Feature Interview: Eric Hutchinson

Eric Hutchinson looks like the kind of guy you can trust – honest, approachable, somehow familiar. There’s just something about him that invites you to give up your innermost thoughts. And complete strangers don’t hesitate to do so, as he wryly details in “Oh!”

Riding the subway with the scent of her hair
She took out a toothbrush started using it there
She explained “I’m always sure today’s the day I will die
I wanna look good if I get to look God in the eye”
And I said “Oh!”

“Oh” is one of 10 keenly observed songs from Hutchinson’s self-released debut album, Sounds Like This. The CD, which showcases the young singer-songwriter’s unique brand of soul, bowed at #1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart in September 2007. But “Oh!” was penned during a dismal period of his life. His deal with Maverick Records had fallen apart when the parent company shuttered the label. With the plug pulled on his nascent recording sessions, Eric hit the road again. “It was all about getting the exposure and the experience,” he says. After a relentless touring schedule, Hutchinson, who began writing songs as a child in the DC suburb of Takoma Park, MD, put everything he had into making his album.”

That’s Eric Hutchinson in a nutshell. He’s a likable guy with a great personality and a whole lot of musical genius. He wants to make people happy, and it shows. You’ve probably heard his music on television (including the hit show So You Think You Can Dance, which gets a lot of love from a few of the AI bloggers), but if you get the chance to catch him live, go. He has a fantastic stage presence, a great rapport with his audience, and a lot of energy. We caught up with Eric before his May 19th gig at The Orpheum in Ybor City, (the most happening neighborhood in Tampa), and asked him a few questions about his album, the tour, and his favorite things:

Your sound is reminiscent of Stevie Wonder on some of your
tracks, especially “You Don’t Have to Believe Me”.

The melody is very upbeat, but the lyrics are very earnest and
sincere, which is something that Stevie is also very good at. Are you trying
to convey a message with your music that goes beyond making the listener
feel good? How would you describe your sound?

For this song, I was trying to write an upbeat song with a positive
message. I was going out to the bars and got really tired of hearing every
dance song about sleeping with women. I thought about the old days of dance
songs, the Motown days, etc. Those were upbeat songs about respecting and
raising up the person you wanted to be with.

Stevie Wonder’s albums definitely were an inspiration for my album. I wanted
to make something that made people feel as positive as I felt after
listening to Stevie’s stuff. I call my music acoustic soul.

You’re a very hardworking musician who’s been touring pretty consistently
for awhile, and you’ll be touring through the summer. Are you planning to
take a break after you wrap this one up? If not, will you keep on touring or
head into the studio to record a new album?

I’ve been very lucky to have the album continue to do well and to keep
making new fans. The touring has been non-stop, but this has been my dream
for so long, so it’s exciting to see people coming out to the shows and
singing the songs. I’m writing new songs and testing them on the road, but
I’m not sure when the new album will get made. Going to be touring the rest
of ’09 for sure.

Typically, we focus on indie artists, and your album ‘Sounds Like This’,
really sticks out to us as an indie effort since you originally recorded and
released it on your own. What has the transition from doing all of this work
yourself to having a major label backing you been like?

I feel like I got the best of both worlds. I got to make the album the
way I wanted to, on my own terms, and then got a major label (Warner Bros)
to market the album. I think I learned a lot about the labels when I was
signed to Maverick Records and then dropped. I have come to realize I have
to make the music I trust and believe in and not try to please some people
in an office somewhere. That’s art by committee and not something I’m
interested in making.

What is your favorite song to perform live?

I’m lucky that I like every song on my album, which was a goal of mine. I
look at songs like friends and picking songs for an album like picking
roommates. There are some friends I love that I would never want to live
with. And there are songs I’ve written that are interesting, but are not
songs I could pour my heart into every evening. I tried to pick songs to put
on the album that I could sing every night, sometimes multiple times a day
and still mean it every time.

Who and what inspires you?

I have been inspired by Stevie Wonder, the Beatles, Billy Joel, Paul
Simon. All songwriters who always challenged themselves. With subject
matter, I like thinking about the way people treat each other. My newest
songs are examining family bonds and the relationships that hold us together
as a community.

Are there any artists that you’d really like to work with?

I’d love to work with Kanye West, Brandown Flowers from the Killers or
Chris Martin from Coldplay.

What’s on your playlist right now?

I listen to a lot of older music. I love classic rock & roll (Chuck
Berry, Little Richard), Donny Hathaway, been really into Paul Simon’s lesser
known work lately. Amazing lyrics.

Who is your favorite recent discovery in music?

I love this band Vampire Weekend and the album of the same name.
Great pop, energetic unique music.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I love the idea of being able to make people happy. I know what a good
song can do to my mood, so to think I could have even a little bit of that
effect on someone’s day is awesome. I love doing meet and greets with the
fans, and seeing how excited they are to take a picture. It makes me feel
good to lighten people up sometimes.

What is your favorite city, and what do you like to do there?

I’m a huge fan of San Francisco which I’ve only recently started
performing in. It’s a really energetic city and has a lot of soul, culture,
sports, etc. However, I’m a big believer that we can have an excellent show
in every city.

And finally, what are your favorite things?

I do a monthly list of my 7 favorite things on my website
(erichutchinson.com). Check it out!

[Check Eric's MySpace and official website for the latest news and tour dates.]

Here’s a clip of Eric performing “OK, Its Alright With Me” on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” paying homage to Michael Jackson with a single sequined glove atop his piano. As he told Neon Limelight in a In a 2008 interview, “I love Michael Jackson. I pretty much learned how to sing listening to Thriller.”

Gig photos on Flickr:

Want your own copy of Eric’s album Sounds Like This? I have one to give away for the low, low price of a comment on this entry, so leave one (with your email address please!) and one lucky reader will be chosen at random to win!