Welcome to the final part of our three-part interview series with Nashville-based Americana/folk singer-songwriter Sully Bright. He has just released a fantastic new album, “Darling, Wake Up,” and he sat down recently with @skopemag to talk about his music, his inspirations, and this stunning, heartfelt collection of songs.
@skopemag: How would you describe your music?
Sully: I would describe it as “music to listen to while you drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway.”
@skopemag: Who are your biggest musical influences right now?
Sully: My biggest influences on this album are Gregory Alan Isakov and Drew Holcomb. Gregory has such interesting and inspired soundscapes in all of his songs. It feels like you are listening to a painting almost. It’s just so pretty. I tried to pay homage to his instrumentation and intentional production when recording this project, really trying to capture that “this sounds like it was recorded live in a barn” sound. Drew Holcomb inspires me because his lyrics are effective and universal, without feeling bland. There is such a careful line between writing bland, broad lyrics and writing something that speaks to a lot of people. I think the difference there is authenticity. Drew Holcomb does a great job of this; you can tell his lyrics come from a pure joy in music, and a belief in his message. I made a lot of revisions on my writing, trying to figure out if my lyrics were personal, authentic, or unrelatable. Eventually, I just went with what felt the most authentic, and I learned that lesson from listening to Drew Holcomb.
I have to say, the current folk/country ecosystem is really exciting, and there are a ton of acts that are representing this space well. I kept Tyler Childers, Noah Kahan, Penny & Sparrow, Gillian Welch, Mipso, and a host of other modern folk bands in mind while making this project. The bar is raised every year, and folk is coming back in a huge way! I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge it in my “influences” section. I am proud to be a part of this genre.
