Musical Journeys with Brittany Beckston and Jordan Shepherd: Inspiration, Influences and Interesting Tales

Imagine finding your music rhythm while sponging off the dinner plates or spontaneously crafting a melody while taking a stroll. This week, we are thrilled to have Brittany Beckston and Jordan Shepherd, accomplished musicians with intriguing tales. Brittany shares her lifelong love for music and the huge leap she took by moving to Nashville to follow her passion. Jordan takes us on a journey from his bluegrass family roots to creating his unique sound inspired by the likes of Led Zeppelin, Leonard Skinnerd, and 90s country.

But the fun doesn't stop there. Brittany and Jordan pull the curtains back on their songwriting process, revealing how each composition takes a unique form. Ever wondered how the song 'Free Fall' came to life or how Jordan's household chores inspire his best songs? Get ready to discover captivating, behind-the-scenes insights into their creative process. They also discuss navigating different music genres and how their varied influences lend distinctiveness to their music. Whether you're a music connoisseur seeking inspiration or simply a fan of great tunes, this episode promises a delightful mix of personal stories, laughs, and meaningful insights.

You have been listening to The 266 Express, the official podcast of Sanger, TX. IF you have comments or suggestions, please send them to dgreen@sangertexas.org

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

Welcome back to the 266 express from downtown singer at the Old Bolivar station songwriter festival. I am Donna Green, with my co-host, john Noblett. And John, we have some great people here. We have some guests.

Speaker 2: 0:22

Yes, that doesn't happen all the time, but today it's been a whole host.

Speaker 1: 0:26

They're playing a podcast, right, fantastic.

Speaker 2: 0:28

Yeah, so who are yourselves? I'm Brittany.

Speaker 3: 0:31

Beckston.

Speaker 4: 0:33

I'm Jordan Shepherd.

Speaker 1: 0:36

So tell us a little bit how you got into this, where you're from, how you got into this, and that's the story.

Speaker 3: 0:43

Okay, so I am originally from California but I've lived in Nashville area for 12 years and music has been part of who I am since I was a tiny tot, like I wasn't even out of diapers yet, and I was wandering onto a stage picking up a microphone to sing. And I always knew, even when I was really little, I wanted to be a singer, songwriter, because I love words, I love crafting things together and music is just part of who I am. Like I literally could walk around humming and people would be like, oh, you're singing again. I went, I am, I didn't even realize, you know, it was just kind of part of my daily walk. So when I moved to Nashville 12 years ago, it was because I really wanted to focus on music full time and it's been a ride. I've toured full time at points, I've done the writing thing, I've done all sorts of stuff, but music is still my passion and part of who I am.

Speaker 4: 1:42

And I grew up in a bluegrass family. So my grandparents toured with Bill Monroe and the Sullivan family and the Cook family a lot of good or great bluegrass gospel groups from back in the day and so I was exposed to really great musicianship from a really early age. I started playing fiddle. For them they didn't have a fiddle player and violin is a lead instrument, so you get to show off a little bit and as an eight year old I was like I want to show off a little bit, you know so. But then eventually my grandpa was the bass player in the band and he was like the rock right. So he got cancer and passed away and the band kind of fell apart and then I didn't really want to play fiddle anymore and I got really good at writing sad songs and so I picked up the guitar because honestly she and I were talking earlier the fiddle is not an accompaniment instrument, so you basically have to learn the piano or the guitar and I got picked on enough.

Speaker 4: 2:42

The piano was out. You know it was already a hard road for a little ginger like me in northeast Louisiana, so I picked the guitar. But then I started writing songs and I've just been. Oh, I started. I started gigging it right before it turned 16. I had a full time job until eight years ago. I had brain surgery. It kind of came out of the blue and they knew I had the problem. But they thought that it was, it was going to be OK and eventually it had to be operated on and my, my hobby became my fallback plan.

Speaker 2: 3:15

And and here I am- so it's been a wild ride, like she was saying yeah, now I caught three, three points of both sets. You guys did over the revival Fantastic. Thank you Across the board. What comes first Is it? Is it the lyrics or the music?

Speaker 3: 3:32

Well, that, really depends on the song. Every song is different. For me. Sometimes they come at the same time. Sometimes I'll get a hook that comes with the melody. Other times I get a song idea, that's the lyric idea and then it gets all built around that. Then there are times that I do, I get a melody and I'm just inspired by that. Actually, one of the songs I played, free fall, is a good example about how different it can be every time.

Speaker 3: 3:57

Because I was just in a rehearsal with my guitar player that day and he writes to and I said something like, yeah, well, there's just no thinking at all in a situation like that. And he goes we need to write that. I'm like, ok, so this was supposed to be like a kind of amorous song initially, right. And he goes we should, you know, we should, you know, have have some sort of a hook here, musically, a riff that's kind of sexy, you know, like feels like you could turn the candles or not turn the candles on, but like the candles turn the lights down low. And I was like, ok, and he starts playing this really rock and riff and I'm like I really like that, but that is not something that would be like in a house, you know he goes.

Speaker 3: 4:42

Well, I like it, I'm like I do too, but that doesn't take place at a house, that takes place in a speeding car. And then I started seeing the whole scenario play out in my head and that was how that song came about. And Free Fall wasn't even you know a title at the time. It was just like there's no thinking at all and it just kind of fell out. So in that sense I was inspired by the guitar riff, you know, but it can be different every time.

Speaker 4: 5:08

Yeah, that's. That's pretty much it. She summed it up yeah, a lot of times, for me personally, I'll get a melody. I'll I'll be doing something, just just a mundane task around the house. One of my my best songs, air quotes. You know, I wrote washing dishes and it was supposed to be a blues song and it didn't work out that way. So I wrote it as a country song.

Speaker 4: 5:30

But a lot of times I'll either just I'll get a melody and I'll be like oh, that'll be pretty. And usually that melody reflects an attitude that I have in that moment. And usually there are lyrics that are tied to something that happened throughout the day that go along with that melody. So I'll just start, I'll sing that one line and then that one line will turn into a song. And usually I'll have the lyrics ready and then I'll pick up my guitar and be like, okay, I think I've got, because I already know what I'm gonna do. There's no sense in wasting time with my guitar yet, right? So I'll write the song out most of the time. Sometimes I'll do both, but most of the time I'll write the whole song out and then I'll pick up my guitar and I'll realize I don't know what I'm doing. I thought that I wanted it to be this, but actually this is working a little bit better. So it's a puzzle and you're putting together a puzzle. It's like a 3D puzzle, you know, but yeah.

Speaker 1: 6:28

So I've heard a lot of your music and you're I don't know what your genre is, maybe country was, from what I've heard but you have a lot of in those songs. There's a lot of genres that you can. They come alive, thank you. So where does that come from? I mean, I just think, I mean I'm old and I'm like the George, straight old, and it's a country's country and they don't, you know, they don't do any of that. But I mean, but what you were doing, what I've heard, is it's unique, it's got an edge or something.

Speaker 4: 7:03

Well, I love Stapleton, but before and actually I paid I drove nine hours and paid $10 to see Chris Stapleton, before anybody knew who he was, because I knew I could go shake that man's hand and tell him hey, your music means something to me. So when it got to the point of the show where they were like who drove the furthest, I won. But not only that. I'm from the same hometown as his drummer and didn't know that. So we had that connection. But anyway for me, like I said, I grew up in a bluegrass family but I didn't like bluegrass until recently. Now I'm in, I'm infatuated with bluegrass music. I really am. It takes me back to something I can't get back, which is what that song earlier was

Speaker 4: 7:46

about. But I wound up getting into Led Zeppelin and Leonard Skinnerd and then even heavier stuff, a lot of heavy metal, and I really love Bob Seeger a lot. So there's, there are all these classic rock influences, really almond brothers, the blues that you hear, the psychedelic type stuff where it gets a little weird. All that that really stems from from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd and bands like that. And then I hated 90s country in the 90s, but now those are my favorite songs. That's what I want to write. So I've got this weird mix to where it's like I want to write a 90s. I don't even want to write it. It's just like this is what speaks to me. So I'm going to write this song that is inspired by 90s country. It's going to tell a story about a real life that can everybody can resonate with it. But at the same time I'm going to put some some you know grit behind it. You know, because of the classic rock stuff.

Speaker 1: 8:40

So anyway, oh, that's you.

Speaker 3: 8:42

Where's all your stuff? Oh my goodness, I'm. I'm a mix too. I can't say I've ever gotten to heavy metal, but my background is so musically diverse and I'm kind of the same way.

Speaker 3: 8:54

I don't know that I fit into one specific genre. But you know, you look up people like Jewel and Kobe Kentley and some of the like songwriters that you know, and there is a variety of description for their music. So I have roots in well Motown and like oldies cause that's what my parents listen to growing up I have like a lot of the old school rock not well, it is old school now, I guess, but I mean like 90s rock actually feeds into my music a lot. I loved all the singer songwriters back in the day and I actually have a background in jazz and musical theater too, which is kind of funny. But I bring blues in because of a lot of that. So I have a lot of bluesy roots too.

Speaker 3: 9:37

And it's funny because when I first started singing and taking voice lessons I had a teacher who was into pop and then I had a teacher who was into jazz and then I had one that was into musical theater and then I had one that was into classical and it was like I have this really well rounded version of that and, kind of like you, I love 90s country and there were a few songs that I liked back then, but I didn't listen to it a lot. My family didn't. It wasn't until I was older that I went back and really really listened to country and fell in love with it because of the stories, cause I'm a lyric person, you know. I love melody too. It all goes together. But if the lyrics aren't good, I don't care how good the melody is. I need the lyrics to be good, you know.

Speaker 2: 10:25

Yeah, that was a big thing for us, you know, when we were looking for things that we thought we wanted Sanger to identify with as a community. Music is always something that resonates.

Speaker 3: 10:39

Right.

Speaker 2: 10:40

And genres, like you say, genres of pattern. There's just those moments in time that you connect with. We're hearing a lot of that today. Yes, it's fantastic. We appreciate you both coming out and helping us make this event a success. Well, thank you for having us.

Speaker 1: 10:58

Yes, thank you so much. Before we let you guys go Jordan, I think you got a little bit of news today. Would you like to share that with our listeners?

Speaker 4: 11:07

About the song contest. That was very cool. I'm honored that my song was selected for the songwriter contest. Yeah, cool.

Speaker 1: 11:18

And so when you release that, we will put a link to that song in the comments below the podcast that's a beautiful, beautiful song. When I go back it definitely touches your heart, thank you. So we love that, thank you Now.

Speaker 2: 11:33

anybody else is looking for you, because we know how to find you. That one's somebody else's find you.

Speaker 3: 11:40

So my name is Brittany Bexton and that's spelled B-R-I-T-T-A-N-Y I know there are like 20 ways to spell it and Bexton B-E-X-T-O-N. If you look me up, you will find me all over the place. So I have a website that's BrittanyBextoncom and all my socials are Brittany Bexton, so I'm pretty easy to find.

Speaker 4: 11:59

And mine are mostly Jordan, shepherd Music, and Shepherd is S-H-E-P-P-A-R-D, so you can find me on Spotify, apple, facebook, youtube, instagram, tiktok, all the things. Thank you.

Speaker 1: 12:11

Thank you guys so much. I appreciate it. See you next week, thank you.