An Interview With DREW HOLCOMB About His Favorite Venues, Playing With His Band, The Neighbors And What’s It Like Being In The Band Without His Wife Now

In February, Drew Holcomb And The Neighbors kicked off their tour!

2015 was a banner year for Holcomb who is celebrating a decade long career with The Neighbors. They made their late night TV debut in April on Jimmy Kimmel Live! performing single “Here We Go,” they earned some major NPR love including Heavy Rotation, Folk Alley, eTown, Mountain Stage and The Takeaway and garnered rave reviews for Medicine from The Guardian and Rolling Stone.

If the media coverage wasn’t enough, songs from Medicine have seen some major placements this past year with The Middle (ABC), America’s Got Talent (NBC) , Elementary (CBS), Criminal Minds (CBS), Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family), Vampire Diaries (CW), Chasing Life (ABC Family), Resurrection (ABC), The Red Road (Sundance Channel), Dick’s Sporting Goods commercial “The Hoop,” The Fosters (ABC Family), About a Boy (NBC), Academy Sports & Outdoors commercial, and Blood & Oil (ABC).

In addition, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors spent the better part of the past year on the road both headlining and on NEEDTOBREATHE’s Tour de Compadres. They played their first Austin City Limits Festival this fall and Holcomb returned to the historic Levitt Shell in Memphis Tennessee in August for his own Moon River Music Festival.

The band came off the road for 2015 just before Thanksgiving and around that time Holcomb announced the Magnolia Record Club, which officially launched on December 15th with its first installment. Magnolia Record Club is a monthly vinyl subscription service curated by Holcomb that he describes as “a rock n roll book club, but instead of books, its vinyl records.“ Each month subscribers will receive 1 vinyl record and a special message from Drew. Records include new releases and old catalog favorites from artists in the Americana, Folk, Indie Rock, and Singer-Songwriter genres.

For the most up-to-date information please visit: www.drewholcomb.com.

Learn more about this talented musician in the following All Access interview:

Thanks so much for your time! So, how’s 2016 been treating you and the band so far?

It has been great so far. We have finally had a bit of down time after the chaos of last year. We are gearing up for the last leg of the Medicine Tour, starting out on the west coast in February.

Next month, you will be continuing your headlining Medicine Tour. Where are you most excited to play at? Can you recall a favorite show that you’ve had in the past? What do you think are the key elements to an amazing concert?

The Troubadour in LA is on the docket for the next run and it has the most incredible history, so that is a show we are looking forward to. Honestly, every night is always a different experience, that is what makes touring never boring. Our favorite show of all time was headlining the Ryman in Nashville last February. I have seen about 35 shows there over the years, so to get to headline such a sacred venue was a bucket list night.

You have toured with so many incredible artists. Do you have a favorite touring experience with a band?

Well our friends in Needtobreathe have hosted us a number of times over the years and the band and their fans have always been incredibly gracious. We also played some great rooms together; Red Rocks, the Greek Theatre, the Tennessee Theatre, The Fox in Atlanta.

How do you think the band’s sound has grown since releasing your first album in 2005, “Washed in Blue”? How do you think your sound has stayed the same over the years?

I think we have dialed in our sound on the last 2 albums. Before that, there was a lot of experimentation and even emulation of other artists we love. Now, we know what we love to record live and keep things simple and that has defined our sound for the last 5 or so years.

Has what inspires your songs continued to change year after year?

Well, life changes and you continue to meet new and interesting people with interesting stories, so there is always a fresh palette to write on.

Drew, can you talk about how fatherhood in the past few years has affected you as an artist? What has changed?

More than anything, it has given me a great perspective on what is important. Your kids care a whole lot more about who you are as a person than about how many records you sell or tickets you sell. It paints the world in color, instead of black and white.

Photo Credit- Eric Ryan Anderson

Last year, you created the Magnolia Record Club. Can you talk about this monthly vinyl service and why you think it’s important?

Im not sure it is “important” but I know it is fun and it creates community. The people who join all seem to care a lot about music, and owning records is a way of pushing back against the complete digitization of our lives. I am not bashing that, as it plays a great role and I am a monthly premium Spotify subscriber, but it is also good to take the time to stop what you are doing and let music wash over you. It also allows me to create a community of people around our music and the music of other artists that we love.

The music on “Medicine” has been featured on a ton of TV shows! Do you still get excited when you hear one of your songs on TV?

Yes, it is always a thrill when our songs are used on TV.

How have you and the band adjusted to your wife, Ellie no longer being in the group full-time?

We miss having Ellie on the road, but it has allowed our music to be more the front and center, and less having the marriage and relationship be front and center. It has been better for our marriage and I think the music too.

What artists have consistently inspired you and the band? Who would you absolutely love to work with in the future?

There are a ton of artists that inspire me, but if I could pick one to work with it would be Dolly Parton. Her voice is as timeless as anything in the world and she is also a big advocate for the state of Tennessee. Tell Dolly I am waiting on her!

What message do you hope listeners take away from your music? 

I hope more than anything our music helps tell listeners they are not alone. Music always did that for me, reminded me that everyone walks through joy and sorrow and I hope our music can help soundtrack those experiences for our fans.