Jess was talking with Levi Hummon, a Songwriter from Nashville/ Tennessee.
He talks about his new EP, Songwriting and much more.
Jess:Hello Levi,
I’m Jess, thank you for your time.
My two colleagues Ina and Susi saw you at the CMA Songwriter Series in Berlin last year, maybe you remember?
How did you like Germany ?
Levi: I remember being in Germany was one of my favorite shows.
I really really loved being in Germany. I played in Berlin but I also played near Munich for the US troops.
I didn’t know how big Germany was until we get there. It tool us hours, it was like forever, to drive from the military site to Berlin
And I love the whole countryside and you guys have some of the best gas stations I’ve ever been to.
And I really like the Wiener Schnitzel.
Jess:Was it the first time you were in the Songwriter Series?
Levi: So we did the songwriter Series in Canada but it was my first time in Germany and we went to the UK and Scotland this past fall.
We have been doing a lot of world traveling for the CMA series and they have been a great partner for us, And spreading the word text song writing is a real craft and it is a real thing that people do here in America, especially in Nashville, creating beautiful music and I know that Germany has a long history of amazing music and sharing our craft especially in country music is really important.
Jess:Your dad is the GRAMMY award-winning, singer/songwriter Marcus Hummon. He wrote songs for artists like the Dixie Chicks, Sara Evans or Tim McGraw.
Do you also write for other artists?
Levi: Yes, I have been writing for myself and my projects for a long time now. But I have written songs for people in the past. I wrote a song for Steven Tyler from “Aerosmith”, I wrote one of his singles called „Red White & You“, and I got to meet him and hang out with him for a whole day which was really cool.
Jess: I love your song “Love Heals” with Alison Krauss.
You have written it for your mother right?
How did the duet with Alison Krauss come about?
Levi: Yes, my mother started an organization here in Nashville called Thistle Farm. It helps women with a history of drug addiction and prostitution.
Basically she employs women to make candles Bath & Body soaps lotions and ChapStick and all kind of amazing stuff.
And it basically started out in the back of a church and now they have this giant Warehouse here in Nashville and they sell to this place called Whole Food and it is becoming one of the biggest things in the states for helping women out on the entrepreneurial path.
So from my perspective I was inspired by my mom and the work and the women at Thistle Farm.
And the only way I can pay tribute to that was to write a song. So I wrote this song with my dad and Tom Douglas who is also a Grammy award-winning songwriter.
And we wrote the song „Love heals“ and I texted it to Alison Krauss and asked if she liked this enough to put her voice on it.
The next day she responded that she would love to try to find time to do it and we did it and released it.
And I ended up doing a little tour with Alison Krauss. I did about five shows with her and it was super fun.
Jess: You signed up with a label but left it, to do YOUR own thing.
A big step. Did you ever regret it?
Levi: In country music for so long, the way to make it in business was to come to Nashville, get a deal, go to Radio and it’s either you going to make it or not. And that was just how it is.
But now with things like Spotify, Amazon music, Apple music and YouTube and all these streaming platforms, it’s not just radio in the United States anymore.
It’s going beyond, it’s like there are new fan bases. People are hungry for music, so it allows a artist like me to be an independent artist. I don’t need a full label
I don’t need a big label to get my music out to people and have it react to people.
So Spotify and all these streaming services…. Instagram is how I was able to go overseas to places like Germany and the UK and Canada and have fans there and they have some of my music.
I don’t think that would have happened with a full label.
I think it was better to be an independent artist with these new platform for music.
Jess: Today your second EP “Patient” will be released.
We’ve already been allowed to listen … great songs!
Please tell us something about the EP and the songs?
Levi: I’ve been on the road for the last two years and I signed a new coaching deal with Sony ATV here in Nashville.
I basically did some project which was a culmination of writing songs when I was home and trying them out when I was on the road to see what people loved.
I wanted to put together a group of song that complimented each other and were similarly produced but distinctive enough to have their own title and story.
So with each new title I met up with some of of my favorite writers in Nashville trying to design a story of what I have been doing the last 2 years on the road kind of what the future holds
My favorite song on the upcoming EP is a song called „I still do“.
The reason I love it is because my thing in the writing room is I love Melody.
I went through a break-up about a year ago.
I’ve been writing about that break up for about a year.
Now I’m trying to figure out how to get my money worth out of The Break-Up, and that final song was like getting through The Break-Up.
Sometimes when you get your heart broke you kind of circle back and sometimes the hardest thing to do is, to Let it go.
Sometimes you have to admit that you still love that person even though it’s wrong.
I love all my songs, equally they’re like my children.
I don’t love one song more than other, they all have different reasons why I wrote and release them.
The song „patient“ for instance the title itself, I had in my pocket for a long time.
I’ve been so patient for this new EP 2 come out.
I was trying to figure out what songs to put on it and what to do, so I thought that „Patient“ would be the perfect title for the EP.
Then I get in the writing room and start talking about it and all of a sudden the song kind of morph into a song about a girl. And in Nashville that’s kind of high it works for some reason but I kind of love that song as well it’s really a fun song to play live. It’s a great song and we jam out, it was kind of a theme.
I wanted half of the songs to be up-tempo and to have a couple of heart breaks because people in my age group kind of relate to that.
Jess: Levi, we have launched a project on our social media channels where your fans can ask questions. So here we go:
Brian is asking:
I read you was a big fan of the Ramones. What’s your fav. Ramones Song?
Levi: Oh it’s, Blitzkrieg Bob!
I’m a huge fan of the Ramones and The Clash. When I was growing up „London calling“ from „The Clash“ was one of my favorite punk rock songs.
Then there was „The Dead Kennedys“, that was a big influence on me.
I loved everything, from the punk scene to „Bob Dylan“ to „Outcast“, „Baha Men“ and „Ricky Martin“ and all this crazy stuff.
My taste in music is really wide because I like melody and lyrics and different stuff inspires me.
Susann wants to know:
Last year in July, you made your debut in the legendary Grand Ole Opry – Do you remember that moment in the Opry?
Levi: I actually did the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday.
I did two shows and I met Tom Hanks and Tim McGraw backstage which was kind of fun.
I got a photo with them which was kind of like a lifetime achievement for me.
I remember at the Opry, at my debut, it’s an historic walk from the side stage my first time at the Opry Circle remember, that walk it was amazing it’s like no other feeling on Earth. I had my dad come out and sing a song with me which was really beautiful and he cried.
Claire asks:
Can we hope for an Album soon?
Levi: Yes I am working on and album this EP is like part 1 of 2 I am really excited to keep making music. I have written over 400 songs in the past couple of years so I definitely have more music to put out.
Melanie wants to know:
Who would you love to sing a duet with?
Levi: My dream duet was Alison Krauss so since I have accomplished that I would love to sing with Miranda Lambert or Katy Perry two of my favorite singers of all time so they are next on my list.
Jess: So, we’re finish now. Just one more question.
Can we hope for some Shows in Germany?
Levi: I am currently looking forward to come back to Germany as soon as possible and I love beer (laughing) I know it’s Oktoberfest somewhere in Germany
Thanks to Levi for this nice interview. We’re looking forward seeing you soon again!
More information about Levi Hummon and his new EP „Patient“ :
© J.Morbe