By Kathy Sands-Boehmer

Chuck E. Costa

Chuck E. Costa

Chuck E. Costa is yet another performer who I got to experience up close and personal while attending the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance conference in the Catskills last November. I’ve been hearing Chuck’s name here, there, and everywhere so I was glad to have the chance to catch him do a few songs at the conference. This is a young singer-songwriter of substance. His lyrics and music touch a nerve and that’s a very good thing.

Visit Chuck’s website and find out why he won four major awards this past year at the Kerrville, Telluride, Solarfest, and Wildflower Fests.

How long have you been traveling around and singing your songs?

I’ve been writing and singing for as long as I can remember. As a student in high school and college I was too shy to share my songs and voice with anyone for the most part. But the first string of ‘performances’ I ever had was in a stairwell in the dorms at CU in Boulder. People would gather from the different floors. I’d be playing with my eyes closed and by the end of the song I’d notice twenty people standing around me listening. That was when I realized what I wanted to do with my life.I’ve been traveling seriously and performing pretty intensely for the last three years or so. I started out only playing in the Northeast and have recently extended to all corners of the country. New people, new places and fodder for new songs:) And I’m thankful for all of those that still gather and listen.

What would you say is the hardest thing about touring as a solo singer-songwriter?

I’d say the hardest thing about touring is being away from those I love at home. I’m still looking for a suitcase or a pocket the size of my wife, dog and cat so I could have them with me all of the time.Though its the thought of home and who will be there when I return that makes being away a lot easier.

Your vocal style has been compared to Jonathan Edwards and Michael Stipe from REM — more the latter than the former. Does it bother you to be compared to others though? You are you and that’s your style.

I don’t have much trouble with comparisons. If it helps new listeners put my sound into the context of the bigger musical picture that’s great. I actually hear a completely new comparison just about every few shows, which I love. If after every show someone told me I sounded just like Michael Stipe that might trouble me after a while even though I think his voice is amazing. To be honest, most times people tell me they haven’t heard a voice that sounds like mine before. I think its pretty distinct. When I was a kid that used to bother me. I wouldn’t think ‘unique’ instead I’d think ‘weird.’ But I’ve grown into my voice and its become an integral part of my musical expression. As important as the lyrics or melody, I think.

Your song “Peace is War” is great. Did anything in particular prompt you to write it?

Thanks. Yes, this one was brewing for a few years. I started thinking about it when the US invaded Afghanistan and didn’t actually write it until we invaded Iraq in 2003. With a chorus like, “pigs are horses,girls are boys and peace is war,” one might think I have a a pretty cynical world view. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.This song was written at a moment of deep frustration for me (and many others i think.) It seemed that the rhetorical trickery by politicians and talking heads was reaching new lows. It was as if they were all saying 2+2=5 and expected us to just nod our heads. The song isn’t meant to take a political stance. It’s more about honesty and integrity. Say what you mean! Otherwise, any meaningful communication or discussion is impossible.So there is a hint (or a bucket) of sarcasm here but I think there’s a place for vitriol in music once in a while 🙂

You’ve got some interesting influences listed on your MySpace page such as Everything But The Girl and Radiohead — influences that I’m not sure I’ve seen listed on any folk musician’s lists. What kind of influence have these bands and others like them had on your acoustic music?

I think it was Louis Armstrong who said something like, “All music is folk music. I ain’t never heard a horse sing a song.” All of the music I’ve ever heard influences everything I write in some way and on some level. So sometimes its hard to say exactly how an artist has influenced me. But there’s definitely a common thread that runs through all music and certain things just resonate. I listen to what I like. Then I take what I can, mix in my own experiences and try to translate it with my own artistic voice. For example, there’s no obvious connection between my music and the music of Radiohead. But I am heavily influenced by their lyrics and the vocal phrasing of Thom York. And Everything But the Girl have very traditionally structured songs underneath their more complex arrangements that have influenced my writing as well.In my sophomore year of high school, my two favorite bands were the Indigo Girls and Metallica. The Indigo Girl influence is pretty obvious in my music but I know Metallica lives in there somewhere too even though I sure can’t hear it.

Like many of us, Kathy Sands-Boehmer wears many hats. An editor by profession, she also operates Harbortown Music and books artists for the Me and Thee Coffeehouse in Marblehead, Massachusetts. In her spare time, Kathy can be found at local music haunts all over New England. This and many previous Q & A interviews with performing artists are archived at www.meandthee.org/blogtxp/. This one, previous and future ones also will be archived here on AcousticMusicScene.com.