things" by Blink-182. It's a simple song but songs don't need to be difficult to be great.
3. When did you write your own song for the first time?
Within the first year of playing guitar, I started writing my own songs. I wish I had a memory of what the first one was but sadly that's lost to time. My goal with guitar was never to be a lead player taking all of the solos, I enjoyed the rhythm and structure of a song and most importantly I loved the lyrics most.
4. Who have been some of your musical inspirations?
My list of influences could go on forever and even change week to week (like right now I am working my way through Elvis Costello's entire catalog). When I narrow my influences down to just a handful of artists I always say Willie Nelson, Elliott Smith, Leonard Cohen, and Josh Ritter. At the center of what gets me excited about an artist is their lyrics, and the way they deliver a song. I want to believe what they are singing and I want to feel that they mean it. That's what I always strive for when I am writing.
5. Once you started recording your own music, what did you learn or have to change when working with a producer?
I've been lucky enough to record a lot of music in my career, either on a "Greg Hall" record or as the bassist in "Ward Hayden & The Outliers". Each record has different challenges but I've learned that surrounding yourself with people who have good attitudes and believe in the music being made is paramount to skill on an instrument. I chose Ryan Hommel to produce my latest album "Birds & Roses" because he had a vision for the songs and I trusted any changes that he made to what I had originally written. He understands the well that I'm drawing the songs from and I know that he has the tools to help perfect each one. Earlier in my recording career, I would make too many decisions. I don't work well when I am playing guitar, bass, singing, mixing, editing final vocals, etc. Now someone like Prince was famously amazing at doing everything, but we can't all be Prince! My method is whoever has the best idea or can play it best in the moment is who plays it on the record.