A Conversation with Ketch Secor of OCMS (continued)

PM: And Willie was in this young folksy kind of jam element acoustic band that was really popular in the southern tier region of New York State where we grew up. So he was playing shows statewide by the time he was sixteen, playing the guitar, and being the lead vocalist in this group that had some congas and some clawhammer banjo and some real folk element to it.

PM: What was their name?

KS: They were called The Funnest Game.

PM: Cool. And how about Morgan?

KS: Morgan, he was born and raised up in Chattanooga. And he grew up playing brass in school. Then he hit the rockabilly scene pretty hard right out of high school and moved to New York and played rockabilly bass.

PM: Wow.

KS: We met Morgan on the street corner in Nashville. He was just walking by with his old man while we were busking there. And then we lost our bass player, Benny--he had a baby, and couldn't swing it down south.

So the street corner brought a lot of players to us. It brought both Morgan and Kevin, and it really helped to hone the skills that the Old Crows developed through the years of how to hold an audience. We learned a lot on the street corners. We learned a lot from street performers, and from being that kind of performer ourselves. That's very much a part of what we're doing.

PM: Is the range of music that you guys are listening to now very wide or very focused?

KS: It's very wide. I mean, it really isn't contained by any terms or genres, because when you love music or when you play music professionally, it's almost a responsibility you have to know as much as you possibly can--whether it's about the history of country music, which is something I really love, or the history of jazz music, which is something that Kevin really loves. So whatever it is--I mean, I've got every Bob Dylan record. I think there are 61 of them.

PM: Holy geez.

KS: I'd like to have every Willie Nelson. I think there are 123 of them.

PM: [laughs]

KS: And I like Neil Young a lot. When you love music, these guys, they're not going to let you down. They're going to keep putting out great stuff, and they've continued to. So my collection keeps growing with every year. [Turning away slightly, he says "I'll meet you up there, Dad."] Expos win.

PM: Expos win. [laughs]

Are there any religious or spiritual guys in the band?

KS: There's a spiritual nature to what's going on, but it's not summed up by any divination. But when you play the music--when you play the soundtrack of what came before, from this kind of older idyllic time, you can't help but feel--I mean, I'm singing these songs that have come out of somebody's mouth already, and I'm learning it from these old dead men, so there are a lot of elements of the supernatural involved as well.

PM: Well, that's a beautiful note to wind up on. I really think you're a fascinating cat.

KS: Thank you.

PM: And I love the music of OCMS. I think you guys doing something really important.

KS: Well, that's what we're going to keep on doing, man. I'm glad that you see it that way. And it's been a pleasure talking to you. Thanks a lot.

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