Patrick Sweany describes himself as a musical omnivore, taking in as many styles as he can, swinging through blues, folk, soul, bluegrass, maybe some classic 50s rock, or a punk speedball, devouring every popular music sound of the last 70 years, and mixing them all together into his own stew.
Yet, the one thing that most people notice about Sweany isn’t his ability to assimilate but rather the authenticity he brings to the table. Like his heroes, artists like Bobby “Blue” Bland, Doug Sahm, Joe Tex, Sweany somehow manages to blend all of these influences into something all his own.
As a young man he immersed himself in his dad’s extensive record collection: 60s folk, vintage country, soul, and of course, blues. Patrick spent hours teaching himself to fingerpick along to Leadbelly, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and other folk-blues giants. It was a path he’d follow early on but his love of 1950s soul and rock lead him to embrace the garage punk revival that was happening throughout the Rust Belt and pushed him into forming a band.
After six critically acclaimed records (two produced by longtime collaborator Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys), Sweany has expanded his touring radius to 49 states and Europe. He’s played premiere festivals (Newport Folk Fest, Merlefest, Montreal Jazz Fest, Telluride Blues & Brews) and supported international acts such as The Black Keys, The Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Wood Brothers, Hot Tuna, and others on tour. In support of his recently released Daytime Turned To Nighttime, Sweany and his band will be playing The Grey Eagle. Ahead of the show Mr. Sweany graciously consented to respond to a few questions.
James Cassara: Talk a bit about your upbringing. Did you come from a musical family? My understanding is you grew up in Kent, Ohio which, as far as I know, there’s not much of a music scene there.
Patrick Sweany: I grew up in Massillon, Ohio. My father is a fingerstyle guitar player, and folk music fan. He played in the church folk group and would jam with the other guitar player after rehearsals. I only knew one other guitar player my age in school, and we’d jam a little but he wasn’t into the folky stuff I was listening to. Dad would take me to the workshops at the Kent State Folk Festival and to Bluegrass concerts at high school auditoriums in the neighboring towns, stuff that he liked, that you could take a kid to. I went to school at Kent State after high school because, despite your journalistic assumption, there was a thriving and diverse music scene.
JC: I regret my assumption.
PS: I knew from going to the folk festival that there were guys who were into fingerstyle country blues and delta stuff around there, so I wanted to learn and jam from them. There was a really cool music scene in Kent back then. A lot of great local talent, some older blues guys that still played, a lot of punk rock and heavy music at clubs, lots of house parties. I played local coffee houses at first, and then I started playing bars when I turned twenty one.
JC: So like a lot of kids you get consumed by music, pick up a guitar and learn a few chords. Unlike a lot of kids you stick with it. So take the story from there.
PS: I was pretty mesmerized by my dad’s playing, and he liked Pete Seeger, especially the 12 string guitar stuff, which introduced me to Leadbelly, which revealed names like Lightnin’ Hopkins and all sorts of others. I just sought them out. I asked my dad if he thought I could learn to play and he was thrilled.
Mom was supportive as well, but she didn’t like my grades dropping as I cared less about school and more about guitars. I was listening to records, taking a few lessons here and there, watching what I could watch, reading a lot of books. I always wanted to be a performer, entertain people.
I loved this soulful country blues type of music that I thought was so much more exciting than what I heard around me. I knew it was entertaining and engaging if people were just exposed to it. So I kept doing that. An idol of mine told me that I had to tell my story instead of telling someone else’s, so I started writing songs.
JC: You’ve released seven albums in about 15 years, all on the Nine Mile label. For those unfamiliar with your career can you chart the course of one album to the next? Give a brief overview of your discography?
PS: As we are discussing an upcoming show, on an upcoming tour promoting the latest release, I am most concerned with the most recent album Daytime Turned To Nightime, but I’ve been putting out records of original music since 1999.
The first one was a solo acoustic record and the subsequent albums have been more ensemble recordings. I’ve received a lot of attention recently because the producer of my 4th album became really famous and a song off that has ingrained itself in the internet radio algorithm, and eight years after release receives over 2.5 million plays a quarter.
The new one is the best thing I’ve ever done. I work hard to make sure the records I put out are quality experiences and that the next one has to be better than the last. A lot of that is a matter of the listener’s opinion, but I make it a point to try to keep up my end of the deal.
JC: Daytime Turned to Nighttime is your most recent release. As of this writing I’ve yet to hear it, so can you talk a bit about making the album? Do you tend to go into the studio with a bunch of finished songs or are you more likely to bring in ideas and flesh them out in the recording process?
PS: I worked very hard in a focused manner to show up to the studio with finished songs so that when it’s time to record we document the best performance possible. I don’t know anyone who can afford to do “write in the studio.” Studio time and musicians are expensive.
This album has been a departure as I chose to reconnect with my roots in acoustic fingerstyle guitar and more laid back, self assured singing. I figured it was time after four shouting rock records in a row. I wanted to show what makes me unique. I’ve really been influenced by albums like Ode to Billy Joe by Bobby Gentry, Bobby Charles’ work with The Band, Brook Benton, Tony Joe White…. the relaxed but intrinsically Southern sound of those records.
JC: Talk about The Grey Eagle show. Will you be with a band or solo? I don’t recall your having played Asheville before but correct me if I’m wrong.
PS: The Grey Eagle is our home in Asheville. This will be a full band show. Jeff Whitworth has believed in us for a long time, and has really helped us cultivate a great audience in Asheville. Asheville audiences are always very good to us. Critical reviews have been great, and crowds seem to be increasing on the last few tours. We always do a great show at The Grey Eagle; it’s just a great American rock and roll club.
If You Go: Patrick Sweany and his band (opening for Jerry Joseph and the Jack Morons) on Wednesday, October 14, 2015. Tickets are priced at $15 advance and $18 day of for this all ages, 9 p.m. show. The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville. Call (828) 232-5800 or visit www.thegreyeagle.com