Q&A with Carter Beckworth : Saturday, Jan. 28th at Proud Larry’s
by Nature Humphries – from The Local Voice #148
It’s been a few years since you last played a show here in Oxford. You were a student at the time, right? What have you been up to in the meantime?
Making music! I put out my first solo album in 2007 while still attending Ole Miss. In 2008 I moved to Austin and started a rock band called Baker Hotel with two other Ole Miss Alums, Reed Barrett and Simon Page. That band has put out two albums, and solidified a solid name for itself in Texas. I released my second solo album last August, and since then I’ve mainly been touring in support of that record. I have a different band that plays with me for those shows. 
What do you miss most about Oxford / Ole Miss?
Chicken on a stick. No doubt.
Your self-titled sophomore album came out earlier this year. Where was it recorded? What other musicians play on the album? Was it easier recording the 2nd time around?
I recorded the album in Houston, Texas at Rockaway Productions. There were two things that made the making of this record easier than the first: One noteworthy difference was that in the four or five years since we recorded the first record, so much technology has come out that what used to take a whole day now takes ten minutes. It’s literally been that drastic of a change! Another thing that made making this record more enjoyable was that most of it was co-written in the studio by myself and Chris Rockaway, who also produced and performed several instruments on the record. Guitarist, Andrew Bennett co-wrote one song, and performed on the album as well.
Tell us a little about your songwriting process. What are some of your main inspirations?
I write most of my songs sitting on the couch or on the bed. The best ones tend to come all at once, in 30 minutes or less. Some are difficult to finish. If I have a riff that I can’t put a melody too, I might ask one of my co-writing buddies for an idea. That kind of collaboration can be productive and fun, too. Co-writing takes it to a totally different level because you have two creative minds working toward a common goal.
I guess music with good lyrics, and a thoughtful structure is what inspires me most. I’ve tried to take pages from the books of everyone from John Prine to Alice in Chains, both of whom are amazing songwriters. My Texas roots probably shine through in some way also. There are modern folk artists like A.J. Roach and Todd Snider that influence me quite a bit.
You’ve been on the road a lot this month. Do you have any funny/scary/weird stories from the road? Favorite venue so far?
It’s all been hilarious. It’s pretty funny whenever Steve (my cellist) breaks out the cello and everyone starts paying attention all of a sudden. I think it makes people think we’re “artsy.” We did couple of TV interviews performances, and a radio interview in Chicago. I think it’s because of the Texas plates, but everyone keeps asking us if we’re cold. Proud Larry’s is definitely one of the venues we’re most excited about. It’s the only venue in Oxford I never played as a student. 
What’s your favorite music to listen to on the road?
I burned a bunch of CD’s before I left, but we pretty much burned through all of them in the first couple of days. Fortunately, we do have satellite radio. I like the comedy stations, and I listen to the CNN channel a lot. Steve doesn’t really care because he’s usually asleep.
Tell us a little bit about your musical background. When did you first decide to pursue music career? What have been some of the biggest challenges along the way?
I’ve known my whole life that I wanted to play music. Ever since I saw Axl Rose on TV playing for 30,000 people, I knew I wanted to be an entertainer. The biggest challenge was graduating from college. I played three nights a week in Oxford at places like Two Stick and The Rib Cage, but sometimes I’d have to drive to Athens or Austin to play at some fraternity party, which made getting to class on Monday a challenge. I’m glad I did it though. Stay in school and go to class!
What’s next for you?
We’re heading back to Austin after the show at Proud Larry’s. We’re playing the Austin Rodeo in March and then going on a short West Texas tour with the full band. Then I’m reuniting to play the South By Southwest Festival in Austin with the original lineup of Baker Hotel, a rock band I founded 5 years ago, which includes Ole Miss grad, Simon Page.
