Robby Hecht is a romantic realist. He writes melodic and captivating songs that don't shy away from the complexity of human relationships and delivers them with a smooth tenor that evokes both sorrow and hope. His new record, and second solo effort, takes the listener through a broad spectrum of emotions touching on forgiveness, love, indifference, joy, self-doubt and more. He writes with an honestly that captures the truth of a sentiment, building allegorical themes that allow anyone to relate the songs to the experiences of his or her own life.
With its blend of acoustic and electric instrumentation, Last of The Long Days harkens back to a time when well-crafted lyrics and timeless melodies ruled the radio airwaves. "Real Someday" is a hopeful mid-tempo tune with a lyric that promises there will be better days to come. The chorus is a descending, wordless harmony with Jill Andrews, formerly of The Everybodyfields, supplying the soaring backing vocals. The folksy "Pot of Gold" sings the praises of a long time relationship while playing on traditional methods of fortune seeking. On this track, muted upright bass and James Digirolamo's accordion complement Hecht's warm, assuring vocals and intricate fingerpicking.
John Deaderick (Dixie Chicks, Patty Griffin) adds shimmering B3 organ and piano to the swelling melody of "A Reckoning of Us." Here, Hecht's heartfelt vocals tell the tale of a failed relationship while assuring that forgiveness will eventually and inevitably ease the pain. Jill Andrews again supplies the harmonies that back this and so many of the other arrangements on Last of The Long Days. She duets with Hecht on Townes Van Zandt's "If I Needed You" – where Hecht's slight variation on the melody and the weeping pedal steel of Paul Niehaus (Calexico) make this cover something special. The album closes with the quiet, devotional sentiments of "Never Let Go." Deaderick provides ambient notes on the accordion enhancing what may be Hecht's most quietly passionate vocal.
Last of The Long Days is a low-key stunner, an album marked by well-crafted melodies, poetic lyrics and arrangements that bring every tune and emotion to life. Producer Lex Price (Mindy Smith, Matthew Ryan) has fashioned an intimate yet powerful record full of understated touches that add emotional resonance to every song. "I loved working with Lex on the last project – we have complimentary styles and I wanted to build on that compatibility," Hecht says. "He has a unique vision in the studio that adds incredible layering and nuance to my songs." As with their first collaboration, Late Last Night, Hecht and Price have created a record that slowly unfolds to reveal its emotional depth, the more so with every listen.
Growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee, Hecht was exposed to his parents' collection of 70s acoustic pop albums and his dad's mandolin playing. "My mom loved Paul Simon, Jim Croce, Dan Fogleberg and other classic singer/songwriters. When I started writing songs, I was listening to their modern counterparts, artists like Tracy Chapman, Sarah McLachlan and David Gray. That combination was a big influence on my writing."
The summer before he started college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Hecht made a conscious decision to become a singer/songwriter. "Playing music just never seemed like work, so I knew that was what I was meant to do. I used the Internet to teach myself guitar. I discovered I had an affinity for fingerpicking and went from there."
After graduation, Hecht moved to Paris with a friend and busked on the streets to make money. "A guy who played bagpipes used to set up across the street from me; he'd drown me out and make all the money. It wasn't an incredibly lucrative gig to be an American folksinger in Paris, but still was an amazing experience I'll never forget."
After returning to the states, Hecht moved to San Francisco where he fronted the folk/swing band AllDay Radio and then settled in Nashville to pursue his songwriting career. He toured relentlessly over the next several years, winning the Great Waters Music Festival Songwriter Competition in 2006, the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition in 2008 and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Troubadour Contest in 2010, and garnering comparisons to early James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Amos Lee. Like these celebrated artists, Robby Hecht is a unique voice -- one that is stirring, instantly recognizable and truly original.
Credits
Winner, Telluride Bluegrass Festival Troubadour Contest 2010
Winner, Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition 2008
Winner, Wildflower Music and Arts Festival Songwriter Competition 2007
Winner, Great Waters Music Festival Songwriter Competition 2006
Winner, Riverbluff Music Festival Songwriter Competition 2006
PLEASE DIRECT ALL INQUIRIES TO ROBBY@ROBBYHECHT.COM
