You may not know Dave Barnes’ name but you certainly know of his work. The original artist behind “God Gave Me You,” a song Blake Shelton turned in to a Triple Platinum, multi-week and multi-radio format smash hit. While that song may have allowed Dave Barnes to have a bit of success he never thought he’d have (he talks about that below), it also allowed the singer the freedom to pursue some various projects, which he’s done the past few years via his own record label 50 Year Plan Records. We recently had the chance to chat with Dave about his new album Carry On, San Vicente (which is in stores/iTunes now) and more! (Note: After reading the interview below, you can take a listen to a track from Carry On, San Vicente called "Wildflower."
Matt Bjorke/RoughStock: How did the recording process compare to previous projects you’ve recorded?
Dave Barnes: I realized that this is my 14th project, including my EPs and I may need to apologize to the music masses for putting out that many projects (laughs). But I think about this project, having this many records, if you listen to my music, you know what I am about and what I do. So now, having this tributary, a side project if you will, is something I’ve always wanted to do but this was the first time I went, what if I just did a project like that, a 70s sort of Laurel Canyon thing. It was originally gonna be a five song project and it quickly became nine and I sort of unleashed the beast of sorts…
Matt/RoughStock: as has been known to happen…
Dave: Yeah, you start feeding that thing and it just grows and once it started, like you said, writing these songs, it just sort of came. It became a 9 song album, which the guy I produced it with was super stocked about because I said we were gonna do five but…ooops…
Matt/RoughStock: He got to make more music and get more money (laughs)!
Dave: I actually was like “what if we just work twice as fast.” Which we did and it was amazing because he had every right to say “Why don’t we just double the bill…” (Laughs)
Matt/RoughStock: Who worked behind the boards as the producer for the project?
Dave: A guy I’ve known for a long time, Ed Cash, who I’ve done most of my records with…
Matt/RoughStock: Well, then he knows you as well…
Dave: Yeah, and I genuinely wanted his input on doing this record; whether I was crazy or not to want to do it. I drove down to Franklin and we got coffee and it wasn’t a pitch, it was genuinely just getting his opinion about it and he really just wanted to do it, saying “If you do this record, I want us to do this together” because he loved that music too. So we did it together.
Matt/RoughStock: It’s kind of a timely record too, with the passing of The Eagles Glenn Frey and the fact that Linda Ronstadt is no longer able to sing anything, let alone that style of music.
Dave: Yeah, I’m a huge fan of being able to have this record find its way to the people, as a tribute to the music that is the soundtrack of my life and and those guys were due that kind of honor. An album that was, if nothing else, a thank you to what they contributed to the world and my life itself.
Matt/RoughStock: I’ve actually been a fan of your music after finding a record in a store in the Seattle area and then seen your career grow over the years, from early recordings with Vince Gill and then to having your own radio chart hits to having Blake Shelton record “God Gave Me You” and taking it up the charts to #1. What was it like for you to go on that ride, particularly with that single?
Dave: It was the best. It changes your life. In a lot more ways than money, too. It was a real kindness from God that was an affirmation of my abilities and I got to do something that I never thought I’d do. It calmed the beast so to speak. It validated a lot of questions, while not a huge deal for me as I got to make records I wanted to always make, that even at the smallest are a voice somewhere in your head. You always wonder if you took the governor off your records and let it rip and see what’d happen. It really put a lot of those thoughts to rest. I really do have that ability, even if it was a one-off.
Matt/RoughStock: It’s more than a lot of people get…
Dave: Yeah, Amen! You know, it also being a song that I wrote by myself too, it was a big part of what it did, feeling like I did it all on my own as a writer. The highest form of honor as an artist.
Matt/RoughStock: And I’m sure that it started with your own single about your wife and your life and had it become a hit and then Blake Shelton hears it and cuts it, even if he maybe had to fight to get it recorded on his records…
Dave: To me it’s the highest honor that you can be paid as a songwriter and artist, to have another artist hear what you’ve done and they want to record it and add it to their catalog for all eternity and to be that important to him and his life, as if he wrote it. To me that’s the highest honor. There’s nothing more Blake could do that could be more complimentary than do that and it’s kind of a subliminally compliment if you don’t think about it but it’s a big deal, really. I still think he’s closing his shows with that and that’s a huge deal.
Matt/RoughStock: And the song can be something fans take away too, a song that is a way for Blake to thank the fans to stick with him through everything and for coming out to his shows…
Dave: Yeah and the way they did the music video too, it was so smart and such a classy touch. Showing how music can mean different things to people. It was a great way to do that…
Matt/RoughStock: I’m sure he brought fans to you, too…
Dave: Yeah, it’s been cool to see fans get hip to what I do because of that song too.
Matt:/RoughStock: Is there a focus track on Carry On, San Vicente that you’re paying attention to on it?
Dave: Not really, it’s sort of “dealers choice” (laughs), the nice thing of not having a real single, it’s kind of a whole body of work that way.
You can reach Dave Barnes at his website or via his social media pages at Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Below is "Wildflower," a track from his new album. You can also click the album cover art below to head to iTunes to purchase Carry On, San Vicente.
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