Looking at the achievements on Noah Guthrie‘s resume, it’s hard to believe that he’s yet to hit his 30th birthday. From the TV phenomenon GLEE to his accomplishments on America’s Got Talent, to creating his niche in Americana and Country with honest songwriting, there is no stopping the South Carolina native. Last month, Noah released his moving single “Only Light I Need” while January will bring fans his highly anticipated new album Blue Wall, composed of 12 songs written or co-written by Noah.
We recently caught up with Noah to talk about some of those accomplishments, the new single and upcoming album, and more.
CN: Hi Noah! Thank you for taking the time to talk with us. Before we get into your upcoming releases, let’s go back a bit – you have had an amazing career – from critically acclaimed albums, to sharing the bill with artists such as Ed Sheeran, Willie Nelson, Sister Hazel, Matt Nathanson, Dwight Yoakam and touring internationally, to being a semifinalist on America’s Got Talent and last but not least, playing Roderick Meeks on GLEE. Of all that has happened, do you have a favorite moment in time where you just looked at yourself and were like “Wow! Is this really happening?”
NG: Absolutely! I think getting to sing “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” with Willie Nelson & his band was one of those moments. I was just so grateful to be playing on those shows at all but, to be able to share a moment on stage with them was a dream come true.
CN: After the success that GLEE had and still has – its fan base is still very devoted – do you have any desire to return to acting?
NG: I think at the moment I’m happy just focusing on music. Though, I have thought about what it would be like to give theater a try. So, who knows!
CN: At what age did you discover music and when did you realize that this was an avenue you wanted to pursue as a career?
NG: I have been singing ever since I was in the car seat but, I think I really started taking my own music seriously when I was 14 or 15. I think I was very lucky that platforms like YouTube were starting to really catch on and that gave me an avenue to get my music out there really early.
CN: Which artists have influenced you both personally and professionally as an artist?
NG: Well early on I grew up with a little bit of everything. I definitely had a lot of classic rock as a kid. When I really started figuring out what kind of music spoke to me and what styles I could hear in my own music, Ray Lamontagne was a big influence. Others like The Avett Brothers, Dave Matthews, Adele, Gillian Welch, The Killers, Amos Lee, and Nickel Creek were also a big deal to me. These days folks like Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, Tyler Childers, and Dawes are always in heavy rotation for me.
CN: What are the characteristics of the Americana and Country genres that called to you that this is where you fit as an artist?
NG: I think with Americana in particular the genre is constantly getting broader and that’s what attracts me to it. I think the genre is focused on storytelling but there is room for a lot of different sounds and identities to tell those stories. As a songwriter that’s very appealing.
CN: Your new single “Only Light I Need” is very reflective of something that a lot of us have recognized during the pandemic – pay attention to those around us and filter out the noise. The chorus is wonderful lyrically and visually: “Looking for the sunshine, buried in the headlines, honey you’re the only light I need, Can’t we just slow down, let the candle burn out, honey you’re the only light I need.” Was this an easy song to write? How did the co-write with Adam Roth and Tim Bruns come about?
NG: This was my first co-write with Adam and Tim and looking back, the song was pretty easy to write. Once we had that chorus it really started to write itself. It was written well before the pandemic but I think it has remained very meaningful to me throughout this time. Pandemic or no, there is always time to slow down and take stock of what and who you have.
CN: Can you take us through your songwriting process?
NG: It changes over time but it mostly starts with music first. Most often an acoustic guitar is my foundation and everything builds from there. If I am ever stuck on a line or section I always find that going for a drive helps me break loose. I get a lot of my lyric and melody ideas in the car.
CN: Did you find yourself writing more during the pandemic?
NG: Yes, definitely. I was afraid at the start of the pandemic that my creativity would shut down but, it actually ended up being one of the things that carried me through.
CN: Your new album Blue Wall is set to be released on January 14. The 12 tracks have either been written or co-written by you. How did you go about determining which songs would make the album?
NG: For this album it was actually pretty easy. For the most part these were songs that my band and I had been touring for a while before the pandemic started. While on the road, I always had a good feeling about which ones would make it onto the record. I didn’t want to change the songs much from how we played them live so we were already well rehearsed. I really wanted to carry the same energy from the stage to the studio and its my hope that it comes through on the recordings.
CN: If you could collaborate with any one artist, who would it be?
NG: I would love to do something with Brandi Carlile one day. I get this question a lot so I’m just gonna keep putting it out there until it happens. haha
CN: What was the first concert you ever attended?
NG: Hmmmm…I think my first concert was DC Talk hahaha
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
NG: I think I would have to say “Old-Soul.” I’m not exactly sure how to describe why I’m an old-soul but I think that’s what my friends would say. I mean my favorite hobby is bird watching.
CN: We talked about what you have accomplished so far – is there a certain goal or mile marker that you have yet to but hope to achieve in your career?
NG: While I don’t think about it often I do think that a Grammy would feel mighty nice one day. Honestly though, I’m just looking to make music that I’m proud of and build a community around my music.
CN: With the new album around the corner – what else is next on the horizon for you?
NG: I’m really hoping to do some more touring in the spring. While I’ve gotten to do a few shows here and there since the pandemic started, my real touring schedule hasn’t quite come back yet. I miss performing for people and sharing my music with them in that way.
Pre-Save Blue Wall here: https://onerpm.link/
Stream “Only Light I Need on Spotify.
For more information on Noah Guthrie visit his website at https://www.