A CONVERSATION WITH JOHN COWAN  (continued)

PM: I'm happy to see what a good songwriter you've become yourself, and in esteemed company. That's got to feel like a whole new part of your life opened up in your thirties.

JC: Yeah, it has. And that's a scary proposition for all of us, to get naked that way. But I think it's the only way to go.

PM: Because, as a singer, no one can judge you, really. They may or may not relate to your style, but they certainly know you're hella good. But as a writer, anybody is a target for criticism, and everybody is a critic.

JC: Performing is just like falling off a log for me; I've been doing it since I was fourteen. Songwriting is a whole different task. It takes hard work and discipline, and all the things I don't like. [laughter] But the people that inspire me most are the great songwriters. Whether they're narrative writers, or personal writers, they just inspire you with the truth, fact or fiction. I mean, guys like Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott, they've just always done it. And they're both the rare combination of great instrumentalists and vocalists that are also gifted songwriters.

PM: And it's amazing to hear Darrell speak about his songwriting process with Tim. He says they'll hang out a helluva lot, and a small fraction of that time will actually be spent in writing. But when they do that, they both let all their guards down, and write from that really childlike, vulnerable place where magic can occur.

So, how has the response been so far for Always Take Me Back? And how is it working with Sugar Hill records?

JC: They're great. Because of Dolly Parton and Nickel Creek [both very successful releases for a small Bluegrass label] they have some money in the coffers, and have increased their presence in the music business. They've always been an artist oriented outfit, but it was basically, "Here's your small budget for a record, let us know when you're done." They never told you what to do, but you could only do so much. It used to be "What's Sugar Hill?" "Oh, that's that little bluegrass label." That's just not the case anymore.

PM: I know that Nickel Creek went gold [500k units] a while back, did Dolly's record go gold as well?

JC: I think so. They've got a mighty little roar going now. It's a pretty organic company. It's real nice to be there. I've known Barry, the owner, since soon after the label began. Newgrass made two records for them right when Bela and Pat joined the band. A live record and a studio record. So my relationship with them is long standing, and very comfortable. We have some of the good things that you get with a major label, and we don't have a lot of the bullshit that you get with a major label.

PM: So you're getting some promotion from the label, right?

JC: Yeah, we are.

PM: I watch some radio lists, looks like you're getting good play.

JC: Yeah, last week it was the most added at Americana. It's not like being the most added at Country radio, but it's something, for sure. I'm just glad that we all have this outlet that we never had before [the AAA or Americana radio format]. The thing that was so hard for groups like Newgrass the 16 years we were together was that there was absolutely no radio airplay possible, and there was no Internet. Just slug it out in the van, one gig at a time, and try to build your audience. So, that's changed. Most major cities and many college towns have an Americana station, or an NPR station. And XM Radio [satellite radio] is very big on Americana programming as well.

PM: And it looks like that's going to be a big thing in the foreseeable future, though they've been saying that for some time.

JC: Oh, I think so. I think it's a handful of years down the road, but I definitely think people are going to have satellite radios in their cars routinely.

PM: Lord knows, I try to listen to Country radio when I'm in the mood for writing for that market, and the only thing more painful than the programmed music itself are the commercials. I can't listen to that, no way. I listen mostly to NPR or CDs. So I look forward to XM radio, for sure.

So, what are you projecting for the days and the years ahead?

JC: Well, I'm real inspired to keep writing, continuing to make more personal records. Just go out and play. It's a good life. My only goal is to get in the bus, Frank. [laughs]

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