00:00:04 - 00:00:24 Speaker 1

Guitar phenom Erin Coburn dropped by our Nashville studio, playing and talking about her songs, her new band, and life on the road. I'm Ric Stewart, a community radio DJ since 1986. An award winning filmmaker adding some real life podcasting to get deeper into soul country.

00:00:24 - 00:00:47 Speaker 1

Here we lasso tales from the intersection of countrified R&B and bluesy Americans. Listen in as we revitalize our cultural roots, Western blues and variety. Now, a word from our sponsor is productions documentary Blues Rock hits. Soul Country is chock full of exclusive performances and interviews from Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and Grammy winner. It's the origin story of Soul country.

00:00:47 - 00:01:09 Speaker 1

Check it out at Soul country.com. Well, the 22 year old metal starlet played this Valentine's Day on an unplugged Strandberg. And here's how it all went down. You're in soul country here with Erin Coburn. Welcome to the show. And then tell me a little bit about the environment when you were growing up, and what kind of music was in the air in the house?

00:01:09 - 00:01:28 Speaker 3

There were all kinds, actually. My mama listen to anything from, like, hip hop to, like, soul. And my dad was putting on, like, Joe Satriani and Stevie and, like, it was amazing. Prince two. Prince is always playing in our house, and they were always playing, like old DVDs of, like, live performances. And that was so inspiring as a kid.

00:01:28 - 00:01:34 Speaker 3

It was so cool seeing it was just felt like a different, a different world watching that. So yeah.

00:01:34 - 00:01:50 Speaker 1

Now the region, oddly enough, is kind of as we did with the show Soul Country across acts between what I call the bluesy side of Americana and the countrified side of R&B is that happens in southwestern Ohio, too. So there's the history of King Records. Oh, yes. And so they had the they were going, you know, hillbilly music.

00:01:50 - 00:02:09 Speaker 1

Then I got the R&B stars like James Brown in there. But subsequently, funk music had one of its largest sort of flower rings with Ohio players and and Bootsy Collins, Isley Brothers, James Brown recording there. Any takes on how those influences kind of came together in that area, or did it happen for you too?

00:02:09 - 00:02:28 Speaker 3

I definitely I don't know, because I'm, I'm 22, so, like, I didn't get to live through any of that, which I wish I would have, but, seeing it now, it's it's definitely, blooming as far as all of those different, influences. And, you know, funk is definitely big. Jazz is huge because we have CCM there in Cincinnati.

00:02:28 - 00:02:40 Speaker 3

But it's blues too. So there's there's all kinds of, genres. Like, I, sometimes I, we go to cities. There's one genre that's like blooming there, but like Cincinnati definitely has that, like what you're describing of like all those genres coming together.

00:02:40 - 00:02:43 Speaker 1

Crossroads. Totally a north south east west crossroads.

00:02:43 - 00:02:45 Speaker 2

Exactly.

00:02:45 - 00:02:51 Speaker 1

Okay. I know now I'm going to guitar playing. Who are some of your major inspirations? Stylistically, yeah.

00:02:51 - 00:03:12 Speaker 3

It ranges or growing up, it was like B.B. King. Like Jeff Beck. There was, again, Joe Satriani. I was just enthralled with his playing. Gosh, there's so many there's newer players too, like Mateos, DeSoto, Ruby, Assad, Tim Henson from Galicia, so many incredible guitarists out there to be like inspired by like of that young too.

00:03:12 - 00:03:15 Speaker 3

She's incredible. So yeah.

00:03:15 - 00:03:26 Speaker 1

Your genre let's talk about I know Gina's are like kind of loosely, loosely fitting and I know your website said you're American American rock. What would you say is would tell somebody on this, though?

00:03:26 - 00:03:43 Speaker 3

Well, it's changing. Growing up, it was blues and like blues rock, and it's still kind of blues rock. Now we're touring on my old stuff, so it's still blues rock, but, with the new album and, you know, rebranding, like we went from Aaron Coburn to being called Coburn. So Coburn is more hard rock and rock.

00:03:43 - 00:03:46 Speaker 1

So like like, when do you and Dokken got together?

00:03:46 - 00:03:51 Speaker 3

Yeah, it's where my soul is. So. Yeah.

00:03:51 - 00:03:57 Speaker 1

Well, what about it? So that's the roots and the origins. It's so it's blues. It's rock a little bit country two or. No.

00:03:57 - 00:04:03 Speaker 3

Not really. I mean, I grew up in Kentucky, so sometimes like I have an accent, but like, other than that that's just country as it gets.

00:04:03 - 00:04:06 Speaker 1

Yeah I find that it's there, but it's like an urban myth that it's not there.

00:04:06 - 00:04:15 Speaker 3

Exactly. There's a couple riffs I play that are influenced from, like Elvis's guitar player, which definitely have that country vibe to it. But, I think I'm kind of far from country.

00:04:15 - 00:04:23 Speaker 1

I wrote the moment. Yes, because I know. Sure. Yeah. You're rocking pretty hard these days. Let's talk about projects you're working on now and which projects you're looking forward to. Work.

00:04:23 - 00:04:40 Speaker 3

Yeah. So I am, recording my fourth album, but it's the first Coburn album. So in the new kind of genre, and I'm super excited about that. So now working with, my band on it and Tim's been tell my bass player he's been, co-writing some of the songs with me. So it's been super, super cool.

00:04:40 - 00:04:43 Speaker 3

So, I'm over the moon about that. That's what I'm most excited about.

00:04:43 - 00:04:45 Speaker 1

And how long till you would put that out?

00:04:45 - 00:04:50 Speaker 3

We don't have a date yet, so hopefully soon. But I'm not going to say a date, so I don't get anyone's hopes up.

00:04:50 - 00:04:55 Speaker 1

All right. I think you've done some collaborations, but any collaborations on your wish list all.

00:04:55 - 00:04:56 Speaker 2

Oh.

00:04:56 - 00:05:18 Speaker 3

There's so many. Definitely would love to collab with Ruby method. Like, cause he's just insane guitar player. So good. There's so many Criss Cross. He's actually like a producer engineer. And he did. He worked on issues like, I don't know if you know them, but they're like, they're not a band anymore. They actually just disbanded. But they're an incredible band when my favorite bands ever.

00:05:18 - 00:05:21 Speaker 3

And I would love to, work with him on something, we really cool.

00:05:21 - 00:05:27 Speaker 1

All right, since we're on the quick, version of the interview, let's maybe throw a little music interlude to kind of get through some of those things to mind.

00:05:27 - 00:05:37 Speaker 3

Totally. All right. This is going to be, kind of, it's, it's a way of I just so it's it's it's fairly loud room, and I'm going to turn my volume knob up like it's going to do something.

00:05:37 - 00:05:47 Speaker 2

Yeah. Here we go.

00:05:47 - 00:06:27 Speaker 2

No, it's, to deny what we've done. Listen to yourself. Pack your bags and vow no time to take back what I've said. So before you say it, say it in your head. Speak fluent in sex is a sit in. That from under operative on them and time stress obligations when you come out from under is time giving is.

00:06:27 - 00:06:30 Speaker 1

Number like that. Is that part of your hard rock in the final production?

00:06:30 - 00:06:32 Speaker 3

Oh no. That one's an older woman. Yes.

00:06:33 - 00:06:33 Speaker 2

You changed.

00:06:33 - 00:06:34 Speaker 1

Your ways.

00:06:34 - 00:06:48 Speaker 3

Yes. But I still love the old stuff. And it's, It's nice because it's different. Like, we'll still be playing the old stuff. I think it'll be foreign. Few like. But those shows will be marketed like. Oh, like we're playing the old songs, like, for a couple shows through the years so.

00:06:48 - 00:06:52 Speaker 1

That your current audience knows a lot about your older stuff.

00:06:52 - 00:07:07 Speaker 3

My on Instagram. No, I don't think they're as familiar because it's the riffs and things I post on there are so different from the old stuff. But Facebook, that's where a lot of my like OG followers are in fans and they they are awesome. They know a lot about the old stuff.

00:07:07 - 00:07:12 Speaker 1

It's really well, okay. And let's talk a little bit about, shows you've seen lately that you found inspiring.

00:07:12 - 00:07:29 Speaker 3

Oh my gosh, there's been so many, sleep Token was one of them. I love sleep Token. They put on a great show. There's so much fun. They're animated on stage. Absolutely incredible. I also saw, Jake she move a crow. He's like a ukulele player, and he shreds. He plays ukulele like no other person I've ever seen before.

00:07:29 - 00:07:46 Speaker 3

He's so good. Well, something to see. I'm trying to think I saw a bunch of, like. Oh, straight from the path. They're like. They're, like a harder edged band. Kind of like Rage Against the Machine, like a modern rage. And they were incredible. Like, their drum beats and stuff are so good. Craig Reynolds plays drums for them.

00:07:46 - 00:07:51 Speaker 3

And he also has a podcast called the Downbeat Podcast. And it's so cool.

00:07:51 - 00:07:59 Speaker 1

Cigar box Guitar fest. You're just down there in New Orleans as Alcatraz was. I when did that enter the picture and tell me how that fits into your, like, medley of instruments?

00:08:00 - 00:08:18 Speaker 3

Yeah. So two of them, when the first time I got a cigar box was. It was a while ago, I can't remember. I don't even remember what my first one was. But I do remember, because I play lunchbox guitars. So other just guitars made from my lunchbox. And my dad actually had that idea. He was like, be really cool if you got a guitar made from a lunchbox.

00:08:18 - 00:08:33 Speaker 3

And so he tried to build it and it failed miserably because he's never built a guitar before. And, it looks cool, but it was not playable. And so, he got someone else to build it, and it turned out really, really cool. So, those are like, in.

00:08:33 - 00:08:36 Speaker 1

Which lunchbox do you go with for that?

00:08:36 - 00:08:43 Speaker 3

I have two of them. So I have Star Wars lunchbox and I've a Spider-Man lunchbox. So Spider-Man is definitely, I think my favorite. But the Star Wars is close second.

00:08:43 - 00:08:54 Speaker 1

But I think I'd reach for the planet of the apes original. Oh, yeah. The those were just, like, the freakiest when I was in school. You're gonna you're going to do a guitar rig talk later today. Yeah, but let's talk a little bit about the as you feature.

00:08:54 - 00:09:15 Speaker 3

Yeah, absolutely. So well the one so like I said, this one, I don't play much on stage. I do have it there as a backup. Just in case. It's like a string break. And I just want to, like, grab something real quick. So, this is my classic. And it's Strandberg six, and it has my signature lace pickups in it that are not dropping yet, but they will be dropping very soon, so they will load up the Picard for you.

00:09:15 - 00:09:32 Speaker 3

All I have to do is install it, which is really cool. And then my other guitar is also another classic Strandberg and I have a fusion neck through that I have in C-sharp standard, so it's a super low one. And we have a bass that's also in C-sharp standard. So I'm loving exploring the low tunings.

00:09:32 - 00:09:36 Speaker 1

So let's talk about song ready processing. You've been very prolific since age 14. Was I want to really kind of get going.

00:09:37 - 00:09:45 Speaker 3

I actually wrote my let's see you as a 14. I started writing, I think like 13 and like around then, but I was recording my first album like 13, 14. So. Yeah.

00:09:45 - 00:09:51 Speaker 1

And so that process, is that a natural process? Does it or does it take like a work mindset?

00:09:51 - 00:10:06 Speaker 3

Well, I think, when I was young it was very natural because there wasn't like I didn't have all these people saying, that's not how you write a song or like, here's the formula for writing a song or like, it's this, this is a all the formats and stuff. But I'm thankful for the stuff I've learned, on songwriting.

00:10:06 - 00:10:20 Speaker 3

So, now when I sit down to write a song, it still comes naturally, but I apply that kind of like work mindset towards it, which is nice because I can on the days where I don't feel inspired, I can still write, which is which is really cool.

00:10:20 - 00:10:22 Speaker 1

So that become like a poetry notebook sort of thing. Yeah. Okay. Good.

00:10:22 - 00:10:28 Speaker 3

Again, I have a list like the list app, but reminders app on my phone is amazing for lyrics.

00:10:28 - 00:10:37 Speaker 1

All right. So album one was called Chaos Before Conformity in 2015 at age 14. So that sounds like a life changing experience. Can you take me through like how that came about?

00:10:37 - 00:10:48 Speaker 3

Yeah, yeah. Well, I remember specifically I was in track in high school and I was in high school, I think of high school. Yeah. And, I kept having to miss practice. I could go to the recording studio.

00:10:48 - 00:10:50 Speaker 2

Which was so funny.

00:10:50 - 00:11:08 Speaker 3

But, Yeah, that was so crazy, cause it was my first ever album, and I didn't know how the process worked and stuff, and it was a smaller studio in Indiana. They were really cool, and I had a band that was recording with me that my band, at the time, not not the guys who play this now is a lot, like that was young, but, it was a really cool process.

00:11:08 - 00:11:18 Speaker 3

And it was nice because the guy that was doing the album was open to, like, teaching me as we went, which was really, really cool. So, yeah, I would totally do that. I mean, I've been doing it again, but yeah.

00:11:18 - 00:11:22 Speaker 1

Do you end up with like a batch of songs where they don't all fit on the record and you kind of keep working some of them?

00:11:22 - 00:11:23 Speaker 3

Oh yeah, totally.

00:11:23 - 00:11:27 Speaker 1

So it's just an ongoing. Yes. The albums are just coincidental. This is the.

00:11:27 - 00:11:31 Speaker 3

Thing. Zactly here's the songs. Find the group them together. There's the album. Yeah.

00:11:31 - 00:11:42 Speaker 1

So you earned a nomination in 2017. I read from the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards in the Best Blues Artist category. Do you see yourself ever putting out a whole record of blues, given that kind of category is like, okay.

00:11:42 - 00:12:04 Speaker 3

I love the blues, but I don't like writing it. I can't write it like I can, but it's it's like, I love listening to the blues. I love watching the blues artists. And I love like, also like playing with other blues artists on stage, like getting up and jamming out with them. But writing it a full blues album, I think I would feel, I don't know because it's hard.

00:12:04 - 00:12:23 Speaker 3

I've had a lot of people tell me what blues isn't, and like a lot of people tell me that even the songs I thought were blues told me that is not blues. And like, give me all this criteria and stuff. And as you know, I like I like rock because people don't tell you what it is or what it is, and it's a lot of different things, you know, and like the blues, it's like people are constantly gatekeeping and it kind of pushed me out of that.

00:12:23 - 00:12:27 Speaker 3

So I still appreciate the heck out of it. But I don't think I could write a blues album.

00:12:27 - 00:12:34 Speaker 1

When the stones came back to the blues about five, six years ago, and it was mainly cover songs. Yeah, but do I think they got 1 or 2 originals? That's how it goes.

00:12:34 - 00:12:39 Speaker 3

It's cool. Brilliant. Seeing artists bring back like the really old blues songs and like, do their own version of it.

00:12:39 - 00:12:44 Speaker 1

There seems to be an endless supply of stuff, even from the pre-war era, that people keep digging into.

00:12:44 - 00:12:46 Speaker 3

So it's Nirvana did that? It was,

00:12:46 - 00:12:47 Speaker 1

Leadbelly.

00:12:47 - 00:12:55 Speaker 3

That belly up. Oh, yeah. Like it's cool, even like it's cool seeing either, like, bands are completely different genres. Take old blues songs and make them into something and.

00:12:55 - 00:13:00 Speaker 1

Yeah. And what do you take away from the blues when you bring yourself to your current genres of, sure, more modern rock.

00:13:00 - 00:13:21 Speaker 3

Really? Yeah. The rawness, like blues vocals and just the ability for people to just scream out what there's what they're thinking, whether it's on guitar or vocals. Like they're not like focusing on like the little nuances of like, it has to hit this note at this time and do this, which is cool, but the blues are so raw, and I think my favorite kind of rock is like it incorporates that.

00:13:21 - 00:13:23 Speaker 3

So definitely taking that from from the blues.

00:13:23 - 00:13:26 Speaker 1

Can we throw in an example of some of that?

00:13:26 - 00:13:52 Speaker 2

Guts and glory. Blood and bones, man, what's not one heart that glows red and blue running through? What do you see now? Take a look at guts and glory. Blood and bones. Man with the oh and heart that glows red and blue. Running through it once you see. Now take a look at me.

00:13:52 - 00:13:57 Speaker 2

Take a look at me.

00:13:58 - 00:14:15 Speaker 1

That's one thing. That blues. Yeah. Just kind of ends up and everything else that all the American music and most of the popular musics, have some part from blues. Absolutely. Or at least they did for a very long time. Yes. Now, one place the blues happens in an annual basis, the King Biscuit Blues Fest, which, you know, I've covered a lot of times, is on the media side.

00:14:15 - 00:14:17 Speaker 1

What was it like playing it as amazing?

00:14:17 - 00:14:32 Speaker 3

Oh my gosh, that's one of my favorite festivals I played. Looking back when I was growing up, that was such a cool experience. And I was up there with Bob Margolin and, I believe Larry McRae was there. There was a just a whole bunch of heavy hitters that I looked up to, and it was really cool to share the.

00:14:32 - 00:14:33 Speaker 1

Stage with them. I was there that year.

00:14:33 - 00:14:34 Speaker 2

So cool.

00:14:34 - 00:14:35 Speaker 1

That's been there's Larry McRae shots.

00:14:35 - 00:15:04 Speaker 3

I remember I remember specifically, this is back when I used to wear, dresses on stage. And I do not do that anymore because, just I can't do it. It's hard to run around in a dress, but, I was wearing dresses at the time, and I remember, like, getting down on my knees for a solo and then standing up, and, I also, I was, I was down on my knees to plug in all of my pedalboard and amp and stuff, and I didn't realize it, but my knees were just, like, solid, like gray and like, full of dirt because I was on this on the stage with all that dust.

00:15:04 - 00:15:13 Speaker 3

And yeah, so I had a bunch of photographers come up to me after the show and they were like, hey, you got a lot of great photos, but they're all like, we stuff just let's, you know, kind of ideas. I'm like, oh.

00:15:13 - 00:15:15 Speaker 2

No.

00:15:15 - 00:15:16 Speaker 1

Something that could go wrong.

00:15:16 - 00:15:19 Speaker 3

Yeah, exactly. I remember specifically from that festival that year.

00:15:19 - 00:15:28 Speaker 1

You get a production go, and there's always like one little one. Anyway, something, real. So we talked a little bit about Westerns. Have any favorite Westerns be the older recent.

00:15:28 - 00:15:29 Speaker 2

I've been I've.

00:15:29 - 00:15:43 Speaker 3

Had so many people tell me like a list that I should watch, but I don't I don't really know. I think the only Westerns this is going to sound so bad. It's not all at all. It's this animated movie called Rambo. And that's the only Westerns because.

00:15:43 - 00:15:44 Speaker 1

You didn't get on the Yellowstone bandwagon?

00:15:44 - 00:15:51 Speaker 3

No, I don't know any of that. I should I should make a list and watch them. Really? Because I have enough time in the van, perhaps.

00:15:51 - 00:15:58 Speaker 1

Right. Because I notice you got shows coming up. Oklahoma and Kansas. Yeah. Is the travel part of this a big grind on the energy?

00:15:58 - 00:16:17 Speaker 3

Big time. But I'm lucky because my mom does the driving, so she is a superhero. Like, if I had to drive and then play a show that night, I would be exhausted, like, super exhausted. So it's. Yeah, but definitely part of, like, tomorrow. We actually are not playing a show. We're using it to drive out to Oklahoma and, it's like, oh, everyone's like, you have a day off.

00:16:17 - 00:16:22 Speaker 3

Like, how what are you going to do? Like drive? It's like ten hours. It's like 10 or 11 hour drive.

00:16:22 - 00:16:24 Speaker 1

Yeah. The country looks a lot smaller on the map.

00:16:24 - 00:16:25 Speaker 2

Yeah.

00:16:25 - 00:16:28 Speaker 1

All right. Now tell me about the band you're playing with. And do you record with the same unit?

00:16:28 - 00:16:40 Speaker 3

Yeah. So I have Tim Garner on the bass and Brendan Pettiford on the drums, and we've done a lot of the recording in my studio. So yeah, there are, there are, they are insane.

00:16:40 - 00:16:46 Speaker 1

And now I've been to your YouTube channel, how much focus do you put on that channel versus other social media? And where do you emphasize.

00:16:46 - 00:17:08 Speaker 3

Yeah, so I actually started a new YouTube channel for Coburn, versus Erin Coburn, because I wanted to leave all my old videos up on air so people could go back and like, or at least I could go back and see kind of where I came from. So I haven't done much with the Coburn YouTube channel yet, but I will be putting like the album documentary on there and like the process and doing more videos like long form videos and stuff.

00:17:08 - 00:17:20 Speaker 3

But, I think the platforms I spend the most time on and definitely Instagram, I think that's like I found a lot of friends on there, and I really appreciate everyone that's on there and also Facebook. So in TikTok to.

00:17:20 - 00:17:21 Speaker 1

To is working for you.

00:17:21 - 00:17:22 Speaker 3

Yeah, yeah.

00:17:22 - 00:17:27 Speaker 1

You've got a bunch of sponsorship. So you got the Strandberg guitar. Tell me walk me through like these different kind of things.

00:17:27 - 00:17:55 Speaker 3

So, yeah, framework is my baby. I literally have a giant tattoo of a Strandberg on my stomach, so I'm very committed to these guitars. They're my favorite. I also, just got, Endorsed by attack pics, so they're like, they're amazing. I use them a lot for recording, and it's been game changing. Like, I can't go back to normal pics, so I record, also bad cat amplifiers, so I normally play through for a while.

00:17:55 - 00:18:09 Speaker 3

I've been playing through the quad cortex by Neuro, and I haven't been using a tube amp at all. But before that I was using bad cat amps, but since we had fly dates and things were getting crazy, it was just easier to have that one unit that we could run guitar and bass through and not have anything on stage.

00:18:09 - 00:18:31 Speaker 3

So it's super nice reloading. But for the bigger shows like the Colburn shows, for the new stuff, I really wanted to push some air. So I went to them, man, this year and I tried out this stereo configuration. It was the that the the jet black head by bad Cat and the lynx head by bad cat.

00:18:31 - 00:18:56 Speaker 3

And those together was magical. I cannot stop thinking about it. So, that will be going into the rig here soon, but yeah, I forgot what the original question was. Oh, yes. Sponsorships and, lace pickups as well with the signature pickups. They've been so cool and, Happy Cable Company and Dr. Strings, so. And there's there's definitely a lot more, that I'm just over the moon to be working with and working with Joey Sturgis tones as well for Women in Music month.

00:18:56 - 00:18:57 Speaker 3

But yeah, I'm so thankful for.

00:18:57 - 00:19:00 Speaker 1

These people finding you or you kind of finding them or.

00:19:01 - 00:19:02 Speaker 2

I'll it it it.

00:19:02 - 00:19:08 Speaker 3

Depends. I think like half and half. It's probably 1050 50. Yeah.

00:19:08 - 00:19:12 Speaker 1

So tell me about playing with Marcus King Band. He's in my collection here. So we're.

00:19:12 - 00:19:33 Speaker 3

So good. Oh my gosh. Yeah. I remember opening for him at the Kalamazoo State Theater in Michigan, and it was so cool. I that's also back when I used to wear dresses, and that shows specifically, I actually fell on stage like I was my my shield got caught on my dress and I went boom, like down onto the stage, a whole audience, just like like the big gasp.

00:19:33 - 00:19:43 Speaker 3

But I was okay. And I got back up and still kept playing. The band kept playing too, which was good, but, no. He was so kind and we hung out backstage and just really, really, really kind soul.

00:19:43 - 00:19:48 Speaker 1

Yeah. And we mentioned Larry McRae. Did you actually get on stage at the same time?

00:19:48 - 00:19:55 Speaker 3

Yeah. Actually, I, I've jammed with him a few times. Yeah. And I've been to his house and we've jammed and he showed me some things, and it's so cool.

00:19:55 - 00:19:56 Speaker 1

Where's he live? In.

00:19:56 - 00:19:57 Speaker 3

Michigan.

00:19:57 - 00:20:00 Speaker 1

And in zoom and BlackBerry smoke with.

00:20:00 - 00:20:00 Speaker 2

Oh, yeah.

00:20:00 - 00:20:10 Speaker 3

Yeah, there's so nice. They, I believe they offered me their almond milk backstage. You want some almond milk? So I was under it, so. Yeah, they were really cool.

00:20:10 - 00:20:16 Speaker 1

Let's talk about shows and the reception and the enjoyment. What makes a good show great.

00:20:16 - 00:20:38 Speaker 3

I think besides having, like, a ton of caffeine on board, because that just makes the energy, like over the moon, having like, people there that are just happy to be there. I mean, that that makes all the difference. Even if it's even if it's one person in the crowd, like having one person at a show or two people at a show, if those people are happy to be there, it makes all the difference because it's a cycle cycle of energy.

00:20:38 - 00:20:43 Speaker 3

So yeah, I can't play any of the Coburn's stuff right now. I,

00:20:43 - 00:20:44 Speaker 1

Need more amplification.

00:20:44 - 00:20:48 Speaker 3

I would definitely need more amplification and also, I'm not going to play it yet.

00:20:48 - 00:20:50 Speaker 1

Oh I see okay. Oh, it's been is still in the offing. Yeah.

00:20:50 - 00:20:55 Speaker 3

It's it's still it's still being secret ish. I can still talk about it, but yeah.

00:20:55 - 00:20:58 Speaker 1

Okay. Can you can you Coburn if I any of your older material.

00:20:58 - 00:21:03 Speaker 2

Yeah sure sure.

00:21:03 - 00:21:12 Speaker 2

Okay. I've been through to my of breast.

00:21:12 - 00:21:17 Speaker 2

Letting go. The the.

00:21:17 - 00:21:30 Speaker 2

Well, I've been putting my mind to rest sick inside of everybody's now since everybody's mouth. Since it'll be.

00:21:30 - 00:21:32 Speaker 3

Way more clarified with the distortion.

00:21:32 - 00:21:38 Speaker 1

You ever investigate. Like getting something that's equivalent to, like, a marshall stack and got more feedback and all that jazz?

00:21:39 - 00:21:56 Speaker 3

Because I run sound for live bands sometimes, and I know how terrible it is when you have a guitar player is on 11 and you're trying to like, get them to turn down. So I never want to be difficult like, and have like a giant stack on stage. I don't need stack either, because we use in-ear monitors. So I think the the lower the stage volume, the better.

00:21:56 - 00:22:00 Speaker 3

But still, I mean, there's the stereo, bad cats having some air pushing behind me.

00:22:00 - 00:22:11 Speaker 1

And then so the lot in the history of the thing that was that became part of the sound to get the the thicker tone or the distorted tone and the feedback. Yeah. But then they even had foot pedals for most that stuff. Right.

00:22:11 - 00:22:30 Speaker 3

You can model all of that stuff. Yeah. And and like, I mean the feedback is the one thing that's like they have pedals for that now, but I'll do I could do a feedback pedal. But having even just like I use a little tiny Behringer monitor for just to have like a little bit of air pushing behind them to get some feedback, but does not take much because, I mean, I'm running a lot of high gain stuff.

00:22:30 - 00:22:33 Speaker 3

So the modeling stuff is is awesome.

00:22:33 - 00:22:41 Speaker 1

Just tilt that smooth that little.

00:22:41 - 00:22:47 Speaker 1

Loop.

00:22:48 - 00:23:03 Speaker 1

Through.

00:23:03 - 00:23:11 Speaker 1

All right. One one very final question. Yes. On the on the Strandberg guitar. No. Let me like how do you compare that with like a Strat is that was different.

00:23:11 - 00:23:38 Speaker 3

There's a lot of different things. One, there's no headstock. So that's a major difference. But also to, strats, like, it's more like C-shaped shaped necks, like usually C shape, I think. But this neck is like a trapezoid. So it's, there is a it's a patented design, but, it's weird because when I go back to my Stratocaster, if I play it for a song or something, it just feels weird on my hands because I'm so used to this, like trapezoid shape now because it fits the, like, the curves and stuff in your hands.

00:23:38 - 00:23:48 Speaker 3

But, that's the main difference. Also, this is extended range and fan fret. So my Strat definitely doesn't have that. And yeah, that's that's yeah, it's.

00:23:48 - 00:23:49 Speaker 1

When they cut away some of the body.

00:23:49 - 00:23:57 Speaker 3

That they are. Yeah. Yeah. It's definitely they're more like Strandberg is all about like ergonomics and stuff. So it's it's nice to yeah, it's definitely more.

00:23:57 - 00:24:03 Speaker 1

And the no headstock guitars, are they known for a certain effect of sound or is it mainly esthetic, just.

00:24:03 - 00:24:07 Speaker 3

Merely the weight because your headstock actually adds a lot of weight? So maybe the that's.

00:24:07 - 00:24:10 Speaker 1

And just Billy Gibbons. I had one of those for years that.

00:24:10 - 00:24:10 Speaker 3

Headless guitars.

00:24:11 - 00:24:17 Speaker 1

I always felt like you could bend the whole neck a little bit to get a kind of tone out of it. Yeah, yeah. So it's in the fingers, but it's also some of it's in the muscle.

00:24:17 - 00:24:19 Speaker 3

Exactly, exactly. Yes, indeed.

00:24:20 - 00:24:23 Speaker 1

So thanks again. Coming by Soul Country. It's an honor to have you here.

00:24:23 - 00:24:26 Speaker 3

Thank you so much for having me.

00:24:26 - 00:24:46 Speaker 1

You've been listening to Soul Country #6, a special appreciation to film delicious, the New Orleans cigar box guitar festival, Erin Coburn and Reed Mathis for a theme "We Ride" 6 was brought to you by Ace Production in the Blues Center. With funding from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation. Tune in again for more roots music, culture and awards.

00:24:46 - 00:24:58 Speaker 1

Season two rolls on inside, a cool accordionist and former NFL linebacker Bruce sung by Bart and find trailers, highlights and playlists, as well as a full archive of episodes at Soulcountry.com

Erin Coburn

Soul Country #6

Airdate Aug 27, 2024

Podcast 25:06

Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee

Listen:

Apple

Spotify

Youtube

Description

Erin Coburn drops by for Soul Country #6 to share some old tunes, tales from the road and tech talk. This master of strings is gearing up a new band and sound to take to stages this fall. She also discusses her writing songs since age 13! Now, she’s got a new direction for the next decade. Production made possible in part with grants from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation.

More about Erin Coburn

Erin Coburn is a rising blues and hard rock star known for her fierce guitar skills, powerful vocals, and dynamic stage presence. Starting young in Cincinnati, Ohio, she quickly gained a reputation for her talent, performing at local venues by her early teens. Her music blends blues, rock, and alternative influences, creating a sound that's both traditional and edgy. Coburn's songwriting draws from personal experiences, resonating deeply with listeners. She evolving fast as an artist, earning a loyal fan base, critical acclaim, and a spot on major festival stages. Erin Coburn is a force in the music world, poised to make a lasting impact.

Latest Episodes

Olivia Wolf

Olivia Wolf brings her soulful blend of country, folk, and bluegrass into Soul Country. She plays a few and tells a few about how she put her band and latest release together. In this episode...

Soul Country #12

Airdate Aug 24, 2025
Podcast 30:14

Dean Parks

If you've heard Steely Dan - you've heard the guitar artistry of Dean Parks. His licks grace "Peg," "Josie," "Haitian Divorce" and "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." In this exclusive episode, Dean shares stories from...

Soul Country #11

Airdate Aug 3, 2025
Podcast 36:01

Ivan Neville

Ivan Neville plays and talks thru an illustrious history - recording with the Rolling Stones in the 80s & 90s, becoming a sounding board for Robbie Robertson's solo efforts, stepping into his uncle Art's shoes...

Soul Country #10

Airdate Jul 12, 2025
Podcast 57:17

Charlie McCoy

Dylan, Elvis and Orbison sideman Charlie McCoy is a hall of fame harmonica-centric multi-instrumentalist. Born in the same hospital where Hank Williams perished, McCoy brings his own mastery to many hits including "Take This Job...

Soul Country #9

Airdate Jul 2, 2025
Podcast 45:31