TJ Lewis - Music Classroom Building 11/2/14
From: Nashville, Tennessee
Age: 20
Contact: lewis.iii.tj@gmail.com

Q+A with the Artist--

--How would you describe your sound?
Wow that's a good question. That's a real brain teaser that. If I were to describe it, I would call it kind of piano-driven soul, or maybe piano-driven blues/pop.

--Do you feel more in touch with your soul while playing soul, compared to other genres of music?
Yes and no. I really like playing country and that's not the most soulful music but it really gets my soul going. The first thing I learned was the blues though and it's the simplest music to play so I feel very connected to it. And strictly if we're talking about what types of music I like to play, I'd call myself a simple man.

--Which artists have influenced your sound the most and why?
I taught myself piano while listening to albums by The Doors and playing along with those, so I'd say their keyboardist, Ray Manzarek, was a big influence. Another key influence I'd have to say was Steve Winwood. He's a really great singer, probably my favorite too.

--When and how did you first begin to write music?
Well I'm not very prolific, but when I was a junior in high school, I recorded this song called "Good Long Chill" and that was the first original song I ever did. Since then, I've just written songs sporadically when certain things have happened in my life that I feel I should write a song about.

--Are you willing to reveal the backstory behind "Hope it Doesn't Cost Me You?"
I just wanted an original song that I could play when I was alone with a girl and have it be the most romantic thing ever. It's talking to someone, not just narrating. But I never played it for the person I wrote it for so today when I play it, it's more of a funny song about trying to make out with a girl.

--The second song you chose to record today, "How Blue Can You Get" by B.B. King, I gotta ask because of the song's emotional connotation, are you blue?
Yeah man, everybody's a little bit blue, that's about all there is to it. Whatever type of stress I'm going through at a specific time, it's therapeutic I guess to get at the piano and play the blues and just kind of think about it, mull it over.