Jon Eldridge

Photo by Sarah Adams Boyd

Creating a Future in Nashville

When did you first get into music?

I got into music the first time I heard it. We always had music playing in the house and there was always music in the car. My mother would sing along to the oldies stations, the old musicals, and the timeless classics. My father, a rock musician, was into classic rock. My sister took piano lessons and I remember hearing her practice and while watching what she was doing, I thought to myself hey I could do that. Music was a lot different when I was growing up in the 80s and I tended to listen more to music from the 60s and 70s.

The Hotel California album really sent me over the edge. I remember being in the mall with my dad while my sister and my mom shopped. And he bought me the Hotel California cassette along with a Led Zeppelin cassette and I just remember being all struck by the harmonies and melodies that were coming through those tapes.

I’m thankful my parents never kicked me off the piano while I was trying to learn, even though I was probably hitting a lot of sour notes a lot of the time. But fate had its hooks in me the day I learned and understood a C chord on the piano.

Who or What inspired you to pursue a career in music?

I’d have to say my good friend Sadler Vaden who is one of the best guitar players I’ve ever heard. Before I met him I didn’t take music seriously. I played for fun. Music was just something to broaden my artistic horizons. Sadler changed all that.

I joined Sadler’s band. It was the first band I was ever in. I had played with some kids from my church but no one was ever really serious about it.

The Eldridge Band: Johnny Boyd, Jon Eldridge, Caroline Browning and Will Morrison.

Photo by Sarah Adams Boyd

was no turning back. I knew he was destined to make it. Now, he plays guitar for Jason Isbell and The 400 unit. We remain close to this day. When we record we always end up playing on each other’s projects.

How has your music evolved since you first began performing/writing music?

Music is always evolving. I think every artist goes through different stages of evolution from the time they begin writing. For me it started out writing what the universe gave me. Then, as time passes and more people hear your work they often try to put you in a category. And if you don’t fit a category then you’re usually pretty close to the mark. Kinda like not reinventing the wheel. I’ve learned to stick with the gifts the universe sends me. I remember being in a band around 2007 when Emo and hard rock were the only band genres being picked up by major labels. Then it all came crashing down in 2008. Now, in 2020 you have more blues, classic rock bands and psychedelic groups making the rounds. So, in short I embrace the evolution as it occurs in my writing. It’s almost like you don’t want to have a baby, then when you do, you raise it as an elephant. It is what it is. Each has his own path.

I’m sure you have shared the stage with a lot of talented artists/celebrities along the way. Would you share 1 or 2 of your favorite stories with us?

One of my fondest memories is getting the call to play a benefit show in 2007 for Col. Bruce Hampton. He had heart trouble and needed help paying his bills. We put together an all star cast of local musicians and the drummer that night was Duane Trucks. He’s the brother of Derek Trucks and the drummer for Widespread Panic. He was only 16 when he played the Col. Bruce Hampton fund raiser and it was also his first gig. I brought my 2 track reel to reel and recorded the whole show. We became friends that day and I ran into him in Colorado back stage at the Ogden when Jason isbell and the 400 unit opened up for his band. While he had a group with the Hard Working Americans and told him I had the tape of his first gig. Later on in 2018 I brought a Clavinet I’d rebuilt for his brother, Derek Trucks, backstage at Red Rocks and gave Derek a tape his brother’s first show. It was a full circle moment.

One more story would be when my good friend Sadler Vaden put together a Tom Petty tribute band and I was on keys. Back in South Carolina my good friends Micheal Trent and Carrie Anne Hurst where getting started with their band Shovels And Rope and they were in the line up. We played for their wedding and later on for Sadler’s bachelor party. The stage that night was Shovels And Rope, Jason, Amanda and me. Both Carrie Anne and Amanda were pregnant and rocking out! Luckily the show was recorded and it remains a fond memory of playing Tom Petty songs and then some Springsteen, Stones and Dylan. Most songs we learned at sound check lol.

If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other drives you to stay in this tough business? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why?

That’s a tough question because all those emotions combine in the pursuit of this muse. If I had to pick one it would be Desire. I’ve desired a music career my entire life. For me it starts out as joy, then becomes desire, and as the desire grows it turns into passion for performing and also excellent songwriting. I’ve been angry for sure, especially when I’d get told, by whomever, to sound more like some body else, a name act who’s big at the time.

Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique as a performing artist in an industry overflowing with new faces and ideas?

For me it’s the piano. The guitar has always dominated the rock and roll scene. And piano was my first instrument. It’s been incorporated into pretty much everything I write. I play guitar as well, but piano is always my secret weapon. Everybody and their brother plays guitar, Nashville probably has more great guitar players than anywhere else in the world, but a pianist is rare. So I’d have to say the piano and organ are the secret ingredients for our band. Also it’s the only instrument where you basically have the whole composition at your fingertips. You can run the bass and melody at the same time along with the rhythm. Bottom line, in an ever changing music scene, the piano remains a constant.

What has been your biggest challenge as a musician/producer? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?

My best answer is Communication. There’s nothing worse than having an idea and not knowing how to translate the sound you hear in your head. Much less explain it to your band. I’ve seen bands break up out of frustration because the members don’t know how to communicate with each other. It’s even happened to me. I’ve watched studio sessions get canceled because everyone gets pissed because they don’t know how to move forward.

The Eldridge Band: Johnny Boyd, Jon Eldridge, Caroline Browning and Will Morrison.

Photo of Jon Eldridge with legendary record producer, Mark Wright.

Photo of Jon Eldridge with his bandmates at Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI.

Photo by Sarah Adams Boyd

I think for me, overcoming the communication obstacle comes with understanding exactly what it is you’re trying to do. Then researching every cool sound that interests you until you know how to reproduce it. That way you know exactly what to do when the time comes. And also never shoot down an idea before you try it. That’s a big mistake a lot of bands make in my opinion. Someone disregards an idea which, if tried, could save the song. So becoming a better communicator is an ongoing challenge. But, I feel it’s a challenge anyone can overcome. All it takes is practice and patience.

A common phrase in the industry is, “you must suffer for your art.” Do you agree with this statement? If so, how have you suffered for your art?

I feel you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. If you choose to suffer then by all means go ahead, just learn what suffering has to teach you. There’s a term I’ve heard a lot of people use; “he/she was a third album breakout.” Basically stating it took 3 albums to finally garner public attention. Writing is spawned from all of the emotions. And there’s a bit of suffering that comes with this calling. I do feel like the art changes for better or for worse once you reach a certain financial status. Money changes everything. Some people write their best work when their situation is bleakest. Then, after they make it, the pressure is off, and if they’re not careful, the music can lose something. But I personally feel like no one should suffer too long because it can completely destroy your ambition. You have to grow a thick skin, learn to adapt and overcome adversity to really become emotionally available for the music.

How do you feel the internet has impacted the music business?

It’s a blessing and a curse. On one hand the internet can be used as a DIY to get your art out to the world and on the other hand it can stifle your progression when you find a band with the same name and similar songwriting. I remember back in the 90s you could come up with a band name or song title and there was no real way to see if it was already taken. I have to control myself when I write a song or come up with a title and not check to see if it’s already been taken before I finish writing it. There’s been a few times I felt I came up with something awesome and then I google it and there’s 20 other bands with the same idea. So, I’m less likely to finish it when the rug gets pulled from underneath me and the uniqueness is extinguished. But on the bright side, never before could your music be heard world wide unless you had a major label marketing team behind you. Now you can.

Have you done or plan on doing any Live-stream Concerts? If you have, how has the response been from your fans?

Actually, we just wrapped up a live recording and film a couple of weeks ago. I think in these times with Covid ruling the world, bands need to live-stream. Even if there was no pandemic, I’d recommend live-streaming. Do as much as you can until it becomes so big you need a team to help. Because in the end it’s all about making people feel something with your art. And with the majority of the world on their phones and computers it’s a good way to get noticed. We won’t have a release date for our live concert until it’s finished being mixed and edited. We had special guest musicians on it. Jimbo Hart of The 400 Unit on bass and Micah Hulsher from Margo Price’s band on organ. We plan to do as many live-streams as possible given the circumstances.

money touring and being T-shirt salesmen and the labels dip their hands in that too. We are with BMI and I love how they really go after your money for you. I’m glad vinyl made a comeback because that’s an actual physical sale that goes into your pocket to further support your cause. But I would definitely change how streaming is handled. I remember hearing that Peter Frampton had over 4 million streams of one of his songs and he got a check for something ridiculous like $1400 bucks. It’s pretty laughable and angering at the same time.

What are the 5 albums that have helped make you the person you are today? And why?

The first album is Hotel California. It’s sonically brilliant in my opinion. Every song is different from the next but still cohesive and I love it to this day. The second would be Harvest by Neil Young. When I heard that album it changed my life. It goes from country to orchestrated to the birth of grunge like a house with multicolored rooms. The third would be Supertramp Breakfast In America. I mean those guys had it down on that album. Just such good melodies and songwriting. Every song is a masterpiece. The 4th would be Abby Road. There’s not one thing I don’t love about that record. Hearing John , Paul, and George harmonizing on the song Because still sends the goosebumps. The 5th would be Dark Side of the Moon. That album is always an experience.

What is your baseball walk out onto the field song?

That would be my song Listen To Your World. It was the first complete song I ever wrote and I love the drive and message. I was riffling through some records I bought at an estate sale type store and the inner protective sleeve on a few of them had in bold letters “LISTEN TO YOUR WORLD.” I immediately got the idea for the song and it wrote itself. It remains in our set list and probably will forever.

Tell us about your current project. Are you working on new music? An EP or Album?

We just recorded a new album at Sputnik Sound in Nashville, TN with Michael Fahey and Vance Powell. Those guys have worked with everyone from Brandy Carlisle, The Raconteurs, Phish, to Chris Stapleton. Vance mixed the album and Micheal engineered it. We’re still waiting on a release date and thinking the end of summer for a release. We’re super excited to get it out to the world because once we do then it’s time for another one.

What’s next for you?

I wish I could say what’s next for us but it remains a mystery. A lot of live music venues are closed indefinitely. One big thing I see coming is Drive-In Concerts. I hope one day things will go back to normal, we’ll see. Until then we’re focusing on what we can do across all the social media platforms. As far as music is concerned I’ve always wanted to record an album different from anything I’ve ever written. Maybe make up an alternate band name for it to go under. Kinda like Sgt. Pepper. It was unlike anything The Beatles had previously done and I want to follow in those footsteps. I’ve even got that album half written as we speak. Wink, Wink.

How can fans-to-be gain access to your music?

You can find our last album on pretty much every platform. And this new one will be on every platform available. We look forward to this new album release and the live concert release with big hearts. These days, all you gotta do is consult what I call, the “oracle”, which is your phone. Just type in The Eldridge Band and you’ll find us. And when you do, drop us a line. We love nothing more than connecting with our fans.

Photo of Jon Eldridge with his Father, Jimmy Eldridge (Screenwriter).

Photo of Johnny Boyd and Jon Eldridge with the late John Prine in Nashville, TN.