DeWayne Spaw - Great Songs and Grandpa
Courtesy Country Music News Today
"Country music is the kind of music you feel and experience," says DeWayne Spaw. For DeWayne, the songs he records and writes are about real life, things he has experienced and events that have occurred in his life that his audience can relate to. He settles for nothing less than a great song when choosing his material and while he's a songwriter in addition to a singer, he's not against going outside of his own songbook when searching for a great song. "I look for a hit song first, that's my number one priority," he states.
Growing up in the rural area of Indiana near Lynnville and Spurgoen, the love of music was instilled in DeWayne at an early age. His mother played piano and sang at church and and his father, a coal miner, would keep the radio in his old Jeep CJ-5 tuned to only country stations. However it was DeWayne's grandfather, who passed in September of 2008, that put music in DeWayne's heart. "Grandpa was my best buddy and friend," DeWayne says of his grandfather. DeWayne views his grandfather as a bit of a performer in his own right. A lifetime farmer, DeWayne's grandfather was also an accomplished poet and involved in the local community. He was often asked to recite his poetry which he taught to DeWayne. "When my grandpa told poems, he put so much expression into it and had everyones full attention," DeWayne recalls. As an elementary school student, it was discovered that DeWayne was quite the performer himself. He would be sent to the office to recite poems over the intercom for the entire school, all the while enjoying the feeling of being in front of people, doing something he loved. While he says he doesn't know exactly where his love of music begins, he does know that "Grandpa put music in my heart."
Like all country artists, DeWayne sites a few of country's legends as his musical influences. Merle Haggard with his outlaw edge goes down as an influence as does Johnny Cash and Mel Tillis. DeWayne recalls "I Got The Hoss" by Mel Tillis as being one of the first songs he remembers singing. Charlie Pride also goes down as a big influence for DeWayne. "Oh, that man's voice was so clean, deep and clear…" DeWayne remembers of the first time he heard Charlie Pride.
DeWayne's first recording project after making the move from rural Indiana to Nashville, a move DeWayne calls an "adjustment", was a six song EP called Northern Born, Southern Bred. DeWayne says the EP was a stepping-stone and a beginning, giving credit to the great writers he had on the project and the material he was able to get his hands on. A music video was shot for one of the songs on the album that aired on TNN and CMT. "I'm still very proud of it," DeWayne says, his voice full of something resembling affection for his first recording project.
These days, DeWayne performs frequently at fairs, rodeos, and festivals, preferring the family atmosphere to the club atmosphere where many times music is nothing more than background noise. He's opened for some big name acts such as Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean and Keith Urban, enjoying being able to interact with the crowd. "I love it so much," he says. When asked about any projects he has in the works, DeWayne says at the moment, he is still promoting his latest CD but come fall, he will begin searching for new material for his next album and will go into the studio early next year to begin recording.
DeWayne Spaw loves his music. It is obvious from the moment he begins to discuss his songs and performing that he is living his passion and is okay with the time and patience the music industry requires. He uses Facebook to promote his music and advertise his shows and is well aware of the difficulties facing lesser known artists in today's music business. With a rock edge to his music that makes the listener want to get up and dance, DeWayne Spaw is the real deal. Give DeWayne Spaw's music a listen and if he's playing a show near you, check him out. You'll be glad you did.
For more information, visit the DeWayne Spaw website at www.dewaynespaw.com or visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dewaynespaw
