Korey GarveyJustyn Dow – The Nashville Sessions
Last January I was invited out to Nashville by singer/songwriter Justyn Dow to track guitars on his new EP. It was an amazing process and learning experience for me. Nashville was such an inspiring place to create music, and I met so many talented musicians whilst out there. We even shared the stage with country star Rhett Akins at a quick last minute show. Everything great I had always heard about Nashville is really true.
We finished the EP within a little under two weeks. I tracked most of the guitars live, the very first day we started tracking, and did a few overdubs towards the end of the session. I took a minimalist approach with these songs, by not layering too much, and keeping the natural vibe of the songs at heart.
Gear wise my setup was really simple. For almost all the songs I tracked with my 66′ Princeton Reverb and Custom Shop Nocaster. Though, I did use a Duesenberg Starplayer TV, 67′ Guild Starfire IV, and a Les Paul Special for some parts as well. My amp was mic’d up with a Royer 121 and SM57 combo, (the best in my opinion) and the room I tracked in had a beautiful natural sound.
A lot of delays and reverbs were used, and tracked with live. I mainly turned on the Eventide Space and Empress VMSD. For overdrive I turned to my Kanji Eternity (tubescreamer style) for most everything, and also a Swart Fuzzybost on solos, and to thicken up the chorus in the song, “The Stand.”
A few session musicians were brought in by the producer such as Eamon McLoughlin, who played fiddle and viola. He added so much depth to the songs, and literally composed & tracked his parts within in an hour. The man has great taste, and wrote really musical parts. Also Hannah Miller a singer/songwriter came in to do harmonies. Her voice complimented Justyn’s nicely, and helped thicken up some parts that needed a little extra.
Towards the end of the session, we found out that we were offered the opening slot for Andy Grammer in Chicago, at Lincoln Hall. So we wrapped up, took off and drove straight away to Chicago. We played a short set to a sold out crowd, and that really topped off the whole experience.
I’m very proud to be apart of this EP, and think it’s an amazing collection of songs. Justyn is as real as it gets, and I think that really translates through into his music. Expect big things from him.
Here is the single “It’s Over,” from the EP -
& here is an iTunes link to the just released EP, “Consumed.”