Thank you so much for talking with us! How was the last year for you? What were your highlights? I think that 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone. I think it is going to take some time for musicians to get back to "normal" touring schedules, but we look forward to that. All of the time spent away from the road in quarantine gave us a lot of time to write and we actually started thinking about a full-length album..so fingers crossed that will happen in the near future.
What was the best piece of advice you've ever been given about pursuing a career in music?
If you're doing it for the wrong reasons, you shouldn't be doing it. When it comes to songwriting, Honesty always wins.
What's your advice for young artists trying to establish a name for themselves? This probably sounds cliche but I'd say be true to yourself. There's nothing I find more un-inspiring than watching people chase the "latest trends" or do and say what they are "supposed" to. If your honest with who you are and what you put out into the world, you'll find a much deeper connection with people and that's really what it's all about.
You recently released your new single, "Still Here," that you also co-wrote. Tell us about the writing process and where the idea came from. We were watching the Coen Brothers' anthology film, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs-specifically the segment of Tom Waits as a persistent miner. This episode inspired the opening lyrics to the song "I can't say for certain that there's any gold left in these hills/perseverance pays, or so they say, and I just pray that it will." We took that idea into our co-write with Alyssa Trahan and the song came together quite smoothly. We got to talking about all the hurdles that come with pursuing a career in the music industry and the words just seemed to fall into place because amongst all the chaos, we're still here- still love making music together and have come to appreciate the madness.
When/Where do you do your best writing? Luckily, this life has given me plenty of topics/scenarios to write about ha. When I listen to my favorite singer/songwriters, I hear that sense of vulnerability which draws me in closer so I always strive to have that same vulnerability when I write. I feel like in my younger writing days, I had trouble fully opening up with my lyrics; I'm not sure if it was discomfort with myself or with co-writing in general or just being unsure about what I wanted to say. Now, I write my best by just embracing whatever I'm feeling, letting my mind go where it needs to go, and being very open with my co-writers. I have been very lucky as of late to find those people that I really connect and vibe with- when you're in a co-write like that, that is where the magic happens.
Was there ever music playing in the kitchen growing up? Absolutely. I remember dancing in the kitchen many times to Diana Ross & The Supremes.
What is your favorite dish to cook? I must admit..I don't do a ton of cooking, but taco nights at our place are pretty epic.
What's your favorite family recipe? My great Grandma Pauline's noodle recipe
What is your favorite sandwich? Jon (guitar player) makes some amazing turkey burgers; with an egg, bacon, and all the goodness on them.
Best food that is deep fried? I've gotta go with deep fried pickles.
What's on your pizza? Do you fold your pizza or eat it straight on? Ranch or no ranch?
My pizza has pepperoni, green peppers, onions, and mushrooms. I eat it straight on and I'm 100% a ranch girl.
If you could be sponsored by one food/drink brand who would it be and why?
What brand owns Cheez-its, Kellogg? I could snack on those for breakfast, lunch, dinner so..seems like the appropriate choice ha. We also run on a lot of coffee so if we could be sponsored by Starbucks, I'm pretty sure life would be complete.
Lake and Lyndale - "Still Here" (Out June 19th, 2020)
The music business is no place for the meek of heart or timid of spirit. A move from Minnesota to Nashville and a personnel overhaul might have collapsed lesser bands. But Lake and Lyndale didn’t just survive those traumas. They’re thriving, as evidenced by their defiant new single “Still Here.” Written by singer Channing Marie and guitarist Jonathan Krentz with collaborating songwriter Alyssa Trahan, the song displays the four-piece band’s strengths, all of which act in service of the main theme of perseverance against all obstacles: the rhythm section of bassist Eric Clifford and drummer Tyler Kloewer churn out a propulsive groove; Krentz delivers both acoustic dexterity and a searing electric solo on guitar; and Marie belts out the resilient message: “I watch the flicker and the flame/I stay the same.” Krentz explains that the Coen Brothers’ anthology film The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, specifically the segment with Tom Waits as a persistent miner, spurred the creation of “Still Here.” “I remember watching that, and it was just so visually striking, and the plot was so amazing,” Krentz explains. “That was the inspiration for the first lines of the song: ‘I can’t say for certain if there’s any gold left in these hills/Perseverance pays, or so they say, and I pray that it will.’ I think seeing Tom Waits' character having to go through everything on his own was something that us as a band could relate to, especially as independent artists. Tackling challenges on your own is a universal topic, and I hope people find a little encouragement when they listen to the song.” “We’ve been doing the music thing for a long time now and "Still Here" was a reflection of that. We’re still here, we still love it, and we don't see that changing anytime soon.” Marie explains how the foursome that make up Lake and Lyndale were originally part of a larger collective that splintered at the last minute before their big move to Nashville a few years back. “With the move down here, there was always going to be a rebranding phase. But it actually also opened up a lot of creativity. The four of us are on the same page and share the same vision of who we want to be as artists and what we want to say. There was already a strong connection before the move to Nashville, and then going through a scary scenario like moving just made our bond as friends and a band stronger.” Krentz says the group seemed to find its identity in the new setting as well. “When we moved to Nashville and started writing music we were not really sure where we would fit in, I think we found out quickly who enjoyed the music we were putting out. I've always been a believer in just putting out the music and letting other people categorize it. We were fortunate to have the Americana world embrace us, and we are honored to be a part of such a timeless genre." Regardless of how they’re categorized, Lake and Lyndale’s strong songwriting stands out. It’s something that they’ve watched evolve from initial hesitancy into the potency and fearlessness evident in “Still Here.” “Speaking for myself, when I would write songs five or six years ago, there was a lot of second-guessing,” Marie says. “It’s very scary to be vulnerable and put your own story out there, but I have learned to embrace that over the years."