Texas Panhandle native singer and songwriter, Eli Moore is determined to share his art and his heart as he reminds us to seek gratitude in his latest single, “I Didn’t Lose You.” Eli is a Nashville-recording country artist living in Tomball, Texas who infuses authentically raw lyrics with heartland rock inspired melodies from the 1970s to bring a traditional twist on modern country.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Eli Moore about the latest release, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
I grew up in the Texas Panhandle before moving to the small town of Tomball near Houston, Texas. My sound has been described as a 1970s-inspired take on modern country. With each song I write, I look to infuse authentically raw lyrics with song the kind of melody you’d expect to get out of a classic rock or heartland rock tune to bring a traditional twist on modern country.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
In January 2021, I went on a 2,000 mile solo road trip to Santa Fe and Big Bend between jobs. This trip was a turning point from a year where I had lost my dream job, ruptured my Achilles, supported one of my closest friends whose dad had died, and struggled with depression in a world where community and human interaction was practically impossible.
“There were two pivotal moments in my life that all happened within a few days on this trip. I recorded “I Didn’t Lose You” in my hotel room, and a lot of those tracks made it into our final production. And while lying in the bed of my truck in Big Bend, I decided I wanted to stop wondering “if” and “when,” and live out my dreams, regardless of the outcome. It’s cliche, but like that road trip, I realized the journey was the destination and that was enough inspiration to begin sharing my music.”
So following this trip, my wife encouraged me to pursue my dreams and go to Nashville to record my music. I met Ben Reno of Majestic Ape Studios – one of the premier studios in Nashville – who believed in me and could see my vision, and he helped me bring my music to life. We looked at recording a few different songs for my first single, but ultimately settled on “I Didn’t Lose You” as a tribute to all the people looking for inspiration in the dire post-COVID world.
How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
I had played in bands all throughout college and high school across a lot of different styles. Heavy metal, punk rock, folk, you name it. But this release is the first I’ve created with the sound that I wanted. I wanted to take the sounds that I love from country – steel guitar, those sweet electric licks – and combine them with the storytelling and a little bit of poetic lyric inspired by some of my favorite artists like The Eagles, Jim Croce, and John Denver. With this specific song, I am write an honest recollection of very dismal year, but I try to help others who may be going through the kind of pain and heartache that I went through to remember what they are grateful for – what they didn’t lose and what they still have. That is what got me through the hardest year in my life.
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this oversaturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
Like any other indie musician, you’re competing in a world where consumers have limited time for discovery. There is a fine balance I seek to strike between writing unique and meaningful songs that fit with my artistic expression and trying to ensure that I can engage a listener and get them to come back to listen again. That is really hard to do. It might be easier to cut corners and focus solely on writing a catchy song, but that’s not what I aim to do with my music. My listeners and fans want depth and great stories. Trying to find your fans is really hard too! There are tons of marketing tools, but some are scams and others are expensive. It’s difficult to find the best way to reach fans in a way that makes sense for your brand. But honestly without these amazing digital tools, without things like this, it would be nearly impossible to introduce the world to my art. So I truly am grateful!
What was the last song you listened to?
“I Need Your Love” by Charley Crockett. I’m a huge fan of his. His performances are out of this world, and I love his ability to bring traditional country sounds back to modern times and remind people of the beauty of traditional country music. I think a lot of folks are talking about “back when country wasn’t cool” right now. The reality is, it was cool, but not with the same types of people who listen today. There is a certain group of people who loved that sound, the authenticity, the storytelling, the truth in heartache. A lot of country today is great, but a lot of it is moving more into blended categories to create broad appeal. While that is great for satisfying a broad group of people, I love that folks like Charley are trying to keep the traditions of country and original American music alive.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
CDs. Maybe I’m not old enough or cool enough to jump on the vinyl bandwagon. But I do still love the nostalgia of CDs. I still have a CD player in my truck, and I love popping a CD in there and jamming out. It really takes me back to great memories from the 1990s – driving down the road in my truck, windows down, the smell of wheat fields in the Panhandle, and a great soundtrack to my drive home.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Spotify. I really fell in love with it as an artist. It’s an amazing way to engage with fans, share playlists, and learn about other artists. It’s also such an intuitive and innovative platform. The Spotify Canvas feature is super cool, and I think completely changes the music-listening experience which was brilliant.
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
Facebook is the best place to catch me. I share a lot of my news there first, and when I have longform videos on YouTube, I link them from my facebook page around the same time.
Anything else before we sign off?
Thank you so much for your time! I’m continuing to write and have over 50 songs. My music is about human connection and the feeling of freedom you get on the open road, and I’m excited to join my fans on their radio, phone, computer, Alexa, or wherever else they listen to music.
While I promote my debut single, I am recording five new songs to be released in Spring 2022 and collaborating with other artists in Houston, Denver, and Nashville. You can hear my music on streaming services everywhere and connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube where I go by the handle @elimooreband.
