Colt Landon Baker
Texarkana, Texas, United States
Music
Press
Tonight’s Colt Landon Baker concert at Club Next is something of a homecoming for the Texarkana musician, who’s been devoted to the road in recent months.
Baker, who takes the stage about 10 p.m. for a two-hour show with his band, is plying his trade as a full-time musician, which means he is typically hitting the road for destinations in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
He’s also working on his own music, including a three-song EP.
“I’ve got another 12 songs recorded that just aren’t finished yet,” Baker said earlier this week. His MySpace page gives an indication of the introspective and infectious acoustic-based tunes he crafts.
“The college crowd seems to be real receptive to the kind of music I play,” Baker said. It’s the 18- to 35-year-olds who like Ryan Adams who seem to tap into his music, he said. His songs consider everything from the people he meets to love troubles.
“I’ve got songs about all kinds of things,” he said. “Whatever I’m feeling at the time, whatever I’m going through, whatever my friends are going through. It seems like the more you travel the more you have to write about.”
That life on the road informs his music. He’s a people-watcher who jots down ideas all the time.
“Even just four or five hours away people are different than they are here. You get to see a lot of different people, write about a lot of different things. You get a lot of different perspectives on just life in general,” Baker said. “You also kind of see similarities in people. It’s kind of like you go to a new club you’ve never been into your entire life and meet somebody, and it’s like, ‘You know what, I’ve met you before. You just looked completely different.’ Everyone has a common thread, but they’re still completely different.”
Baker released a three-song EP earlier this year with the cuts “Tell Me This Ain’t Over,” “Starless” and “Savior.” He hopes to have a full-length album by the spring.
In a way, he says, it’s a curse to have to make music. Baker said the economy’s problems have trickled down to the bar scene, so a musician can work hard some days but make nothing.
But like many artists, he defines the urge to create along these lines: “It’s not really a want more so than a need. If I wasn’t playing I wouldn’t be happy.”
And tonight he’ll be doing just that.
“We’re really excited about it,” Baker said about playing his first show here with his full band. - Texarkana Gazette
Discography
EP releases summer 2009
"Tell Me This Ain't Over" -playing on radio stations in Shreveport, LA, Monroe, LA and on UT Arlington Radio.
"Starless" -playing on radio stations in Shreveport, LA, Monroe, LA and on UT Arlington Radio.
"Savior" -playing on radio stations in Shreveport, LA, Monroe, LA and on UT Arlington Radio.
Full Length Album to be released in Spring of 2010.
Photos
Bio
Colt Landon Baker is a twenty-something singer/songwriter from East Texas, but don't let those three facts fool you into assuming you already know his music. As an accomplished guitarist, songwriter and singer, Colt draws on several influences and skill sets to craft music and melody that is both accessible and original to a wide variety of audiences.
Colt's love of music began like many southern boys, in the church. This, coupled with his upbringing in a small Texas town and his mother's love for 1950's and 60's classics, initiated the composition of a noise all his own. After a stint at the University of North Texas (UNT) jazz program, Colt Landon Baker has developed both a singing voice and writing voice that meshes his influences and creativity well. Heart felt and plain spoken lyrics, lushly layered melodies and arrangements and a voice that connects instantly with an audience has led to the genre-bending "CLB" sound.
His life experiences and choice to work full-time as a traveling musician have set the stage for most of his songwriting topics. Paying homage to several influences and artists, his folksy understated lyrics take root in thoughtfully arranged chords and melodies with a definite pop and rock and roll sensibility. Acoustic/folk grandfather Woody Guthrie, Southern Rock "architects" the Allman Brothers and contemporary/alternative songwriters Jeff Tweedy and Ryan Adams are just a few of the artists who have shaped Colt Landon Baker's original music.
For Colt, his performance and song work best together in the telling of a story. Indeed the strength of his sound and songs cannot be fully measured until one has witnessed a live performance. He is notorious for engaging crowds of all sizes and temperaments and brings a refreshing new meaning to the term "audience participation." It is while he is on stage, interacting with his audience, that Colt Landon Baker truly begins to retell his stories and simultaneously create fodder for new ones.
Colt Landon Baker, whether he is a man with one guitar or the creative lead with a full backing band, has made a name for himself with performances and songs that are rich with relatable topics, nuanced perspectives and a variety of influences.
For more information visit www.coltlandonbaker.com
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