Bill Abernathy Interview Part 1

Bill Abernathy Interview Part 1

by 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 play to someone who has never seen or heard you?

Abernathy:
I am really a simple guy. I am a father, a grandfather and a friend first. I write record and produce music as a second priority in my life. I enjoy writing songs about things that happen in my life and in the lives of others involved in my life. I think my experiences gained over time, and the relationships I have built give my music a different look at many things. Whether that is related to relationships, changes I have been through, and or social and political commentary, I draw on my life lessons to document the things I see and the things I have learned over the years.

Lamitschka:
How was the last year for you? What were your highlights?

Abernathy:
I was one the fortunate ones who actually got my tour completed in early pre Covid 2020. That tour, through 6 states in the US was a lot of fun. The audiences and the face to face interaction I got to have with my fans was really cool. That said, since then I have done dozens of On Live shows for my fans. Though I miss he personal touch, it is still great to interact with fans and friends to stay in touch during these times

Lamitschka:
What is your latest CD and how’s it doing?

Abernathy:
Our latest full-length CD, Crossing Willow Creek has been a very nice surprise. The acceptance of this work across the globe has been exceptional and somewhat unexpected. We released 4 singles from that project, with each getting substantial play and attention with our existing fans, and our new fans as well.

Lamitschka:
How did you choose the title for the CD?  Is there a story behind the name?

Abernathy:
Crossing Willow Creek is a study of moving from your comfort zone and into new and unexplored areas of your life. Specifically, the tunes on CWC were all written in my comfort zone of purely acoustic music. We took those acoustic tunes, produced them up with new sounds and new feel, and created Crossing Willow Creek. Moving away from my comfort zone and exploring new thoughts, ideas and sounds has been a fantastic move for me. The tune Changes on CWC really plays well this concept. „Change always teaches us to be everything we’re destined to be “.
That statement rings true for Crossing Willow Creek.

Lamitschka:
Do you write the songs yourself? If not, how do you go about finding the songs for your CD?

Abernathy:
I do write most of the tunes myself. I find writing a great way to say the things I think need to be said. I also put cover songs on all my projects. On Crossing Willow Creek, we covered songs by Dan Fogelberg and Jimmy Spheeris. Both of these artists have been very influential in my music, and I always want to give some tribute to the great music they produced during their lives.

Lamitschka:
Please tell us about the songs on your album (influences, etc.).

Abernathy:
One of the great things about being a singer songwriter is you can really explore different genres of music in your writing. On Crossing Willow Creek, we have songs that are recorded in Rock, Country, Blues, Americana, and Folk genres. I try to match the genre of the tune to best reflect the message of the lyrics. It’s really a fun process, and I think using different genres and sounds certainly helps deliver the message of the song effectively

Lamitschka:
What is the difference between your last CD and your current one?

Abernathy:
On Crossing Willow Creek we produced a tune named Cry Wolf. It is really a statement regarding the current social, political and media situation we find ourselves inundated with in the US. Our newest project is named More Than Meets the Eye, which is now released globally as a single. More Than Meets the Eye takes the thoughts of Cry Wolf and expands on them substantially. More Than Meets the Eye has been called Cry Wolf on steroids. Lol I am quite proud of this new work, and it is getting a lot of interest without fans across the globe.

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

Abernathy:
More Than Meets the Eye really documents the current political climate in the US. There are many statements made throughout the tune, and it’s really a rocker. Again, using the rock genre to deliver the statement of the song was a conscious decision and I think it’s working well. I think folks can relate to the commentary in the song and will enjoy the sounds. We had a lot of fun with
this one

Lamitschka: 
What will your next single be?

Abernathy: Right now, we have just released More Than Meets the Eye and are enjoying watching it gain momentum across the globe. As it takes off, we are currently recording several other new tunes that I am quite proud of. When we finish recording those, we will choose which will be the next single to release. I am excited to get all these new tunes out for folks to hear.

Lamitschka:
What kind of songs do you like to record the most?

Abernathy: That is a tough question. Each tune has its own personality so it’s hard to compare. Recording the rockers is always fun, I really like playing blues tunes, but my comfort zone is still the pretty acoustic tunes. I can’t really pick a favorite, I like them all.