‘Bygones My Dove’ feels steeped in Irish folk tradition—what drew you to that
sound, and how did the song reveal itself in that direction?I did not set out to write a traditional Irish folk song. I set out to buck the trend in
songs of bitter breakups to say that at times breakups can be mutual and adult-
like. However, after I had finished the song, like all my songs, it just spoke to me
– literally, lol – and she said she had to be an Irish folk song. Maybe that’s a little
tongue-in-cheek, but essentially true.
You brought in Martha Cooke from Wicklow to sing on the track. How did that
collaboration come about, and what did her voice bring that you couldn’t have
captured alone?
I was looking for an authentic Irish female vocalist with a true Irish folk sensibility,
and through online musician networks, I discovered Martha Cooke. Her voice
brought exactly the warmth and character the song needed.
The song tells a story of parting without bitterness. Was it inspired by a personal
moment, or more of a universal reflection?
A little of both I suspect. I’d rather not get into the details per se of the personal
experience that partly inspired this song, but let’s just say writing this song was a
little therapeutic. That said, I did realize and do realize that there is a universal
theme to it that I suppose millions of couples can relate to.
You’ve spoken about being surprised by this song—like it came from “another
time, another place.” Can you describe what that experience of writing it was
like?
What I mean by “surprised” is that nearly all my songs tend to be what I refer to
as Vintage Americana, but Bygones My Dove decided she had to be different.
Once I realize the song was perfect as an Irish folk ballad, I had to laugh at
myself for finally, rather accidentally, writing something not Americana.
As someone based in Arizona, was it a challenge—or maybe a liberation—to step
into such a distinctly Irish folk style?
As I mentioned, as much as I’d like to say I set out to write a traditional Irish folk
song, that is simply not the case. Whether I wrote it in Arizona or in Ireland, the
outcome would have been the same. The Arizona challenge was less about
writing the tune and more about now that I have an Irish song written, where on
earth am I going to find musicians that play Irish music and how am I even going
to know what instruments and arrangements a traditional Irish song uses to be,
well, a traditional Irish song. There were initially several months of nothing but
scouring the world for musicians and doing a lot of self-study on exactly what
makes and Irish tune an Irish tune.
You only picked up the guitar a few years ago, yet you’ve already built a solid
catalogue. How has your late start shaped the way you approach songwriting?
Well, I think I’ve learned that starting a music career rather late in life has a
couple of advantages. First, I have a lifetime of experiences drawing songwriting
inspiration from that say a twenty-year-old cannot possibly have. And second,
I’ve learned in life that there are times when starting a new endeavor to not
overthink it and just do it. When I wrote my first song, literally only fourteen
months ago, I didn’t read a bunch of songwriting websites, or read a songwriting
book, or take a songwriting class. Instead, I told myself, Mike, you’ve listened to
thousands and thousands of songs in your long life, so you know intrinsically how
songs are organized and arranged. And I drew inspiration from many of the
great songwriting artists back from my younger days that never had a single
songwriting class in their lives.
Your label, Granite Mountain Sounds, has been the home for all your releases so
far. How important is that independence to you as a songwriter and producer?
Well, it is important to me to have full creative control over the process, especially
as a new songwriter and producer, and I just want to learn these crafts and not
farm them out. But there is also just the practical side of things; meaning, no one
was knocking on my door out of the blue discovering me as a songwriter and
producer and making me rich and famous, lol. So, as the saying goes, god helps
those that help themselves. But, looking back now, I’d do nothing differently. I’ve
enjoyed the ride and the opportunity to learn and something in my older years to
keep my mind sharp and my spirit young.
With ‘Bygones My Dove’ now out in the world, where do you see your sound
heading next—back toward Americana, or deeper into folk traditions?
Well, it’s funny you asked! In fact, even before I formally released Bygones My
Dove, I felt it calling me back home; meaning, I felt it was just as ready to be a
bluegrass song as it was as an Irish song. So, I went back into the studio and
finished producing it all over again but this time as a bluegrass high energy tune.
The master is done, and it has a release date of October 10. The music PR firm
I’ve hired here in The States specializes in promoting new bluegrass music and it
just so happens that the International Bluegrass Music Association’s annual
festival and awards ceremony is being held in Chattanooga Tennessee the
middle of September and my bluegrass version, slightly renamed for the
American audience, Bygones My Love but otherwise the lyrics and music are
identical, will be promoted there and then. All very exciting.
