Grant Peeples -- One Unique Individual

Grant Peeples calls himself an "Americana" musician / singer-songwriter. The first time I met Grant he scared the $#!t out of me... and that's a good thing -- or a SWEEEEEEEET deal... a bit scruffy around the edges, shaved head, tatoo or three. His music rises from the dirt. Gut level, feel the pain, been there, got the rash pureness that you don't hear much. Truthiness. He'd hate that. Maybe not.

Next time I met Grant we hugged like long lost brothers. With different mothers AND fathers. But this man gets to me. He has the guts that I don't have -- to take the chance with the contents of your heart and soul, expose it to the world, and just hope it pays you back enough to make the next gig. Here's a bit of Grant's ruminating about the recent Americana Music Conference in Nashville:

What the hell is Americana Music?

It’s sort of a running joke at the annual Americana Conference:    What IS Americana Music?  

 The definition I myself came up with this year was:    “Americana music is the music you don’t hear when you are scanning the radio dial.”    Cute, huh?

I had almost compartmentalized the proverbial  “conference experience” and moved on.   But then, in the USA Today this past Tuesday, there was a huge story about Robert Plant. (Yeah, the Lead Zepplin dude.)    Robert Plant and Alison Krauss had THE biggest record on the Americana charts last year, “Raising Sand”.   

And now,  this year,  Mr. Plant has assembled an All-Star cast of band members to form, “Band Of Joy,” which is sure to be the #1 Americana touring act between now and the NEXT Americana Conference.

So…I have to ask:   Was I the only one that noticed that the USA Today story never ONCE said “Americana” music?    They called it “American” music.    Damn. Every time I think this Americana thing might be getting some traction, I realize the truth is....the wheels are still spinning.   

Can anybody say:   “Mar-ke-ting-con-sul-tant?”

Grant will be making an in-person live appearance in Jacksonville next Thursday night (September 23), 8:30 at the European Street Listening Room on San Marco in Jacksonville. I'll be there annoying the crap out of him with my camera. You'll find photos and a review here. In the meanwhile... check this out.