The artist of the week for 10/20/14 is Pierce Avenue. They are a husband and wife duo by the names of Tony and Jaime Pierce. After pursuing solo careers they have put their forces together in Nashville, and are set to release their debut EP on Tuesday, October 21st.
Check back here all week as I will be reviewing the EP and interviewing them each day.
What’s your favorite kind of sandwich?
Jaime: Oscar Meyer Bologna w/Helmans Mayo!
Tony: Ham Sandwich
The Beatles or Elvis? Why?
J & T ELVIS!
J: My dad is a HUGE Elvis fan & use to sing his songs all of the time! He even looked like him when he was younger:)
T: Elvis is THE KING that’s why!
Lyrics to live by?
J: “You gotta be young to see” -Charlie Worsham (I listen to this over and over & it inspires me to just enjoy & live in the moment)
T: “Life’s Highway!” -Steve Wariner
What sets you apart from the rest?
The combination of our individual performance styles create something unique that we cannot do individually. It’s that blend that makes Pierce Avenue such a rewarding project for us and sets it apart.
What country music artists do you listen to the most?
Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, LeeAnn Womack, Charlie Worsham, Reba, Steve Wariner, Vince Gill, Little Big Town…. just to name a few
How do you see country music evolving within 10 years?
Maybe the genre splitting where you have the modern sound on one, and the other returning back to its roots both sonically and lyrically. That way there’s something for everyone.
Are there any instruments you don’t play but wish you did? Why?
J: Wish I could play guitar better! When I write I can hear the production in my head- if I played better I could make that come to life a little easier instead of having to explain it lol. (And no, Tony cannot teach me! We don’t work well on that level haha!)
T: I wish I could play pedal steel guitar, because nothing that can evoke emotion in the way steel guitar can.
Does being married help your song writing process or are there certain difficulties that come with it?
BOTH! lol. Sometimes being married can help you get into a state of mind when you’re writing, and on the other hand…. it can be difficult. Tony & I are both very passionate so when we disagree, we really disagree. But, as in our marriage, you give and take.
Is there anyone that inspires you or who gave great advice?
T: Steve Couburn, my first guitar teacher. He instilled in me that my talent & passion for music was a gift from God and that it should always be fun!
J: My mom & dad have always inspired me. They believed in my voice since I was 10 years-old. How many parents take their kid seriously when they’re 10 and the kid tells you ‘I want to be a singer, that’s what I want to do with my life’ ?? Not many. My parents always told me you can do it! We believe in you. And they always and still back it up! They followed us to Nashville 2 years ago and live here now!
What do you consider to be your first big break in your career so far?
J: Mine was when I was a solo artist in 2010 under Jayme Lynn Scott… my single “Diggin’ In” was #1 for ten straight weeks on the New Music Weekly chart & it was put on a karaoke cd! I was floored! The way I started performing back home in Indiana was I sang to karaoke tracks. So at that point, I felt I had kind of come full circle. Now someone was buying MY song and learning to sing it!
T: When I got my first lead guitar touring gig at 17 with Sonny Burgess in Dallas, TX!
How has living in Nashville benefited your musical career?
The friends and people we’ve met in this town are irreplaceable! So many great writers we’ve gotten to work with, talented musicians that blow your mind, standing in Reba McEntire’s studio where we recorded this EP…. this town is a dream and we get to live here!!
What’s on the horizon for you that you would like to share?
The release of this EP being available on iTunes. We’ve come such a long way finding what makes us, us and we really got to experiment with it and get creative. This EP is truly a reflection of Tony and I and we couldn’t be more proud of it, and hope people really enjoy it!
Meet Country 