Favorite Finds – Bryce Bangs
Bryce Bangs – She’s Gone EP
“I want them to listen to everything. I am not just one song. You can’t get the true sense of who I am by listening to just one thing.” – Bryce Bangs
On my journey with EarForTalent.com, I have come to understand two universal truths: sometimes the songs find me and other times I find them. In Bryce’s case, these two worlds collided over a series of months. The end result was that I discovered some incredible music that instantly turned me into a fan of Bryce Bangs. Discovering Bryce’s music would also unexpectedly shape the way I approach music discovery and promotion on this site (more on that later).
Let’s go back to November 2015. The 2015 CMA awards had just aired and there was one performance in particular that seemed to go viral and take on a life of its own. If you watched the CMA awards or spent any time on social media after November 4th, 2015, then you probably already know that I’m talking about the incredible duet between Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake. Chris and Justin performed an epic 8-minute medley of Chris’s “Tennessee Whiskey” Justin’s “Drink You Away.” Check it out below if you haven’t seen it yet, or just relive the magic if you have 8 minutes to spare.
After watching that performance on repeat, I knew what I had to do…drown my sorrows with an abundance of whiskey! I kid, I kid – I knew I had to find the best “undiscovered” cover of “Tennessee Whiskey” that exists on YouTube.
Fast forward a couple of months and many, many hours of searching YouTube – it finally happened. That magical moment when I knew within seconds of hitting play that all of my hours of searching had finally paid off. I stumbled upon a cover of “Tennessee Whiskey” that encompassed everything that EarForTalent.com stands for:
A musician with a unique sound and raw talent: check
A goosebump-inducing performance: check
A song that made me hit “replay” as soon it ended: check
In essence, a diamond in the rough discovery: check
Bryce’s cover of “Tennessee Whiskey” was one of the first songs I featured on this site (#2 to be exact). It was so good that it reaffirmed my belief that I’m pursuing a worthwhile cause by discovering, featuring, and promoting extraordinary musicians performing incredible songs. If only one other person hears this song and loves it as a result of this site, I will have done my job. Good music should be heard and experienced first-hand, not described, so do yourself a favor and hit play on this video.
There’s something really pleasing to the ears about a musician with a soulful, raspy voice who can also hit those high notes like Bryce does starting at 1:13 and then again at 2:00 and 2:22.
Needless to say, the second I heard Bryce’s cover of “Tennessee Whiskey”, I became a fan and decided to follow him on his musical journey. Then one day in May, I noticed that Bryce had uploaded a new tune to YouTube so I decided to check it out. It turns out that the new song was called “Oh Whiskey Please” and it just so happened to be an original song.
At this point in the story, I think it’s important that I come clean. EarForTalent was started with a singular goal in mind – to discover, feature, and promote extraordinary musicians performing incredible COVER songs. However, after hearing Bryce’s original song, I knew I’d be doing listeners a disservice if I only featured cover songs. Doing so would mean I’d be leaving out some amazing originals that deserve to be heard. So thank you, Bryce, for inspiring this shift in my thinking. Anyone who is interested in hearing more originals by the awesome musicians on this site should click “Original Songs” under the “Categories” menu at the top of the page, or just click here.
Now back to the story…
When I first started my journey with EarForTalent.com, I discovered Bryce’s cover of Tennessee Whiskey. As my journey continued to unfold, Bryce’s original song, “Oh Whiskey Please,” discovered me. I hit play on “Oh Whiskey Please” and was instantly reminded why I liked Bryce’s sound in the first place. This song is reminiscent of Bryce’s cover of Tennessee Whiskey (and not just because it’s also about whiskey). It has a similar goosebump-inducing sound and vibe, a great rhyming scheme, and Bryce’s emotion really comes through as he sings – you can tell this song has real meaning for him. This song also allows Bryce to showcase his raspy, soulful side in the same way that “Tennessee Whiskey” allows Bryce to showcase his strength in the higher register. Bryce even gives us a taste of his guitar chops with a bluesy solo and outro. “Oh Whiskey Please” reaffirmed 2 things for me: 1) I’m a fan of Bryce Bangs, and 2) I need to feature great original songs on the site.
I was thrilled when Bryce agreed to answer some questions as part of the Favorite Finds interview series, so without any further delay, here’s the interview with Bryce Bangs:
What’s your story?
Grew up in Southlake, TX – about 25 West of Dallas. Parents moved the family from Chicago when I was around 7. When we got there it was Christmas break, so I didn’t have any friends yet. Told my dad I was bored and I asked if I could play his guitar, an old Washburn Acoustic. Got hooked as soon as I picked it up, even though I didn’t have any idea what I was doing. Started taking lessons for about 3-4 months and then figured out how to play by ear. Been doing that ever since.
Is music your full-time gig or is it more of a hobby?
My full time gig is selling roofs at our family business, Buford Roofing. I would love for music to be my full time gig, but I am just not quite at that point yet.
Do you have a band or are you a solo musician?
I am a solo artist; I write all my own music. But I have a band that plays with me at most shows. But have added multiple different drummers, bassists, guitarists, etc.
What genre(s) is your music classified under?
Blues, soul, and rock n roll. I always feel that if Ryan Bingham, John Mayer, and Gary Clark Jr. had a baby, it would look and sound a little like me.
What instruments do you play?
I have dabbled in harmonica, bass and drums. But guitar will always be my number 1.
Who is your musical idol or your favorite band and what’s your favorite song of theirs?
Too many that I appreciate to be able to only pick one. Jimi is probably the main reason I picked up a guitar in the first place. Watching old videos of him is mesmerizing. Stevie Ray Vaughan is what really got me to love the blues. Robert Plant has got to be up there as well. Black Dog by Led Zeppelin is probably my favorite song. Gives me the chills every time I hear it.
What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores, AL is probably my favorite place in the world. I normally go there every year. There is nothing like a music festival on the beach. I have a group of friends that all go and we rent a house on the beach and just party for 3-4 days. It is the greatest. Best atmosphere for sure. Seeing The Black Crowes there in 2013 was probably my favorite set.
Tell us about your original music – what’s your creative process and where do you get your inspiration to write new music?
It really depends on the mood that I am in at the moment I start writing music. There are so many different variances and feelings that go into whatever I am creating. I will start, think I have a great idea, and then an hour later it has turned into something completely different. And I love that. When you surprise yourself in your art, that is one of the best feelings for me. Inspiration is everywhere. I am a story teller at heart. Nothing better than a good story. Most everything I write is true in one way or another. Whether it is a story about me, or someone I know, it is something I have either experienced or heard first hand. I have a Soundcloud page and also have my EP “She’s Gone” that is on iTunes, Spotify, and I also have a Pandora station.
If someone could listen to only one of your original songs and only one of your covers, what would you want them to listen to and why?
I want them to listen to everything. I am not just one song. You can’t get the true sense of who I am by listening to just one thing. BUT, probably one of my favorite originals is “Steel Crushes The Bone” – you can find that on my Soundcloud page.
What’s the most memorable show you’ve played and why?
I opened up for Josh Abbott a couple years ago out in Lubbock, TX. It was for a July 4th festival. There were a couple thousand people out there, and then just me and a guitar. That was probably my 5-6th show I had ever done. That is an experience I will never forget.
Do you have any tips for fellow musicians that may help them have success and gain more exposure for their music?
Keep grinding. Go out to the local bars and meet people, meet different bands. More people you know, more people will know what you are about.
Give a shout-out to anyone who has helped or inspired you along your musical journey!
My boy, Paul Cauthen is the main dude that really got me to get off my ass and start taking music seriously. He is also an incredible artist. Y’all need to look him up ASAP. And all my friends who have always told me to keep going, keep writing.
What does the future hold for you and your music? Do you have any exciting shows or events coming up?
I am playing at a music festival in Houston, TX on Sept 10th – Beyond The Pines Music Festival
