Heartwreckers Interview
By Nigel Sharpe for Country Music News International Magazine & Radio Show
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
The best country songs have always been the most fearless, but somewhere along the way, Nashville became as sanitized as an operating room. Thankfully, Heartwreckers are here to dirty it up again.
The duo of Brock Butler and Ryan Garrett are two singer-songwriters with an endless supply of hooks and melodies, but absolutely no filter. Not only do they say what they mean, they write and sing about it too — which makes them one of the most honest new duos to hit the scene in over a decade.
Brock, a Louisiana native who moved to Texas after Hurricane Katrina, and Ryan, a Lone Star State native, already had impressive resumes before forming Heartwreckers: They each had publishing deals, had written with Tim McGraw, and had accumulated hundreds of hours of stage time. Brock toured the country in a reggae band, while Ryan played in an emo-rock group on the Warped Tour. “I did the whole straighten-my-hair thing, wore 80 wristbands and necklaces, and rocked the stage. I loved it,” Ryan says.
Brock also made ends meet working as a sommelier at a fine-dining restaurant. “I didn’t realize how hard it was, but I threw myself into it and studied all the geography that goes into becoming a sommelier. Now, I love and know wine,” he says, laughing, “but in the studio, I’ll still be crushing Natty Lights.”
It’s that highbrow/lowbrow juxtaposition that makes Heartwreckers such a fascinating band. They can write and record a devastating breakup ballad like “I’m There” that calls to mind the hopelessness of Jamey Johnson’s “That Lonesome Song,” but keep it street level by including lines about “a pair of Pioneer” speakers “playing fuck you songs.”
One Response
Your blog is a testament to your passion for your subject matter. Your enthusiasm is infectious, and it’s clear that you put your heart and soul into every post. Keep up the fantastic work!