These girls and me, we made a record together.
Like a record record record. That Thing You Do, anyone? Whitney and MaryPat… my sisters from different misters. I was thrilled when my college friends and now fellow Nashvillians asked if I’d produce their second full-length album. And I couldn’t be happier with the way this record came out. It’s always such a treat to come out on the other side not only having made a great project together, but as great friends. As people who were willing to dig deep together, get vulnerable, and press into the unknown parts of ourselves. We went there together and made better music because of it.
There were laughs. There were tears. There were JonBonet Ramsey conspiracy theories. And who says we can’t have it all?
There were also (the almost usual, it seems) sessions with Ben Shive and Nate Dugger who always bring a level of maturity and authenticity to everything we do together. It’s incredible how these two can be recording on different days and in different studios, but still play as if they were sitting right beside each other. I also brought in Kris Donegan to play guitar on half of the tunes that Dugger didn’t play on. It was my first time working with him and I love what he brought to these songs. Finally, Andy Hunt mixed half of the record and did a beautiful job.
I am so inspired by Whitney and MaryPat’s commitment to doing what they love to do, their ability to take huge risks and keep their heads up when things don’t go as planned. In the process of making this record, I got the privilege to see behind the curtain of their lives and to witness the grit and resilience it takes to be independent artists in 2016. So inspiring.
FAVORITE MEMORIES
- When my buddy Jeremiah Jones walks in my front door exhausted after a 10-hour drive and I’m like, “Hey we’re recording some group vocals. You in?” He was in. And we all let loose singing some rowdy group vocals on a song called The Promise. T’was a good time.
- Trips to Burger Shack in Nolensville
- Nate Dugger’s chief aim in life is to eliminate any fade out at the end of any song… ever. He succeeded on a song called Humankind where he and Ben persisted in playing beautiful music so that I couldn’t bring myself to do an actual fade out. So they just play until the song ends… no fade out. And it’s magical.
- Did I mention JonBenet Ramsey conspiracy theories? I’m not naming names, but someone believes Katy Perry may actually be JonBenet. I don’t know, man.
Water Within's album Long Live Your Spirit is available now on iTunes.
