Nominee: Clint Niosi
Category(s) in which they're nominated: Big Solo Artist
Quick take: Fort Worth singer mixes his literary lyrics with rootsy arrangments -- from finger-pickin' folk to bluesy ballads to chugga-chugga railroad rhythms.
Hear some music: myspace.com/clintniosi
The questionnaire:
Q: Talk about some of the music and live shows you experienced early on that helped you develop your sound and live-performance style.
A: My earliest live music experiences were at classic car shows with my parents, so I was very saturated by pop music of the '50s and '60s. I remember seeing the remaining members of the Crickets, as well as the Trashmen, Tommy Roe, and Tommy James and the Shondells. I listened to my father's 45 of Jimmy Rogers playing "Kisses Sweeter than Wine" on my Fisher Price record player long before I knew anything about kisses or wine. I'm not sure of the full extent that those experiences have affected my sound, but I know they formed the core of my musical vocabulary.
Q: Who are a couple of your favorite local acts, and what draws you to them?
A: I think my friend Warren Jackson Hearne's work warrants more attention than it has received. There is a theatrical element that makes the shows interesting, but what keeps me coming back is that all the songs are solid. He's been performing as a duet with a woman named Sabra Laval, whose voice I've been very impressed with. I'd recommend seeing them both solo and as a duet.
Q: What themes or ideas do you think lurk under the surface of your songs?
A: On the last album I was writing a lot about death and various versions of the afterlife. On the songs I'm writing for the next album I'm more concerned with memories, dreams, and things like ESP and prophecy. I like to take a subject that feels like a stretch for me and attempt to ground it in a practical reality that's easy to relate with.
Q: Looking back on the past year, what is one highlight and one lowlight for you?
A: It has been a good year for me. One highlight was definitely seeing the release of my first proper album. Even more rewarding was working with my friends to make it happen. One lowlight was driving through a blizzard in Iowa on solid ice and observing the shoulder littered with vehicles while returning from a tour of the Midwest. But hey, that's what I get.
Q: If you win this award, will your speech be annoying, funny or confusing?
A:If I win this award I'm sure that it will be by a slim enough margin to ensure a few annoyed audience members. Whether or not it is funny, I would be laughing in disbelief. Would it be confusing? I won't pretend to understand these things, but I think can make sense when I need to.
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