The Rusticators are a Nashville-based acoustic duo. Drawing upon sounds from traditional & contemporary folk to California pop, the Rusticators integrate a wide range of styles to create their own unique brand of acoustic Americana with an emphasis on harmonies.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with The Rusticators about the music, the challenges, the 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.)
Thank you for the opportunity to share The Rusticators’ story. The Rusticators are a folk-duo composed of Abbey Linfert, myself, and Chris Amsler. We are from different worlds. I grew up in New England and went to college in Philadelphia. Chris, on the other hand, is a West Coast original, born and raised in Santa Monica, California. Each of us migrated to San Francisco and after about 15 years in the city, met one another. Our musical union had the added benefit of leading to marriage. We have spent time in the Shenandoah Valley and the Sunshine state and now call Nashville, Tennessee home.
The music we create together falls squarely in the camp of folk music. Some tunes may be folk-rock while others are folk-pop, but at the heart of all of our music is folk. I say this because folk music is a story-teller’s genre.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
Music is a passion. Like any art form, the craft of music requires dedication and cultivation. The more you do it, the more gains you will make. I am a singer-songwriter and my best instrument is my voice. Chris is the musical talent in the Rusticators. He is a multi-instrumentalist, production guru, as well as a singer-songwriter. As Rusticators, we each write songs, bring them to the band table, and then interpret each other’s songs. Our musical union is built on strong songwriting and harmonies.
How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
It has been a strange year for everyone, including musicians. Due to COVID-19, the vast majority of us are not out gigging. We briefly dipped our toes into the alien world of live streaming. I must admit, while I truly appreciated that folks tuned in to our live shows, it was not greatly satisfying for me because it lacks that face-to-face human interaction that gives live performance its vitality.
The anniversary re-release of Talking with the Dead is about relevance and connection. What is old can often be new, particularly in music where the internet and all its offshoot incarnations have expanded a band’s opportunity to reach new audiences. Songs can mean many different things to different listeners and during different times. In a time when so many people around the world are isolated due to a global pandemic, music can bring comfort, joy, mental stimulation, and that basic human desire for connection. With the re-release of Talking with the Dead, we hope to bring our music to new ears and share our passion.
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)?
The technical advances of home recording that have created accessibility to the masses have been a tremendous game changer for the industry. Yet there is an element of the proverbial double-edged sword. Anyone can make a record now and everyone does. The art and craft of production is not necessarily valued. It has become a quantity over quality situation. Additionally, there is the issue of how people listen to music – streaming through a cell phone often does not offer optimal fidelity.
Getting heard and building an audience is as difficult as it has ever been. While radio stations and record labels are no longer the gate keepers, there are literally millions of options for listeners. That said, the democratization of music that the digital revolution has provided is profound. We recorded our own records, thanks to the digital revolution. We have been played all over the world, thanks to the digital revolution. Our splash may be small in the vast ocean of digital music, but we have the opportunity to make a splash.
What was the last song you listened to?
The last song I listened to is Big Brother, off Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book – in my opinion, this record is a masterpiece. Right now, we are living in very unsettled times. Personally, I am turning to music from the late 1960s and 1970s to hear how artists dealt with social upheaval & chaos and to remember that “this, too, shall pass” – I think Abe Lincoln said that. He certainly knew about unsettled times.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
Vinyl recordings are lovely – the warmth of the analog recording is very pleasing to the ears. However, vinyl is certainly impractical for audio on the go.
I am quite dogmatic in my defense of the album, versus plucking out single tunes. On great records, each song has its purpose and place in the lineup and there is no filler. The artwork ideally is purposeful and complements the music. It is a complete package.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
We are big fans of ReverbNation. It is an excellent platform that supports independent music. I think of it as one-stop shopping – you can hear tunes, read a band’s bio, and learn about their upcoming gigs. The Rusticators have the pleasure of consistently being ranked in their top 5 for folk music, currently number 1 – thanks ReverbNation!
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
You can find us on ReverbNation – https://www.reverbnation.com/therusticators
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5TKXxSfTpXax4rD8kbur1j
Pandora – https://www.pandora.com/artist/the-rusticators/AR45K6mlgj9wJKq
Youtube – https://music.youtube.com/browse/MPREb_j03YTNu0c2J
Apple Music – https://music.apple.com/us/album/talking-with-the-dead/1543201333?ign-gact=3&ls=1
Deezer – https://www.deezer.com/us/album/774189?autoplay=true
iHeartRadio – https://www.iheart.com/artist/the-rusticators-35191057/albums/talking-with-the-dead-114338018/?autoplay=true
If you are old school and want to purchase a CD, you can find us on Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Dead-Rusticators/dp/B08LBTC5WQ
Anything else before we sign off?
Again, thanks for the opportunity to share our music and our story. We appreciate that independent media is out there, spreading the word about independent music. Stay safe and be well.
