Local recording artist Darren Bessette is set to start a new venture in his life with a new band and some new music and it all starts tonight at Loretta’s Last Call hosted by New England to Nashville. As I sit here and read his answers to our interview questions, I don’t know if I can adequately put his words and his thoughts into an article, as his passion for his craft and country music is incredible. I would be doing an injustice to Darren by paraphrasing him. So I’m not going to. I am going to let Darren’s words speak for themselves.
NECM: Do you think your music has evolved since ‘Ten Thousand Towns?’ If so, how?
DB: Evolution has always scared me in the music industry. I think technology has single handedly made the music business even more difficult to succeed and make a living at than it ever was.
I find more and more artists as I turn on the radio singing, performing and selling music not for the passion and message the song brings to people, but rather for the sale of concert tickets and big money record labels.
Has the music evolved? I hope it has in such a way that people can still relate to a great life story that has meaning not only for the writer but for the listeners as well. I grew up in a time that the music drastically changed my life and made me who I was and who I am today.
If I have evolved musically I hope its in a positive way to benefit the listeners and I hope the people that buy our music get their money’s worth from every song in the future, because if they haven’t, and they cant relate to the songs, then I havent done my job.
NECM: You’ve had some great success with your own New England tour with sell out crowds and you seem to have done each part of planning that tour on your own. How does it feel to see all that hard work pay off and what can you take from that experience as you go into this new venture?
DB: I certainly cannot take the credit for the success I’ve had along the way. Theres always a good team behind everyone win or lose sometimes.
The music ultimately is the easy part- anyone in the business will tell you that. Having the stresses of doing a majority of the background work and run all the projects I’ve had going on at one time or another in the past is a massive strain on any human being. But walking out onto that stage and listen to those incredibly beautiful voices sing your music back to you… priceless, and worth every hair I pulled out to get there!
I was in the construction business most of of my life. I did commercial glass work for many years and still dabble in it today as I have always enjoyed it. A good friend and fellow co-worker once said to me as I left to embark onto the music scene over 10 years ago, “Darren, when you climb each step of that ladder to great fame and fourtune be sure to enjoy each step you take but never take it for granted and always be cautious for when you reach the top rung-you better be damn sure that ladder is leaning against the right wall.”
Needless to say I’ve learned more in the last 10 years than ever in my life and unfortunately my ladder was leaning against the wrong wall more than once. I guess thats how it’s supposed to go and you move on.
Looking ahead its a bright future. I’ve assembled an incredible team with the help of my good friend and bass player, Chad Taylor. He introduced me to my drummer Tim and his wife Bonnie who have become family. Mike Paloucchi and Elle Wine are also part of that family now and moving ahead with a crew like this that always has your back and are driven like they are, not to mention incredible human beings on and off stage, really can’t be beaten.
NECM: Many national acts are somewhat surprised to learn how many country music fans are in New England. Being a local guy and artist, what would you say about the country music scene up here?
DB: I’d say they should spend more time in New England! I’ve been attending concerts, country clubs and dance halls here in New England my whole life and I can tell you country music is New England’s music and will be for a long time to come. The fans here are crazy! I can do a New England based tour and spend the entire summer just in New England and the crowds are always there and ready to rock. The amazing thing about country music, and shows I’ve done over the years, is there are people ranging from 8 years old to 80 years old and all having the time of their lives out there. What other genre of music can pull that off!?
I think New England is unique in that most of your national touring acts are deathly afraid of this region once the snow starts to fly. Mostly fair weather birds flying up from the southern states in the summer months. For me, I love it here more than anywhere else on the planet! I’ll take a blizzard anyday over a tornado!
NECM: From what I know, ‘Country Philosophy’ was one of your most popular songs, which even resulted in some award nominations. Are you most proud of this song?
DB: ‘Country Philosophy’ was a nightmare to write. It changed a million times just in the studio compared to the version I had on paper. It drove the engineers and producer crazy. But to me that song says it all. I’m very proud of its success and the places it has brought me. It is was our way of paying homage to the creators of the industry and music we all live and breath today.
NECM: You’ve opened for some of the biggest acts in country music. Is there one that you enjoyed opening for the most? One you were most nervous for opening for?
DB: Absolutely! But I have to narrow it down to 3…
George Jones- He is an idol’s idol in so many ways .and will be missed dearly. Getting to spend some time with him and his wife was such an experience. Even if it was mostly on his bus in his pajamas. Gotta love ole George.
Hank Williams Jr.- Wow is all I have to say about that. I got to spend some time with Hank in Nashville over the years and we hit it off pretty well both being a couple of crazy rednecks. I’ll tell you what- his crowds know how to party. I’ve even heard it called a “Family Tradition” a few times back stage.
Last but the most difficult for me and most nerve racking wasn’t a ‘big’ country touring act, but instead a fellow songwriter named Tony Arata. For anyone who doesn’t recognize the name, look him up. ‘The Dance’ is my anthem. For me that song is it, anyone that’s a true fan of that song knows exactly what I mean. So to actually sit with him and play that song with Tony, spend an entire tour together every night for weeks at a time, it never got old. I would seriously fight back tears when he played it and he would laugh at me as he always had to sit right next to me in the circle.
It took me a very long time to even accept we were friends and to this day we keep in touch. But I’m still not sure its really true. I may have been delusional. The one thing that is for sure though is that as cool as that song is and how much its meant to me over the years, the guy that wrote it is just as amazing as a human being and friend.
NECM: What’s your favorite memory as a musician?
DB: One day about two years ago, I heard some commotion coming from my daughter’s room (she was five at the time), so I snuck up the stairs to see if I could catch her tearing her room apart. As I stood in her doorway, she couldn’t see me, she had a DVD of the band on the television and she broke out her mini-guitar I bought her the year before and she was trying to play along to the songs. I think she played better than me! I can’t tell you what that was like as a father knowing my little girl, who is my entire world, was doing that all on her own. As a musician, and as a dad, that’s my favorite memory.
NECM: What’s venue has been your most favorite to play at?
DB: Singing the National Anthem at Fenway Park was incredible. To be on the grass at Fenway and watch the Sox and Yankees remove their hats as I started to sing was surreal. Still gives me goosebumps. The bigger stadiums and concert arenas are incredible as well. The amount of production and gear that goes into making it all happen is really overwhelming and humbling. But the smaller clubs, playing to people that are just having a blast and you can actually see their faces and interact with them, rather than be blinded by a spotlight that melts the surface of your eyes is where it’s at.
NECM: Tell me about the ‘American Song Writers Circle’ and why you created it and the purpose of it?
DB: The American Song Writers Circle is just what the name says: a small group of writers in a round setting with nothing but a microphone and a guitar or piano playing and telling the heartfelt stories of their journey through life and the music industry. These guys don’t get the credit from the public they deserve and I created it to try and shed some light on just what it is these folks are about.
For anyone who has sat through a session with a guy like Tony Arata or Pat Alger you know what I’m talking about. Sure it’s great to see a live concert with all the lights and crazy fans and music so loud your ears are bleeding after five minutes. But I found that America really likes to just LISTEN quietly sometimes. We didn’t play to sell out crowds on our tours, but I will say that anyone who attended was blown away from what they took home after each show. Writers nights are huge in Nashville. Any given night you can walk into almost any small bar or club and there is someone singing their asses off on a song that they created and were delivering to the public or just anyone who will listen. I’m starting to see it take shape here in New England on different levels and I can’t help but hope I might have had something to do with it way back when.
NECM: Your working on a new album, when can we expect to hear it and what can we expect from it?
DB: Word travels fast (laughing). Yes, there is a record in the works and in it is very early stages. I’m going to devote the next year to really writing and finding the songs that best fit who the band really is and what we enjoy. Hopefully people will relate to it and enjoy listening. We are hoping for a release in the fall of 2015, but you just never know. You didnt hear that from me!
NECM: What do you look forward to the most in these new ventures?
DB: My family being healthy. My daughter never growing up and never talking to boys because they aren’t cool. And being happy. Everything else will find a way to work itself out. I have a team that I could have only dreamed I would have one day and with support like that, it’s hard not to get a bit excited when looking ahead at the future.
I’d love to thank my new friends at New England to Nashville, including Matt Casey, and all that support this organization as it has really helped bring so many local and national artists together that normally would have never crossed paths.
All of us here, at New England Country Music, wish Darren the best of his luck with his new band and his new music. It is very apparent that Darren definitely has the right attitude to do everything he wants to and more. Make sure you head down to Loretta’s Last Call tonight to check out Darren as he headlines tonight’s Countryoke event.
You may be asking, what is Countryoke? We got with Matt Casey, who is the founder of New England to Nashville, which puts on Countryoke and other great events in the area, and who is also a huge advocate for country music, especially up here in the Northeast.
NECM: Tell me about Countryoke, how did it start and why did you start it?
MC: Most of New England to Nashville events are geared just for artists like Country Girls In the City at the Hard Rock or songwriters like Behind the Curtain with the Nashville Hitmakers. New England to Nashville is a group of over 400 songwriters and artists with New England roots. We are really reliant on country music fans to come and support events like these, so we wanted to create something that lets the fans be part of the show. We think Countryoke accomplishes that because we have the acoustic performances that really feature songwriting, then Countryoke that enables fans to perform for a potential prize of $100. Then we feature the performing artists in NETN with a full band performance to close out the night.
NECM: What do you think these events do for the artists involved?
MC: For the acoustic performers, it’s a chance to play before a live audience, test out songs they have written, and sharpen their live performing skills. A lot of them have only played Writers Nights where the audience is fellow songwriters. So playing on the Loretta’s stage is a real treat and often their first time performing before a live audience. That goes for Countryoke too, some of the participants may have participated in karaoke before, but not many have had the chance to be part of a bill that features such talented artists sandwiched around the Countryoke hour. Plus, Loretta’s is quickly becoming the place where all the country artists want to play, so you can imagine the thrill it is for fans who are used to being in the audience to get up on that stage. For the full band performing artists, it’s just a really fun night to play. There aren’t many opportunities like this where you get a weekend environment crowd on a Wednesday night in Boston. Plus they can engage their fans to take part in Countryoke and make new fans by winning over people who came down to perform, but stay for the full band performance.
NECM: What is the goal of Countryoke?
MC: First and foremost, to provide a fun night out for everyone involved. It’s also great to provide artists with opportunities they don’t have and expose fans to artists they may not know about otherwise. Anything that New England to Nashville can do to advance country music on a local level is great. There is such an appetite for country at a grassroots level in addition to the national acts. That is why we have quickly made Countryoke a weekly thing starting with the Darren Bessette Band. Were just giving people what they are asking for, its not a case of building it and hoping they will come. The passion is already there.
NECM: How is it to work with Loretta’s and WKLB on these events?
MC: Incredible. Country music in Boston today would not be where it is without WKLB Country 102.5. They are really the pioneers who have been providing the outlet to build the genre in Boston for so long. Ginny Brophy and the folks over there are really passionate about being involved in local events like this when they could just focus on the national stars. It’s a testament to their commitment to the city. We love having an event like this with that lets their listeners participate.
Loretta’s Last Call is like a godsend for country music fans in Boston. They have only been around for a little while but they have already established themselves as the place for country music fans in Boston. Other venues are trying to catch lightning in a bottle by having country-themed nights, but there is no other place that has the feel of a Nashville honkey-tonk and makes a 100 percent commitment to the genre. The staff is friendly, the food is amazing and like WLKB, they are also so focused on helping country music grow on a local level. I was at first sorry to hear La Verdad was closing. I loved their Mexican food but I got over it the first time I walked in and saw it it had been transformed Loretta’s Last Call. We could not ask for two better partners on this event and others.
So if you want to hear some great country music, have some great Southern food and drinks, and hang out with some of the biggest and best country music fans in New England… there’s only one place to go- Loretta’s Last Call.