Interview by Scott Preston
David Nail with openers Native Run
10/26/2014
Bogart’s, 2621 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH
7pm, Buy Tickets
Cincy Groove: How did the two of you start playing together?
Native Run: After college the two of us met at church playing on the worship team together. It was divine intervention in a way.
Cincy Groove: What did you listen to growing up?
Native Run: (Bryan) I really started listening to music in the third grade. The kids on the bus were listening to Smashing Pumpkins, Oasis. Those were some of the first cds that I bought. There was a store called Waxy Maxy’s that my dad would take me to on the weekends. Eventually I started listening to metal music, bands like Metallica. Then came bluegrass, Nickel Creek, Infamous Stringdusters. Really all over the map for me.
Native Run: (Rachel) My grandmother and grandfather introduced me to a lot of old swing music, big band, bluegrass. My grandfather played a lot of fiddle and mandolin when I was little. In my rebellious years I listened to Alanis Morrisette and rock music. My step dad turned me on to country music because that’s all he listen to.
Cincy Groove: Have you performed with anyone that you “geeked out” over because you were standing next to them?
Native Run: (Rachel) I can perform in front of 5,000 people with no problem, but you put me with an idol on mine and I can’t communicate. I think the first time we met our producer Luke Laird was a little nerve racking for me because he is so well known. We are also going to be performing on the Opry stage the same night Keith Urban is headlining. I am absolutely looking forward to geeking out in front of him.
Native Run: (Bryan) After I graduated college I really started getting interested in song writing. A couple of the people that really inspired me was Trent Dabbs, Griffin House, Andy Davis. It was fun when I got to Nashville, because almost immediately I met Trent and a lot of those artists from the Ten Out of Ten tour. It’s also encouraging to meet people who are actually making a living writing songs and performing. Meeting Buddy Miller was pretty amazing, he is just a monster songwriter and performer. You can’t mess with Buddy.
Cincy Groove: What was it like for you performing on the Opry stage for the first time?
Native Run: (Bryan) It happened so fast, its kind of hard to remember. It was definitely a career highlight, but you only get to play 2 songs. So before you realize it, its over. But it really was a dream come true and we are so beyond blessed to have been a part of something that has such a long history and tradition.
Cincy Groove: What kind of environment do you like to be in to write songs?
Native Run: (Rachel) We were just talking about that the other day. We really don’t like writing on the road to be honest. For me there are just so many things to think about when you are on the road. We are just really focused on having energy to perform to the best of our abilities. During the day we generally are going to radio stations for interviews, doing promotional stuff so we don’t have time to write that much. Back in Nashville we will send each other voice memos with song ideas when we aren’t having a formal sit down session.
Cincy Groove: How is the full length album coming along?
Native Run: (Bryan) We actually finished it in February and now are in a holding pattern. So we put out a 3 song EP on iTunes, 2 of which will be on the new record to give the fans something to listen to until we release the full length.
Native Run: (Rachel) We had some incredible session players. We had Tom Bukovac, Fred Hersch who plays for Sheryl Crow, The Dixie Chicks, Danny Radar who plays with Keith Urban.
Native Run: (Bryan) We should also point out we had Rob McNally play guitar on the record. He was honored as the guitar session player of the year.
Native Run: (Rachel) I really wish people could see what these session players do everyday. They are handed a piece of music or they just listen to a demo one time and they chart it out and perform it perfectly almost always the first time.
Cincy Groove: Is there anything the two of you wanted to be besides musicians?
Native Run: (Bryan) There was a short stint where I wanted to be an archaeologist, but there are just about 2 of those in the world (laughing). Then I wanted to a professional baseball player, but I am just a scrawny little kid. Once I decided to be a musician, which is probably the scariest of all, my parents were very supportive. Having a child trying to make a living in the arts is very scary proposition for a parent. There really isn’t a concrete plan to success, you just have to wing it.
Native Run: (Rachel) When I was a kid I wanted to be a marine biologist and track sharks.Then when I got to high school I was doing a lot of theater. In college I studied acting, play writing and directing.
Cincy Groove: I see that you are now touring on a bus, whats the difference for you between the van and bus?
Native Run: (Rachel) In the van either Brian, our manager or myself will be driving. We will drive about 6 hours in one day to get to a gig. Get there just in time for sound check, have just enough time before the show to cool down and get some food. We will then play the show and get to the hotel between midnight and 2 am. Then get up the next morning and do it all again. That’s what we have been doing for many years. Now we get to sleep for 9 hours and when we wake up we are in the city we are playing in. We have all day to go explore, get some coffee, do some radio promo.