Meet Tebey: Professional Country Songwriter has his own EP To Do

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Depression digs deep. It hides. It waits. Often, it seeps in slowly, and materializes when you least expect the darkness. That’s exactly what happened to hit Canadian country singer-songwriter Tebey (a.k.a. Tebey Ottoh). Though he’s battled anxiety and depression ever since he can recall, one of those unexpected episodes came on strong a couple of years ago, and didn’t let go.

“I was getting overwhelmed by the music business,” Tebey says. “It’s a tough business, and it wears on you. The BS I have to deal with every day is tremendous. As I get older, I don’t have the tolerance sometimes for it. I just hit a wall. I wasn’t feeling very creative, and didn’t want to do music anymore.”

Tebey opened up earlier this year about these struggles with mental illness – penning a letter for Bell as part of its Let’s Talk Day campaign. “I wanted to be honest with people,” he says.

Sometimes writing songs helps artists heal. Not this time. Not for Tebey, at least initially. The support of his wife, and a sabbatical with his family, travelling throughout Asia (South Korea, Thailand, and Tokyo) provided the respite the songwriter needed to get in the right frame of mind to let the muse back in. He also admits that he was afforded the luxury to take some extra time off, without immediate financial worries, after “Somebody Else Will,” which he co-wrote for American country artist Justin Moore, was a Billboard No.1 in 2017; it was Tebey’s first No.1 single South of the border, as a songwriter.

We catch up with Tebey in Toronto on the release date for his new six-song EP Love a Girl — a collective effort between Tebey and Danick Dupelle (Emerson Drive), his co-producer and “co-captain,” who helped him push the envelope and take the songs in a new direction. It’s Tebey’s fourth recording, following a period of producing records for others, and writing, or co-writing, hit songs for a diverse range of artists, from pop to country stars – including One Direction, Cher, Fifth Harmony, and Big & Rich.

His own first single from Love a Girl, “Denim on Denim” – co-written with fellow SOCAN member Kelly Archer and American songwriter Nathan Spicer – is an infectious, country-leaning song that’s already climbing the charts at interview time. The rest of the five cuts fuse Tebey’s pop sensibilities with his love of mainstream country. “We took some chances with this record,” he says. “I think we succeeded.”

Take the title cut, “Love a Girl.” Lyrically, it’s definitely a country song, but production-wise, it’s something else entirely. “I believe that song is as far to the pop side of things as we’ve ever been,” says Tebey. “The lines today are blurred, especially with country music fans. They’re listening to Chris Stapleton one minute, and five minutes later they’re kicking the new Drake! I wander around the campgrounds at festivals like Boots and Hearts, and I hear their playlists.”

“Who’s Gonna Love You,” written for Tebey’s wife, is another song that, at interview time, was expected to garner a lot of airplay. Lyrics like the following are ones likely to resonate with listeners:

I’ve been known to steal a couple of curly fries from her side of the table on a date
I’ve been known to flip the finger to the guy driving slow over in the fast lane
And when I steal the covers on the bed, or lose a twenty on a stupid bet
She shakes her head, smiles at me and says, who’s gonna love you if I don’t?

“I talk about all the stupid things I do daily that drives her mental,” says Tebey. “I’m sure people will smile when they hear those lines and say, ‘That’s me!’”

When it comes to writing lines that linger long with listeners, he believes a memorable melody is still the key to a great song. “That’s one thing that will never change,” says Tebey. “Production, and what’s hot at the moment, will always change, but classic melodies won’t… They’ll be around forever. Think about a song like, ‘I Want it that Way’ by Backstreet Boys, or classic songs by Journey. Those are melodies that’ll never go out of style. Using the latest sounds and the hottest production is fine, and keeps things current, but melody is still king.”

Tebey admits he’s a melodic songwriter. Melodies come naturally to him, but they also come very meticulously. “Often, I have to grind them out to find them,” he says. “I also don’t settle. I need to explore every option with that melody before I can say, ‘This is the best it can be.’ It’s one of the things younger songwriters don’t do. They settle, and don’t even know they’re doing it. There is a big difference between a good melody and an undeniable melody.”

When asked if there are any undeniable melodies on the new EP, Tebey laughs, then says, “You don’t swing and knock it out of the park every time!”

Tebey’s Top Three Tips on Co-Writing

“Write with people that don’t write the same style/genre that you do; the variety is good.”
“Collaborate with people you enjoy working with, and write with people that challenge you. That’s a big one. I love working with people who are better and bigger songwriters than me. You can always learn. I’m learning constantly.”

“Every session is different. The more you write with people, the more you understand their process. Still, there’s no magic formula. You need to continue to work at it, and be 10 per cent better than everyone else all the time… that’s what I strive for.”

When it comes to the craft, Nashville-based Ashley Gorley is one of his songwriting heroes, but Max Martin is Tebey’s touchstone; someone who hits more home runs than most. “To me, he’s the greatest pop songwriter of all time.” [Martin is a Swedish songwriter who’s won the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award a record 10 times, and has the third-most No.1 singles on the Billboard charts, behind only Paul McCartney and John Lennon. He’s written or co-written songs with the likes of Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and Pink, to name a few.]

Hit singles and sales aside, for Tebey, a song’s success lies more in how deeply it resonates with listeners. “When people spend their hard-earned money to download your song, that’s when you know you’ve connected with them,” he says. “No. 1 songs may not necessarily connect with fans, even if they’re big radio hits. I want to write songs that connect with people. It’s a crapshoot, though. You never really know what’s going to hit. There’s no secret formula. You just write your best songs and use your gut instinct.”

Another key is honesty. “You can’t chase stuff,” he says. “That’s what’s important. As a writer, or for upcoming songwriters who might read this, my best advice is, it’s important to be yourself. You can’t be someone else: all the best bands, artists, songwriters, etc., do what they do best, not what someone else does best.”

Besides writing melodic songs, what Tebey also does best is help others face their demons. Born in Peterborough, and now based in Nashville, at interview time the country star was going to return home at the end of the month for an annual golf charity event he started last year, expected to raise about $25,000 for mental health projects through the Greater Peterborough Health Services, Your Family Health Team Foundation. “It’s a cause that is so close to my heart,” he says.

Lindsay Ell Living the Dream

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Lindsay Ell is enjoying a rare day off at home in Nashville. “It feels like I’ve been on the road six out of seven days,” she says. But Ell’s not complaining. The 28-year-old singer-songwriter loves touring. Every morning, she rolls out of bed and follows her passion. “I’ve prayed of being this tired ever since I was a little girl! I get to live my dream and tour with acts I dreamed of playing with, growing up.”

Since the release of The Project last August, the Calgary native, now based in Music City, has piled up the accolades. From the moment this debut dropped, it flew up the charts. The 12-song collection hit No.1 on the iTunes Country albums chart, No. 2 on the iTunes All Genres albums chart, and earned a No. 1 position on the Nielsen Soundscan Current Country Albums Chart in the U.S. High-profile U.S. TV appearances followed, including The Today Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live!

With the help of producer Kristian Bush (of Sugarland), Ell has found her sweet spot. As she writes in the liner notes, “I wanted to call this album The Project because that’s exactly what it was. I’ve learned so much about myself. I’m a different singer, different guitar player, and different artist. I’ve finally found my voice.”

When asked if she ever imagined such rapid success, Ell remains humble. “I wanted my fans to fall in love with the songs like I did,” she says. “But I had no idea it would debut at No. 1. It all still feels surreal.”

“Castle,” co-written with Abbey Cone and Josh Kerr, is one of many highlights on the critically acclaimed album. The song is a metaphor for Ell’s philosophy of staying grounded no matter what success comes her way. In the chorus, she sings, “And even if we had a house up on a hill/ I bet we’d want a castle.”

“It’s so easy, regardless of where we are in society, to think we never have enough, or we’re not cool enough, etc.,” says Ell. “We all get caught up in this cycle, but it’s not where our hearts and minds should be focused; it’s not reality. That song is about keeping things in perspective, and being grateful for what we have, and the lives we get to live everyday.”

Easy advice to take to heart, but how does the artist – as she stockpiles No.1 singles and her star rises – live this philosophy? “My fans,” she says. “I have such a close relationship to them and they keep my reality in check.” Ell is a self-confessed social media fanatic – spending an average of five hours a day on her various online accounts. “I talk to my fans, and see how my shows and songs influence their lives, and that keeps everything in check.”

All 12 tracks on The Project are either co-writes, or written by other artists. The album is a powerful collection of personal songs with simple, universal messages of love and hope. Before moving to Nashville eight years ago, Ell admits she’d never collaborated on writing a song. Now, co-writes are the norm. The first single, “Waiting on You,” was a Top 5 Canadian Country radio hit. The bluesy, country-rock song is the one that kick-started The Project sessions; it was a co-write with Adam Hambrick and Andrew DeRoberts. “Champagne,” a co-write with Walker Hayes, is another of Ell’s favourites, because it forced her to step outside her comfort zone.

“It was a great experience for me to have as a writer to learn there are no rules,” she says. “You can be fearless when you’re writing; there’s always an editing step later. I was with Walker and asked him: ‘Can we rhyme feel with Jessica Biel?’ and he said: ‘Of course you can!’ That was a good writing lesson.”

Ell’s music lessons – formal and informal – started young. By six she was playing the piano, and by eight she was learning guitar licks, honing her chops by following her father to country-bluegrass camps. These days, just like one of Ell’s early mentors sang, Ell is certainly takin’ care of business. Fifteen years ago, as a 13-year-old, she met Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Randy Bachman.

Says Ell, “Randy heard a demo I’d made of Jann Arden cover songs and Tommy Emmanuel guitar instrumentals, and said, ‘She sounds like a young female Chet Atkins; I need to meet her.’” A writing session between Bachman and Ell was arranged, and the Guess Who co-founder became the budding songwriter’s biggest fan. “He got me into blues, jazz, and rock, and that gave me a whole new vocabulary for my music that I hadn’t tapped into yet,” says Ell.

Today, the pair still keeps in touch. Bachman taught Ell one other important life lesson: never lose sight of why you chose this career. “Randy told me that this life I’ve chosen will be an emotional rollercoaster, and that I always need to remember why I love doing what I’m doing, and that will keep me grounded,” says Ell. “That’s great advice, that I still think about every day.”

ELL’S TOP SONGWRITING TIPS
1) Honesty is the key. “That is the No. 1 rule; it’s also a rule to never break. The more vulnerable you can be as a songwriter, the better the song usually is… The more real I can be, the better I believe the song is.”
2) Write every single day. “Whether it’s a title or just two lines. The voice memo app in my phone is embarrassing, but it’s filled with little tidbits, crazy ideas of me singing as I’m walking in an airport, or lying in bed half asleep… I try to write something every day and capture ideas as they come.”
3) There are no rules! “The minute I say, ‘It’s got to be done like this,’ tomorrow I’ll wake up and break my own rule!”
Those dream acts include Brad Paisley (with whom Ell is currently touring); Sugarland (who are re-uniting and taking her on the road this summer); and Keith Urban (Ell joins the four-time Grammy winner for the second leg of his Canadian Graffiti U World Tour in September 2018).

RE-RECORDING HER FAVOURITE ALBUM
Before recording The Project, producer Kristian Bush gave Ell an assignment she couldn’t refuse. “So many people have influenced me, so I didn’t know where to begin, or go next, with my music,” says Ell. “In our first meeting, Kristian… asked me what my favourite record of all time was, and I told him: John Mayer’s Continuum. He said, ‘Perfect! I want you to go record the whole thing. These are the only rules: you have two weeks; you need to play all the instruments; and you need to do it at the studio.’ For 14 days, I worked from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. trying to get this done… I learned so much about Mayer, and how he played guitar, and how I played guitar, and how I wanted my next record to sound. The gears just clicked.” After two weeks in the studio, she handed the assignment to Bush. “I told him, ‘I finally know how I want my record to sound!’” Ell has decided to release her version of Continuum, so her fans can hear her homework. It’ll be out later this year.

The Tao According to Lukas Nelson

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Lukas Nelson is an old soul. Mojo seeps from his veins. Witness this every time he straps on his trusty 1956 Les Paul Junior with his band Promise of the Real (POTR). The tones that emanate from this vintage guitar are otherworldly. Thanks to his famous father—and the company Willie keeps—the 29-year-old musician has seen more of the world than most. On the road now for more than a decade with POTR, he’s already shared the stage with a long list of legends. This does not mean he takes his bloodline for granted. The opposite is true. Lukas is filled with buckets of passion and a desire to learn. He constantly seeks knowledge and guidance from the masters of their craft he is fortunate to call compadres such as: Kris Kristofferson, Neil Young, and Bob Weir.

“I have a similar energy that my father does,” says Nelson when we chatted earlier this summer in between festivals. “We see the world the same way; dad really raised a good family. There was always great music and musicians around. I studied and absorbed all of that energy, then transformed it, put it through my conduit, and added my interpretation.”

Listen to Lukas sing for the first time and you might hear faint echoes of his dad’s distinctive timbre, but that’s where any comparisons end. Part cosmic country – the love child of Gram Parsons and Janis Joplin – blended with a heavy serving of blues and a pinch of a rock ‘n’ roll je ne sais quoi.

I witnessed Lukas’ for the first time at Farm Aid last September in Pennsylvania and saw him again during a SXSW showcase this past March in his hometown of Austin. I was blown away by his chops and the tones he gets from his Gibson and how he makes it sing. His voice carries an echo of his padre’s timbre, but it is a unique instrument. Songs such as “Forget About Georgia,” — a rumination of a past girlfriend and the pain of this failed relationship that he has to relive on stage each night when he sings the Ray Charles classic: “Georgia on My Mind” with his Willie’s family band. Other standouts from Lukas’ self-titled debut, which he performed at both shows, include: “Set Me Down On a Cloud,” “Find Yourself,” and the love letter to his hometown: “Just Outside of Austin.”

Lukas’ journey started in Austin, Texas. Born as the son of Annie D’Angelo (Willie’s fourth and current wife) he grew up mostly in Maui, Hawaii. An “island boy,” Lukas dabbled in everything: from swimming and soccer to skateboarding and surfing. With instruments always lying around the house and spending time on the road with his dad, younger brother Micah, and the rest of the Nelson extended family, it was inevitable music would eventually replace these pastimes.

Lukas wrote his first song at 11. After trading in his surfboard for a guitar, he would play 10 hours a day, honing his craft one note at a time. A disciple of the Delta blues, Nelson studied legends like: Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Howlin’ Wolf. As a teen, Lukas obsessed over their followers: guys like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. Songwriting came naturally.

“A great song needs a clever turn-of-phrase and a good melody,” Lukas explains. “With the right rhythms and harmonies you can create something magical that connects with people, but that takes dedication and passion.

“From the moment I picked up a guitar I started to practice every day and I’ve never let up,” he adds. “Now, I believe I’m good enough to have my own comparisons made. There is no need to compare me to my dad anymore … there is plenty more to talk about.”

Lukas gave himself the that freedom to set his own path, drifting ever further from his dad’s shadown, by practicing his craft. “I love to learn about music,” he says. “I can always play guitar better, control my voice better, and write better songs. You never stop learning … it’s always a journey upwards.”

Ever since forming back in Los Angeles in 2008, the journey for Nelson and his band of musical brothers has been on the up and up. The current POTR six-piece lineup includes: longtime members Tato Melgar (percussion), Anthony LoGerfo (drums) and Corey McCormick (bass, vocals) along with new mates Jesse Siebenberg (steel guitars, Farfisa organ, vocals) and Alberto Bof (piano, Wurlitzer, Hammond B3).

Here are just a few of the recent accolades for Nelson: a critically-acclaimed self-titled debut record (Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real) released in August, 2017 via Fantasy Records; touring and making records with Neil Young as the 21st century version of Crazy Horse (This is apropos since the band’s name is a reference to the following line from Young’s 1973 song “Walk On”: “sooner or later it all gets real.”). One wonders what Lukas has learned from Old Man Neil?

“He taught me to take a much deeper appreciation of detail that is required in music,” Nelson says. “That’s an important thing. The more you pay attention to the subtleties of what you are doing, the more rendering you realize.”

Away from the studio and the stage, Nelson found time to act. He starred in Paradox – a movie that premiered at SXSW this past March that was directed by Neil’s girlfriend Darryl Hannah. A friendship with Lady Gaga (who sang on his debut record) and Actor/Director Bradley Cooper, led to his newest gig: co-writing eight songs with Lady Gaga and acting as a musical consultant for Cooper’s forthcoming flick – a remake of the Hollywood classic A Star is Born, set for a theatrical release October 5. “That was such a cool experience,” says Nelson.

This summer, Lukas has been on the road again and again with POTR – playing the fesitval circuit in North America and Europe: from the Festival d’été de Québec earlier this month to a series of gigs in Amsterdam and the UK. These shows have given the guys an opportunity to test out some of their new songs before the next album is released. This past March, the band cut 20 new songs, laying down these tracks at the famed Shangri-La Studio in Malibu, California – the one-time rock ‘n’ roll castle where the likes of Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and The Band partied and created seminal records during the 1970s, which is now owned by Rick Rubin. Of the new songs Lukas had this to say: “We’ve cut 20 and have a total of 35 tracks. By 2019, we should have the next album complete and something new to give people.”

This fall sees the band continuing to chalk up the miles; POTR join Lukas’ dad’s family band, along with the likes of Van Morrison, Sturgill Simpson, Brandi Carlile, Nathaniel Raitlieff and the Night Sweats, and Particle Kid (his kid brother Micah’s band) for a string of dates on the Outlaw Music Festival. As our chat comes to a close, Lukas leaves readers with a key piece of Willie’s wisdom that guides his everyday journey.

“You see who my dad is,” Nelson concludes. “He is a guy that is always in the present. He’s been through a lot, but gone through it all with good humor. Those are some good life lessons I’ve picked up.”