Heyward Howkins is a singer-songwriter from Philadelphia. Previously a member of The Trouble With Sweeney and The Silver Ages, Heyward has opened for My Morning Jacket, OK Go, and has twice landed on Rollingstone.com’s Editor’s Top Picks of the Year. Heyward spoke with Tuned In, Turned Up about his debut LP as well as his goals for the future.
How would you describe your sound?
I don’t really make a conscious effort towards obtaining any particular sound. I think for me everything starts with the vocal melody and I build around that. I guess you could say the sound is a cross between British Folk and Indie Rock.
How long have you been songwriting, and how did you discover that it was something you wanted to do?
I wrote a bunch of songs when I was 21 and recorded all the parts myself to a four-track cassette deck. Some of them were almost listenable. I think then I didn’t know how to sing without imitating artists I liked. After that I sort of forgot about songwriting till I started playing guitar in The Trouble with Sweeney. I contributed some of the music to that band. One big catalyst was when I started singing in The Silver Ages in 2006. I found my natural singing voice and built some vocal confidence. Following that I started to feel less self conscious about singing and I just kind of went for it and wrote and sang however felt natural to me.
What was the inspiration for your recently released debut album, “The Hale & Hearty”?
I hadn’t ever planned on making a record but I was laid off from my job as a Geologist and coincidently met Chet Delcampo and start playing in his band, Hong Kong Stingwray. Chet just happened to be a great producer with a fantastic home studio. He was also very encouraging about the seeds of songs I showed him early on. We sort of made the album on a whim and collaborated together. I wrote most of the songs while we were recording the first ones I had.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced throughout your music career?
The age-old problem that artists face. I have to find a way to make the best music possible, with the best people, with basically no income from music. Not easy to do.
What are some goals you’d like to accomplish as a songwriter and musician in the future?
I think I would be happy if I was able to play a few shows with a national band to gain some real exposure. I am really proud of my work and I just hope a large number of people get to hear it. Selling a few records wouldn’t be bad either.
“Hale & Hearty” – Heyward Howkins
“Thunderin’ Stop” – Heyward Howkins
Heyward Howkins’ debut LP, The Hale & Hearty, can be purchased on Bandcamp, Amazon, CD Baby, or iTunes.
You can also check out Heyward’s new single, “Praline Country”, now available on Bandcamp and Soundcloud.
Additional Heyward Howkins music and information can be found at:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
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