Where are you from?
San Antonio, TX
Members and their instruments?
Colton Boening: Guitar and Vocals
What does your band name mean?
It’s my name – and even though it isn’t the easiest name to pronounce I figured I would embrace it and hope that people will eventually figure out how to say it.
What genre do you consider yourself? Why?
I consider myself to be an acoustic singer/songwriter, with elements of soul and blues music. Being able to tell a story to a listener, with only my voice and guitar is a simple, beautiful thing.
How long have you been playing?
I have been in the music scene for about 4 years now but have been playing solo for about a year. Playing in coffee shops, bars, or anywhere else that will let me play.
What brought you to music?
Eventually, I had all of these ideas and I wanted to share them people who would listen, and hopefully relate.
What drew you to music?
Music was a way for me to get away from the real world every once in a while, when I needed it.
What are some of your most influential bands? Why?
Once I was old enough to establish my own taste in music, I dove head first into anything and everything that I could listen to. Older country, rock, pop, soul, R&B, hip-hop; I loved it all.
There was something about folk, blues and soul music that really resonated with me. It felt so real and emotional. An artist could sing a song and I wasn’t just listening to it, I was feeling it. I love the music of Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, Donny Hathaway, Jimi Hendrix, Nick Drake, B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and even more modern artists like Stevie Ray Vaughn, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Allen Stone, Leon Bridges, Gary Clark Jr. and John Mayer.
What was your first song together?
The first song that I ever recorded and released to the public was “Alone” which is the title track off of my first album, coming out by the end of the year.
What is your song writing process?
Usually the idea or feeling will just sort of hit me at some point. It can happen at anytime, but luckily I have a phone that allows me to store lyrics and ideas at the touch of a button. Next step is get to my guitar as soon as possible and start working out the melodies and lyrics. I sort of get into this headspace where I just let the ideas come to me while I play guitar, and they work in tandem; what I’m feeling and what I’m playing.
How has your music evolved since you began playing together?
I’m starting to be more honest with myself. Creating music is difficult. Allowing yourself to open up and create a song is a process. I’ve learned more about myself creating music, which only allows me to access more feelings and ideas.
What songs do you perform the most often?
Out of my original songs, I play “Alone” and “Just Beneath the Surface” most often.
When it comes to cover songs, “Valerie,” “Wicked Game,” and “I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know” are my most requested.
Do you play any covers?
I do! I cover a lot of soul, folk, R&B and pop music.
Songs like, “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Let’s Get it On,” “Rocket Man,” and “Space Oddity” are always crowd pleasers.
Do you have a set play list?
When I go to a gig, I’ll have a set number of songs to play but depending on the crowd, I might have to call a few audibles to make sure everyone is enjoying the performance.
Is there a secret meaning in any of your music?
I just try to be as honest and vulnerable as possible in my music. I write and play music to express how I feel, and I want the listener to connect with that.
Have you ever dealt with performance anxiety? If so how?
I deal with anxiety daily. I think the best way to deal with it is believing in yourself and knowing that music is a scary thing share, it’s like opening up to a crowd of people that you don’t know. Scared to get up on stage and sing a song? So were all of the greats. I find comfort in that.
How old were you when you started playing your instrument?
I got my first guitar at about 10 years old. It was a cheap grocery store “classical guitar.” Although it wasn’t until a few years later that I really started to play and learn the guitar.
How do you describe your music to people?
My music is folk inspired soul music. A personal story of mine backed by the company of acoustic guitar.
What image do you hope your music conveys?
Both the dark and light aspects of life. We all have our demons and our own ways of dealing with them.
Do you have any up coming shows?
None to date at the moment as I am working on an album currently. Once the album is finished I hope to set up a local tour to showcase the album itself.
What is your greatest achievement to date?
I feel that just taking the leap to get my music out there was a huge step for me. It’s scary, like the first few minutes of a presentation. It’s difficult and your nervous at first but eventually you realize it’s not as scary as you thought and you start to gain a little more confidence.
Are you happy with the current success of your band?
I am! I am fairly new to the live scene but hope that with some hard work and little bit of luck things will keep on looking up!
What is the ultimate direction for you?
Ideally, I would like to be able to make a living playing music. No only that, but meeting other great musicians and making connections all over. Being able to travel, play music and meet awesome people all over the world would be incredible.
How do you feel about the internet and the music business?
I feel it’s a double-edged sword. Anyone that wants to share their music with people can. That’s something we didn’t have until recently. There’s YouTube, SoundCloud, BandCamp and so many more. However, if your goal is to share your art with as many people as possible, you’re in a huge sea of other musicians doing the same thing. You need to put in the work, be honest with yourself and try not to give up. It can be demoralizing at times, but that’s when you need to keep pushing.
What is your favorite concert you’ve attended?
John Mayer in 2013. Seeing one of your idols live is a weird feeling. They’re right in front of you, playing the music that you’ve listened to for years, live. It’s surreal.
What do you wish you spent more time doing 5 years ago?
Writing songs. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of weird, cheesy songs until you start to make a breakthrough. It takes time to teach yourself to open up and say what you want to say, in a beautiful way.
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