Getting to Know. . . JEFF BLACK
 by Kathy S-B  ·  25 June 2007

Jeff Black is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter, originally from Missouri. His songs have been recorded by Sam Bush and he’s collaborated with Wilco and Iris Dement. There is much to love about Jeff Black’s music—much to contemplate, reflect on, and just plain enjoy! Learn more about him.

I’ve been mesmerized by Jeff Black’s songs for a couple of years now. I’ve had the opportunity to catch him in concert twice and can enthusiastically endorse him as a top-notch performer and someone you all should put on the top of your “MUST SEE” list. Make a note that Jeff will be one of the performers at Summerfest in New Bedford on July 7–8 It’s worth the trip to see Jeff, never mind all the other great acts that are playing there this year. For a little taste of Jeff, check out this video of him singing “Same ol’ River.”

Your songs have such terrific images in them, for instance, in “Birmingham Road,” “St. Christopher swings from a silver chain as he jumps through the dashboard light running with the angels in the power train out here on the edge of the night.” That’s a powerful and unforgettable image. I’m curious about how your songwriting works — do you write down images like that when they come to you or do the lyrics all flow together at one time?

I’m usually rolling a film in my mind. Ordinary images like the dashboard lights of a car going down a dark road and everything that surrounds that image is a great source for suspended belief. I’m not sure if it’s selective memory. I’ve always believed that songs and poetry even at their most literal, should reside a little outside or above rather, the normal plain. The sound of a car on a gravel road, the sight of the dust kicking up in the rearview mirror, the red glow of tail lights in that cloud, the numbness and haze of youth in its own Eden and all that haunts me, follows close and taps me on the shoulder until I write it down. Then It can live in a place of it’s own. That makes room for all those dreams and memories I haven’t built around yet. The songs that come fast are always the best ones, the ones you can’t write down fast enough seem to have a foundation I am more prone to relate to and can work from but, it’s deceiving. I never start with a title. It’s always this mist of an idea that I carry around. It’s abstract and hard to get a handle on for a long time. Then all of the sudden it just falls out simple and without a fight. I forget how long I’ve been thinking about it. All is forgiven. That’s my favorite way to write.

It seems like you have a lot of songs that mention “driving.” Do you get a lot of inspiration when you’re driving?

Traveling has always been romantic. My father was a truck driver and I always wanted to be just like him.

The first song that I heard by you was “Nineteen.” It was one of those “WHO is this person singing this song” kind of moments for me. Is there a story behind this song?

Yes but, that’s one I leave to the listener.

You often play several instruments in concert — guitar, banjo, and piano. Do you favor one over the other for composing? Using the banjo on “Gold Heart Locket” was a brilliant choice. How did you come to choose the banjo over the guitar, for instance?

I was telling the story about how my Dad and his brother used to play little barn dances in north Missouri. My Dad played a little 4-string tenor banjo. A friend gave me my tenor banjo and I’ll always believe that little song was living in that instrument. I wanted to stay true to where it came from. I wrote it fast and furious on that banjo and am still looking for a new song in it. I try to stay out of the way, although it’s hard, and let the songs and the instruments lead. I write about equal on piano now as guitar. Guitar was my first instrument so I usually pick it up first. I tour alone for the most part and for myself as much as anyone else, I like different sounds and instruments to carry songs. My favorite right now is piano. I’m sure that will change though since I’m really not a great piano player.

You don’t seem to tour all that often. Is that intentional? Do you enjoy traveling or would you rather devote your time to songwriting at home?

When “Birmingham Road” came out in 1998 I toured quite a bit until late 1999. I met the woman who would be my wife and, my Dad passed away all within about a year. Got married and we started building our lives and having babies. Before all that I had been hitting the road pretty hard along with trying to get this music off the ground for about 15–20 years so, real life came in and I gained a little perspective on chasing dreams. I’m always writing, I never stop that. In 2003 I licensed and released 2 cd’s. “Honey And Salt” in Europe on the Blue Rose label and “B-Sides And Confessions Vol I” with Dualtone. 2003–2005 I was pretty much gone all the time. I slept in the van, drove about 200,000 miles and played wherever they would have me. I guess I was trying to catch up from the hiatus of 1999–2003. I put out “Tin Lily” in 2005 and toured quite a bit. I love to travel but I don’t like to be gone. Know what I mean? As I get older, the lure of beating my head against the wall is not as strong as it used to be. I love my family, I love to make music and experience the creative exchange that comes with live performance. The climate of the music business and logistics doesn’t allow for the vagabond life like it used to. I always write and will always perform. I just have a different attachment to it now.