I ahve the honor of hearing Nicolette Good when visiting my You Tube page. Her singing and songs are down to earth and has a natural appeal. She is one of the few singer songwriter who speaks the truth through music.

Her music has inspired the world around her and humanity. I even hear her music when suffering from writer blockage. In fact, two of my sports articles were written with her music in the background in my computer.

Without much, an invitation has been sent for our readers to enjoy this interview with the greatest natural singer/songwriters for the 21st Century: Nicolette Good.

1. What inspired you to start a career in music?

I’ve played music since I was five years old, but I think it wasn’t until I saw a bluegrass band called Hot Buttered Rum play at Stubb’s in Austin that I was ready for the long-haul. The band had flown in from California that day, had about five hours of sleep between them, and as they set up, you could tell they were running on fumes. But as soon as they started playing, the audience was electric–dancing, singing, clapping. Just as the band was energizing the crowd, the crowd’s energy gave the band a second wind, and they even said, «we’re gonna tell the folks back in California about you, Austin!» It was such a magic moment. After that I was able to put into words that I wanted to try to recreate that feeling for other people.

 

 

2. Who are your idols and how were you able to learn from their music to form a style that is yours?

When I was a little kid, my mom would put me to bed playing this instrumental Beatles casette tape called «Baby Road.» I think I literally absorbed all those rich chord progressions and melodies like that. I say that Ben Folds Five made piano lessons cool enough to keep studying it through junior high and high school, and Radiohead taught me that really angular, slightly-off chord progressions can be just as beautiful as what we think of as normal ones.

 

 

3. I-10 has been the source of inspiration for your music. Do you have any favorite areas around I-10 that inspire you more or is it the areas that you have visited?

I wouldn’t say I was necessarily inspired by I-10, but driving on those long stretches of Highway I-10 seemed to be the only quiet time I had to myself that I could write. My folks still live in Houston, so I make that 6-hour round trip about every month. There isn’t much that can distract me–no texting, no reading e-mail–so I am forced to look straight ahead and sing or think about new lyrics. It’s like a really healthy time-out. I always say I do some of my best writing behind the wheel, but I’ve never claimed to do my best driving when I’m writing.

 

 

4. What sets apart your music from the mainstream that exists in Hollywood and New York?

The artists that ring truest for me are those that are a little raw, a little unpolished, and sing about specific rather than general topics. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good pop song, but they don’t keep me up at night. I try to not to be timid about the stories in my song–if idea or image is resonating with me, I don’t shy away from that.

 

 

5. How was your experience with Troubador TX?

Troubadour, TX has been exciting, and challenging, and encouraging. My favorite parts have been meeting other musicians and hearing their stories, song swapping in green rooms and show swapping in our different home towns. The experience has also helped me crystalize what my idea of doing well is, of where I want to go, what environments I want to be in, and who I want to work with. This is an exciting time to be a musician, because there is a lot more freedom in those choices than there ever have been.

 

 

6. Will you be doing any performances outside of Texas?

Yes! This summer, so if you people reading this want me to come to your home town, put in your requests at www.nicolettegood.com/shows. Playing out of town is my favorite way to meet people–on their home turf, when they’re out ready to kick up their heels and have fun.

 

 

 

7. What is your recommendation for those who are interested in a career in music?

People crave authenticity. It’s easy to look up to your idols and mimic their path, but nothing will be as successful as uncharted territory, even if it’s riskier. 

 

 

8. Do you have any advice for the world?

I wake up every morning and try to leave things a little better than I found them, and I try to surround myself with people like that, too.