Interview with Tennessee’s Hottest Songwriter Tanner Flowers

Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine & Radio Show

 

Lamitschka:  Music has many new fans throughout Europe who may be hearing about you for the first time. How would you describe yourself and the music you write to someone who has never seen or heard you?

Tanner: Who hasn’t heard of me?! I’ve been writing songs longer than today’s country music has been pretending to be  country music. Who am I? I am just another one you out there reading this and thinking to yourself, ‘‘Well damn he’s right.‘‘ Well I know I’m right!! Difference is, I’ll take a stand for country music!! I’ll wave the flag!! I’ll take the reigns and ride this wave all the way to the top!! I’m a country music fan. That’s who Tanner Flowers is. I just may enjoy writing country music more than the next person. What can I say? I’m just me. And it’s a hard thing pretending to be anything else.

Lamitschka:  Do you write the songs yourself? Or do you prefer to cowrite?

Tanner: You know it took me a long time to get comfortable writing with other people. And it’s not so much that, I ever disliked anyone. I just hadn’t ever done it that much until about three years ago. Now I have a group of writers that when you ask us to write a certain type song, it’s DONE!! We get the material finished. I ain’t one of these type writers that wants to go work on a song for a year or two. I get bored after about thirty minutes. If I can’t get a song wrote in an hour or two, I don’t see any since in finishing it. You evidentally ain’t feeling it if takes you that long. Anything longer than two hours is just your imagination’s thoughts anyway. REALNESS comes from the soul. And if it’s in your soul, the words are gonna‘ come right out.

Lamitschka:  Your current single „Wannabe“ is being played by radio. What do you feel is special about this song that makes people want to hear it?

Tanner:  It’s simple. The fans can relate to every single word. It’s a jab in the face to every other song that tries to compete with it. I’m not saying ‘‘Wannabe‘‘ is the best country song ever written. Cause it’d be sure hard to beat ‘‘A Picture of Me Without You‘‘ by Lorrie Morgan. You see that song’s real. And so is ‘‘Wannabe‘‘! The truth’s always gonna be the truth! And all these people out there trying to be country and ain’t…you’re just a wannabe.

Lamitschka:  What will your next single be?

Tanner: The next one they wanna‘ pay me enough to write.

Lamitschka:  What is your favorite song among all the songs you have recorded and what’s the story behind it?

Tanner:  You know they’re all my favorite really. Each song I write means so much to me. They’re an open book to whatever I may have been thinking at that certain point and time in my life. ‘‘When I’m Gone‘‘ is probably not the most commercial appealing song I’ver ever written, but it’s something I’ve thought about a lot in my life. I always wonder who will really miss me when I’m gone out of this old world? I’d like to know who really appreciated Tanner Flowers? Who honestly admired the man that stood up for the things he believed in? So yeah. ‘‘When I’m Gone‘‘ is right up there at the top of my list.

Lamitschka:  Do you have any interesting stories about how fans have been affected by your music?

Tanner:  I have people tell me that my songs have brought them to tears, laughter, made them fall in love with their spouse all over again. They say I’ve helped bring a smile to their faces with the memories that my songs make them reflect back on. And I can’t speak for everybody else out there, but as for Tanner Flowers, that’s what songwriting is all about. If the listener can hear a line in your song and travel right back to that moment in his or her own mind, if they can relive that moment, then as a songwriter, you just achieved success! Words are a very powerful thing. Relationships have been started on a song. Families have been brought together on a song. Time can sometimes stand still on a song. So for all of you out there with the gift of songwriting, don’t take it for granted and waste it on fake songs. Don’t agree that that Bob Marley wannabe song Sugarland did is country music. Strive to write what’s in your heart, and then you too can help change the life of someone for the better.

Lamitschka:  What do you think about today’s music industry?

Tanner:  Do you think what you hear on country radio today is real? Do you think for one second Justin Moore could kick my ass? If you do, I can assure you are sadly mistaken. I’m not saying Justin Moore’s not talented. Truth be told, he’s one of the few left that I actually enjoy listening to. What I’m saying is that most of the entertainment you are being entertained with is fake!! The songs that are being played on country radio today are about as close to being country music as Dierks Bentley is close to having arms the size of mine.

Lamitschka:  If you had the chance to change something about the music industry, what would it be?

Tanner:  What do you think has happened to country music? Why do you think they went out and recruited Hootie and the Blowfish? It’s because they want it to be pop music! And if you wanna hear pop music, you sure don’t wanna be listening to the songs I’m writing! You may wanna listen to something some Canadian up in Canada wrote. Just typed it right up on his little labtop and sent it on in to Nashville! Let me tell you something. There’s a couple pinstripe suit wearing fools that are the reason country music has went from Hank Williams Jr, to Lady Antebellum! They’re also the reason country music has went from Waylon Jennings, Johhny Cash, Travis Tritt, to what?!! To who?!! Keith Urban? Mr Australian highlights? Look. It all comes down to this. COUNTRY MUSIC NEEDS COUNTRY MUSIC. Period!! So I say toss the pinstripe suits, let reggae music stay in Jamaica, and let’s turn by God Tennessee back into the country music capital of the world!! Is that too much to ask for?

Lamitschka:  Are you doing anything to take music beyond its current borders or are you happy where it is?

Tanner: I know all my fans know where I’m taking this thing. I know the industry knows where I’m taking this thing. And I know that all the haters know that there ain’t nothing getting in my way from right here in this very interview to the top of the mountain. You can either climb on this train or step back and watch it blow right on passed you.

Lamitschka:  What was your big break that got you into the music business?