The past couple of years have been exceedingly strong ones for Red Bow Records’ Chase Bryant. Signed to the label in 2014, Chase spent the past two years working an EP which featured both his debut single “Take It On Back” and Top 5 follow-up hit “Little Bit Of You.” The former showcased a then 20 year old young man reminiscing on missed young love while the latter, “Little Bit Of You,” was a bit more energetic and allowed Chase to show off his considerable guitar chops, playing in a unique style that has him playing an upside down right-handed guitar left-handed.
We discuss all of this and more below in a quick Q&A with Chase about his success so far and where he dreams of going.
Chase Bryant Q&A
Matt Bjorke: Congrats on the success of the first two singles…
Chase Bryant: I feel honored and humbled to have the slim amount of success I’ve had so far and it’s a really big deal.
Matt Bjorke: What drew you to the new single “Room To Breathe”?
Chase Bryant: We wanted something different, something that would create a buzz and something which was ear candy. Something that would stir up the pot a bit and when it came it, it was a no-brainer for us.
Matt Bjorke: Yeah, I heard it right away and thought it was an immediate kind of hit. How have fans been reacting to it on the road?
Chase Bryant: It’s been great and it’s been fun to see people react to it and dance to it. It’s what you hope for when you write a song so to see it happen, man, it’s been great.
Matt Bjorke: When you first were learning to play guitar, I heard that at one point you wanted a specific model but couldn’t afford it and you made one of your own, how did you choose to do that?
Chase Bryant: Well, It was getting all the parts that could, something that felt good to me, the right neck, body, all that stuff. I wanted something that I could connect with and we found parts at pawn shops and other places here or there, it ended up being a red Stratocaster. And went from there.
Matt Bjorke: And you play the guitar left-handed, correct?
Chase Bryant”: Yeah, I play upside down and backwards, that was how it all started for me. It’s the way I started when I was a kid and I could never turn it around…
Matt Bjorke: I wonder what other guitar players thought at first…
Chase Bryant: They probably thought I was really stupid…
Matt Bjorke: Then you start playing…and then if you go into any guitar store to find a guitar, you can play it without changing it...
Chase Bryant: Exactly. It’s a bit easier.
Matt Bjorke: You’ve been hard at work on the record, how exciting will it be for you have fans be able to get a full-length record from you?
Chase Bryant: Really excited and I’ve been working on it for a long time. I want to make records that resonate with people and show honesty. Show the sides of me that I have lived, this is what I know. I’m only 23 and I can only do stuff that relates to where I am now.
Matt Bjorke: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense and it’s an important reminder to people who want a younger artist to show ‘depth’ but if they’re still young, they can only do stuff that seems appropriate. For example you singing “Humble And Kind,” as great as the song is, likely wouldn’t have nearly the impact that it does coming from Tim McGraw…
Chase Bryant: Not every song is made for everyone to sing even if it’s made for everyone to hear.
Matt Bjorke: Exactly, a song like “The House That Built Me” would work for someone of any age, really, because it’s not parental advice. It’s gotta be a delicate balance…
Chase Bryant: Yeah, A 12 year old isn’t meant to sing Frank Sinatra, that’s just the way it goes.
Matt Bjorke: What have you been able to learn from touring with the stars you get to tour with?
Chase Bryant: It’s humbling. It’s an honor to share the stage with all of them. It’s where you learn that the hard work and determination gets you there. I got to listen to them a lot and dream about getting to where they are so for me it’s all about modeling yourself after some of them and be like them at some point in their career.
Matt Bjorke: Yeah, nobody becomes an artist to hang out in an SUV with a trailer their whole lives. If they do they’re lying…
Chase Bryant: Yeah, you hope that one day they build a venue that suits a crowd that you play that the crowds get to the point that you can fill a place. It’s what you have to strive for.
Check Out "Room To Breathe" below:
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