Andrew Adkins... is an acclaimed singer-songwriter with over a dozen years of playing in clubs, theaters, and festivals in the United States several times over from coast-coast. His songs have been featured in television/film (Netflix, Hulu, Prime, CBS, TLC, MTV, History Channel, Paramount +, Oxygen Network, and Lionsgate Films). He's shared the stage with artists such as Sturgill Simpson, Cage the Elephant, Little Big Town, and Billy Joe Shaver among others.
Andrew Adkins is...?
Andrew Adkins is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer from Nashville, TN. He has had success in the licensing/sync world having his songs appear and featuring on CBS, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Paramount +, History, MTV, Oxygen, and Lionsgate Films.
Who inspired you to make music in general?
I grew up in a musical household. My Mom was into classic country music, and 50's/60's rock. My Dad was into bluegrass.
Guitars were always around the house. I cannot remember ever not wanting to pick one up! They are a part of me just as breathing or sleeping.
What's the story behind your latest release "Broken fangs", what or who was your inspiration, respectively?
Last year I wrote around 60 songs and whittled them down to 30 or so and recorded them. My initial plan was to make 2 albums, but I wanted to focus and pick the best of the best and make one solid piece of music. So, Broken Fangs was a part of that.
I was given a cassette tape of me and my best friend (country artist Daryl Wayne Dasher) jamming around in his parent's den late one night, when we were 17 years old. Last year I purchased an OP-1 machine by a company called Teenage Engineering. It's a sampler, synth, 4 track recorder - a really cool little unit.
Over quarantine, I bought a cassette player because I had all of these tapes lying around. I put the cassette of me and Daryl in and found this funny little section where I'm noodling around on the guitar and he's singing this falsetto line over and over. I decided to loop that into the OP-1 and created a sample out of it. That became the weird noise that you hear throughout Broken Fangs, which completely spearheaded the song.
What is your creative process like?
It's never the same twice. I usually just feel it come on. The whole process is otherworldly for me. I "channel" an idea more then "write" it. If anything I'm a conduit for something that I cannot see, nor understand.
Every song that I've ever written, it all comes to me the same way - it just falls into my lap. If I try and "write" nothing comes, at least nothing that I'm excited about. It's a very spiritual thing for me.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Beck Hansen, Jack Antonoff, John Frusciante.
What are your "All time Top 3 Songs", right now, in this second?
Always
"A Day In The Life" by The Beatles,
"I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" by The Beach Boys, and
"Sunday Morning Coming Down" by Kris Kristofferson.
What are your most useful talents besides music?
I can cook! I really enjoy making food! It's another form of artistic expression for me. I love to grill! I'd love to write a screenplay one day, or direct a film!
What’s next for you?
I've been working on a lot of instrumental, cinematic music for film and television. I would love to spend more time scoring and writing for that medium. Ennio Morricone (the late Italian film composer) is one of my biggest heroes. I would love to delve into that world more.
