Review Fix chats with Ted Cline about his creative process, origin in music, goals and more.
Review Fix: How did you get involved in Music?
Ted Cline: When I was around 10 years old my Father played some guitar! My Mom and Dad both loved music. Always a radio going in our house. At the age of 11 I taught myself guitar and at age 16 taught myself mandolin. Sang my first song at church with my brother Kevin at age 12 and then had entered talent contest for different country music shows all over the Midwest area.
Review Fix: What is your creative process?
Cline: My creative process is first coming up with lyrics that either fit some of my life’s circumstances or what I’ve experienced over my lifetime with either love or heartache or just plain plight of everyday people and put them into a story that everyone can relate to or get excited about. Then to adapt the lyrics into a musical sound that has never been done quite the way that everyone else is doing it. Give a country roots flavor with a hook or a rhythm that has an appeal to what the song is trying to relay.
Review Fix: What inspires you?
I listen to all different kinds of music from Bluegrass Rhythm and Blues to red Dirt, Americana and Country. Seeing people enjoy music and live performances always inspires me along with audiences that are having a great time. Certain artist also inspires me such as Raul Malo, Merle Haggard, George Jones, George Strait, Sammy Kershaw to name a few.
Review Fix: What does Music mean to you?
Cline: Music is a way into people’s heart and soul. It moves people in so many different ways. Music is my way to reach people and put my music across to them to let them know that someone else has been there and that we are one and the same. It’s amazing to see how you can change people’s mood by either the beat in a song or with the story inside the lyrics of a song.
Review Fix: How would you describe your latest track?
Cline: This song is a recut of a ’90s album of Merle Haggard called Got Lonely too early this morning, which just by the title you kind of already think you know where it’s going. The beat in this song is such a barroom danceable kind of song that’s hard to set still to. It retains the barroom influence in the beat but also tells the story of breakup and loneliness. It maintains my country roots but with a certain contemporary style in the music instrumentation that’s being used.
How are my live shows different than studio work? My studio work is really what I call my workday. Although it is fun to create and to put something together that you think will be appealing it’s always nice to hit the stage and present it and actually have people that agree by their reaction to the song. Live stage has always been my love and what I’ve strived for. Nothing moves me like audiences that are actually loving what you do. These two can exist without the other but not for long. Making things right in the studio will eventually come across to an audience as right at least that’s what I like to think.
Review Fix: What inspired your latest single?
Cline: What mainly inspired me at first about this song is of course Merle Haggard being one of my favorite writers and artist of all time was my go-to when I thought of putting a song out. Then just the rhythm in this song was so powerful to me was another reason for the inspiration to do the song. Last but not least was the words of heartbreak and loneliness which hits home to all of us at one time or another. To me that is the combo every song needs to be a success.
My goals for 2020 is to broaden my fan base along with broaden my music to people that has not heard it. Hoping that 2020 will break lose with some road work so we can perform these songs live to people that want and need to hear them and enjoy them.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Cline: Going back in the studio in Nashville at Direct Image studio with producer Kenny Royster and cut 4 original songs that we will release the name s of them in August and figure out what single we will release from these originals and get them on the radio and get it out there to as many ears as we can. Looking forward to getting a bus shortly and being a gypsy of the highway and Play Play Play. I will say we have a good combination of songs in the next 4 originals to be cut. There is a little bit of everything for everybody but keeping to my roots of Country, Americana and Contemporary mix.
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