The ‘quirky,’ veteran folk singer plays Midtown in Grand Rapids with West Michigan’s own Kyle Joe on Sunday night. The Local Spins interview.
On the Road: David Wilcox is grateful for stirring people’s imaginations on tour and in his music. (Photo/Lynne Harty)
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Singer-songwriter David Wilcox has been connecting with audiences over his lyrics for more than 35 years.
But when asked why and how he stays inspired, his answer surprisingly has nothing to do with other people.
“I am a quirky kind of person. I make records for different reasons than most people. When I collect a bunch of songs, I look at what my life has been about that past year. For me, it’s like a journal,” he told Local Spins.
“I very rarely think about what the market is doing or what my demographic is doing. What it does for me is that it clarifies some things that are changing in me.”
Audiences will have a chance to clarify things with Wilcox on Sunday (Nov. 17) at Midtown in Grand Rapids with special guest Kyle Joe (aka, Kyle Rasche and formerly known as Chain of Lakes). Doors open at 6 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets, $27 to $35, are available online at themidtowngr.com.
After winning the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Award and signing with A&M Records in 1989, Wilcox sold more than 100,000 copies of his A&M debut, “How Did You Find Me Here.” From major labels to independent imprints, Wilcox has spent decades creating music out of his adopted home of Asheville, N.C., an area both famous for being an artistic enclave as well as a bastion of hospitality – something that was shown most recently after Hurricane Helene struck the area.
Administering ‘Musical Medicine’: David Wilcox (Courtesy Photo)
“I love where I live. It’s fascinating now that the hurricane has come through. This community really pulls together and becomes even more like itself. There are benefits happening, and people are just getting out and helping neighbors. It feels really sweet.”
The inevitability of change is what keeps Wilcox inspired to create and share his music, and it’s also what’s endeared him to his fans. For more than 30 years and more than 20 records, Wilcox has used music to ground himself in the intentionality of his life.
“When I play [these songs] for people, I’m grateful that it stirs other people’s imaginations and helps them. But for me, I play the songs that I need to hear… So many of these songs now bring to mind things that I have clarified about who I want to be. Like healing the past and focusing on the kind of friendships I want to have and the kind of friend I want to be. These songs hold me accountable to my best self.”
As for what folks can expect from Wilcox’s show at Midtown: “There’s some spontaneity that will happen. I’m known to make spontaneous songs. I’ll ask the audience [if anyone is struggling]; I might have a song that’s just the right medicine. And if I don’t, I could make one up on the spot.”
“Musical Medicine” is Wilcox’s specialty. His website features dozens of songs available for free stream that have been categorized by topic, so folks who are looking to engage in some sonic healing can choose from areas like “heartbreak,” “love,” “addiction,” and “life and death.” He’s even begun to create one-of-a-kind songs for fans to speak to them more intentionally.
More information about the Wilcox show with Kyle Joe (Kyle Rasche) available here.
VIDEO: David Wilcox, “Jolt” (from “My Good Friends”)
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