A Dirty Dozen with KC JOHNS – January 2021

According to a recent press release: “If coffee tables count, country-rock artist KC Johns has been rocking the stage since age three. As someone who grew up listening to Led Zeppelin, his music has been a staple on the stages where KC has performed as long as she can remember. Back when she sang on cruise ships, “Black Dog” was always her favorite cover to perform live; her love for it has only grown with time. Set to release January 22, 2021 with a a music video to follow on January 29, 2021, KC Johns’ country-rock version of “Black Dog” reminds us to rock out pretty much anywhere, maybe even coffee tables.” We get KC to discuss new music, influences, and much more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only die hard fans might find?

My latest release is a cover by Led Zeppelin called “Black Dog.” Since it is a cover of one of the greatest of all time, listeners might not grab the twists and uniqueness of a woman’s take of the song. It means something completely different coming from a woman. The listeners might find as we recorded this song, we tried to keep as close to the record as possible, but with a little modern flair.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

My grandaddy played guitar and bought me a guitar when I was 15 – I immediately started writing. I knew right then I wanted to play music for the rest of my life.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Growing up, I was influenced by Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks as entertainers and their musical talent. The older I became, I fell in love rock n roll and blues. I started listening and being influenced by Led Zeppelin, Guns & Roses & The Eagles.

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Shania Twain, The Eagles, Miranda Lambert, Led Zeppelin, and Guns & Roses.

5. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

If I could collab with one group, it would be Mötley Crüe, but I don’t know how they would feel about my country sound haha.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

I love country and rock n roll, so I’ve combined the two with all my influences to make my own sound. The most cringey thing someone has commented on my sound was on TikTok about how women shouldn’t cover Zeppelin and I totally disagree.

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Me… always, except for the cooking part. I can’t cook AT ALL.

8. When was the last time you were star struck and who was it?

Back in 2009, I was given the opportunity to open for Luke Bryan and getting to meet him was the highlight of my night. I was 100% starstruck by him.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part about being a musician is the people I meet along the way. I’m a huge people person, so it feeds my soul to hear people’s stories and talk about their lives, which is where songwriting comes in great. If I were no longer a musician and couldn’t play music for whatever reason, I would either be a graphic/web designer or a book editor. I went to school for graphic design and I’m also a huge book nerd.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

I honestly feel that an interviewer should always research the artist they are interviewing. I have a podcast with my boyfriend called, K+C on the Island and we interview artists once a week and we do all our research, listening to their music constantly and getting to know them before the interview starts. That way, we can dig a little bit deeper into their soul and heart to find out who they really are. I’ve done a ton of interviews where the interviewer didn’t listen to any of my music, didn’t do any research on my story and is just going down a list of questions someone gave them.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”, even if it didn’t change your current situation?

There’s never been a moment in my career that I regret. I moved to Nashville 13 years ago, sang on cruise ships for 5-6 years, performed at Dollywood Theme Parks for a season and was given a ton of opportunities along the way. I’m back in Nashville, taking all those experiences that I’ve gone through and making a record with a catalog I’ve had prepared for years.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

My favorite record of all time is Appetite for Destruction by Guns & Roses. I read Slash’s book and how his story was growing up, his start in music and the making of this record. I would have loved to be a part of that experience and the making of this record.

KC JOHNS LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

Category: Interviews