Country Fried Rock 1514: Lilly Hiatt Unveils Royal Blue & Journeys Beyond Folk

Speaker A: 00:01:28

Welcome to Country Fried Rock. I'm your host, Sloane Spencer. This week, I'm talking with Lily Hyatt about her recent album Royal Blue, available now on Normal Town Records.

Hyatt's debut album was strongly in the singer songwriter camp, and her sophomore release takes her much more in the direction of her live shows. No folky coffee shop barista right here. Lily Hyatt is channeling her creative insecurity and taking her songs one step further.

Expect a lot more to come from Lily Hyat Fried Rock.

Speaker B: 00:02:01

My guest today on Country Fried Rock is Lily Hyatt, who I've been tracking down for the past couple of records, but her most recent one is Royal Blue, out now on Normal Town Records. Welcome.

Speaker C: 00:02:13

Hey. Thank you for having me.

Speaker B: 00:02:15

Yay. So I'm very excited to get to finally chat with you. I've seen you live once, solo acoustic situation quite a while ago, well before this album.

Speaker C: 00:02:24

Wow. Okay, cool. Well, hopefully you'll see me again sometime with the band. I'm always wondering when people say that. I'm like, oh, when was it?

You know how you always think, well, it's better now. It's better now. So that is how it goes.

Speaker B: 00:02:38

Well. All right. So Royal Blue's been out for a while. What have you been up to with it?

Speaker C: 00:02:42

Well, been on the road for about a month.

I just got back a few days ago to Nashville, so I'm just getting in the swing with being back in town and prepping for summer and seeing what kind of stuff comes up.

Speaker B: 00:02:56

Were you touring solo or with a band?

Speaker C: 00:02:58

I did some stuff with a band we went to south by, which was really fun, and then I did a lot of stuff as a duo. So me and guitar player, so we were out on the west coast, and that was fun and presents some odd challenges, but in the best of ways.

So the band stuff's easy, but the solo duo, that stuff gets a little trickier in terms of engaging people.

Speaker B: 00:03:23

You know, songs obviously change when you're having to have a different kind of setup like that.

Speaker C: 00:03:28

They totally change.

And kind of trying to figure out how to maintain the essence of the record yet rework it so that it's conducive to that kind of format, is it's a process, but it's fun, so I enjoy it.

Speaker B: 00:03:43

I guess I first got to know about you just before the previous record came. Came out, and you have had a ton of professional changes in the meantime. What started with you making your own music?

Speaker C: 00:03:56

Well, I think that I have always kind of had that as the goal, I mean, I went to college and studied. I didn't study music in college, but I still had the mindset of, but I'm going to play music. So I suppose it became something that was the focus of.

I'm really going to try going for this. When I moved back to Nashville after college, so that was. Sadly, it was longer than I'd like to admit.

e that. I don't know, I'd say: 2006

ade that first record, it was: 2012

Oh God, that was a while ago. But I had songs and I'd done a little EP and I'd done some recording. My dad had a studio and I'd done some recording with him.

And then I decided I need a whole record so I can put it out there. I kind of talked to him about producing it and he was like, why don't you talk to my friend Doug about that? Because I don't think he didn't want to.

I just think he wanted me to kind of find my own way with that. And I ended up talking to Doug Lancio and he was really willing to work with me.

And over time I was able to, and through the kindness of my bandmates and different people willing to work with me at a pre budget price, I was able to make that record and pay for it, you know, and then that became something. That was my first piece of work that I could present, try to get somebody to distribute it.

Speaker B: 00:05:45

That was a great opportunity for you to say, this is me doing my thing, which I. You know, I respect your father for not assisting you on that particular process.

Speaker C: 00:05:55

Yeah, no, I thought that was really cool. He just wanted me to go my own way, you know, so it was a loving, smart thing to do on his part.

Speaker B: 00:06:04

Sure, I totally support that. After that record with the Drop Ponies came out, what continued to evolve for you in your music?

Speaker C: 00:06:11

When the first record came out, a lot of those songs were. They were gathered over a few years time and you grow up, you change, you gain confidence, you lose it, you gain back more.

I think all sorts of life events occurred and that becomes part of writing and perspective and it's ever changing that whole thing. I'm always looking at things from new angles, but there's a continuation of kind of finding what your voice is.

I don't think I've completely found that, but I think I have a better idea now than maybe I did then. But what I was doing then was where I was at at the time.

Speaker A: 00:06:49

Hey, y'.

Speaker B: 00:06:50

All.

Speaker A: 00:06:50

This is Sloan Spencer, the host of Country Fried Rock. Those of y' all who listen on our podcasts, it's a quick hit of just the conversation.

If you want the full radio program with all the songs that we talk about, ask for it on your local radio station, joining 20 other stations across the country. Get the goods at country fried rock.org.

Speaker C: 00:07:10

Hey, this is Lily Hyatt on Country Fried Rock.

Speaker B: 00:07:13

Once that was out and you knew that you were going to be making another album, what was your process in gathering your new songs since they're all written by you?

Speaker C: 00:07:21

I think I work all right with deadlines, and I knew I wanted to have a record made within the next year.

Well, the year prior to recording my last album, Royal Blue, I knew I wanted to make something, so I just started writing and writing and writing, and before I knew it, I had, you know, over that year's time, at least 15 songs that I wanted to show other people, you know, and that's what we ended up recording is 15 songs, but we only put 12 on the album. It's motivation. When I know I need to have a batch together, I'll do it. It was good. I wasn't doing a lot else either. I mean, I was working.

I was working at Whole Foods and traveling a little bit, but it's not like I was on the road a ton. You know, I was pretty grounded, so I had plenty of time to just write stuff. Some of the songs I played out, but only a few, really.

The rest, a lot of them had never been played, other than to my garage band on my computer. So most of those songs for pre production, the band really knew only three of the songs. The rest were.

We spent three days rehearsing before we recorded, and they got the feel for them really fast. That's a lot of fun. I like the people I play with because we all speak a similar language, so there doesn't have to be a lot of.

I don't like telling people what to do, you know, I just. But I do want them to do what I like, you know, so it's nice to have a band where you're all on the same page and you don't have to say, do this.

No, don't do that, you know, everyone's able to express themselves and it can be a cohesive thing.

Speaker B: 00:08:56

How did you choose to work with Adam Landry?

Speaker C: 00:08:58

I had known Adam for a while, and I really like him as a person, and I like the other bands he works with. I like Dear Tick, and I like Diamond Rugs a lot. That record that they made at his studio was one of my favorites.

He's a cool guy, and I like his whole approach. And I knew he did analog recording, which always been interested in. So I just had a feeling like, this is going to be cool.

I've had people ask me, like, how was it working with Adam? Or I'm thinking about working with him, and I'm like, you should. Because he has a real unique style and way of working.

He's really smart, and he's one of those people that, I don't know, he doesn't step on your toes, but he brings a lot to the table. But he does it for you, not for himself, you know, which I really love about Adam.

Speaker B: 00:09:46

So a lot of people want different things in a producer relationship, and so it's good to find one that is helping you become a better you.

Speaker C: 00:09:54

Yeah, it is. Yeah. With him, it was really easy and fun and to work, but, you know, it did feel like we're speaking the same language.

No, you know, same thing with when, you know, I showed the songs to my band and they're like, oh, we know what to do. And I'm like, yeah, that's exactly it. You know, he just.

To me, it was almost like, well, Adam is another band member, you know, and he was kind of tying it all together for us.

Speaker B: 00:10:16

When you're recording and touring, do you work with the same folks or do you have different bands for the different circumstances?

Speaker C: 00:10:21

You know, sometimes that changes around. I was happy because I got to make Letdown and Royal Blue with the same band, which I thought was cool.

You know, in my mind, I've always wanted to be part of a band, and it so happens that I ended up kind of.

I hesitate to use the term solo artist, but that is kind of what I am at the end of the day, you know, so sometimes there is a revolving cast, but I have my preferred group that in my head, I think that's my band. Not that I think they're mine exclusively, but I want to change stuff up, too. You know, you never know what can happen.

And everyone that I play with, most of them play with a lot of people, and that's part of the fun. Sometimes somebody can't go on the road and you got to call someone else and you meet someone else who's really fun and great to play with.

You know, it's fun to have your crew and it's fun to keep it open as well.

Speaker A: 00:11:17

I'm your host, Sloane Spencer. You can keep in touch with us on Facebook.

But I really like Twitter, where we are at country fried rock, ending with R O K. And if you want to see pictures of my shoes, my dog, and my lunch, stop by Instagram. But whatever way you like to hang out, stop by and say, hey, hey.

Speaker C: 00:11:36

If you'd like to know more about my music and what I'm doing, check out lilyhiet.com Lilly L I L L Y H I A T T Speaking.

Speaker B: 00:11:44

Of collaborating or different kinds of collaborating, who have you enjoyed getting to play with?

Speaker C: 00:11:50

We did a show with this girl. You've probably heard of her idea, Victoria.

Speaker B: 00:11:55

Oh, yes.

Speaker C: 00:11:56

She's really cool. I like her band. I love her band and her thing. I think it's really neat.

Speaker B: 00:12:02

And she's only got three songs out right now, so I can't interview her until she has an album, but I'm waiting.

Speaker C: 00:12:07

Yeah, yeah. She's. She's. I really, really think her. What she's doing is cool. And I love her drummer. Tiffany Minton is just awesome.

And their whole setup is really neat, so that's fun. And I have this band, Buxton, that's on New West. We got to do some shows with them recently, and that was really cool.

It's great to be on bills and all be rooting for each other, you know what I mean?

But also be playing with really great musicians so that not to feel competitive or anything, but just so you're like, oh, I gotta really up my game on this and do as good a job as they did, you know.

Speaker B: 00:12:43

So you happen to be in Nashville, East Nashville, so that you're able to see a lot of the bands that may not be able to be on the road to the degree that those of us who live elsewhere would like. So who's kind of in the scene right now that you really are enjoying getting to see?

Speaker C: 00:12:59

I really like that band Bully. I mean, they're starting to really get out there, too, I think. Erin Ray is really, really talented. Just beautiful voice, great songwriter.

Margot Price is new Love. Her country band is just great.

And I've known her for a while and seen her work really hard and try lots of different things, and it's just really neat to watch. I'm sure. I'm Forgetting people, because I know that I think about this all the time. Of, oh, I love this band. I like Erin Lee Tasgen.

I don't think he's a really great writer and think there's just so much going on in Nashville. It's crazy to me.

Speaker B: 00:13:33

Well, and we have to say that both Margo Price has been on the show with one of her previous bands, talking specifically about the fact that she was getting ready to start a country band, which is now Margo and the Price Tags. Aaron Lee Tashin's been on as well, and he's a good friend of the show. Just great folks. Tons of great folks.

And I love checking out the other people that you've recommended as well.

Speaker C: 00:13:51

Yeah, it's neat. I actually just had a coffee with Aaron Lee the other day, and we were kind of talking about this very thing of just things.

Immense bevy of talent in town. It's a very inspiring thing if you let it be. You know, it can be a very intimidating thing as well.

But it used to be for me, kind of like, oh, I don't know if I can keep up, or, you know, when you get to comparing yourself with others, that's not good. At least for me it's not. But when you use it as more of an inspirational kind of motivational, that.

Speaker B: 00:14:23

Mental shift in how you think about it can really make a difference.

Speaker C: 00:14:27

It does make a difference. And it kind of took me moving out of town to kind of get there. I moved out of Nashville briefly, and I missed it so badly.

And all the things that kind of intimidated me about it and had for so long, I realized, were the things that kind of kept me going. So I vowed when I moved back to make sure to maintain that perspective and not get chased away because I didn't think I could cut it.

It's a good place.

Speaker B: 00:14:53

And, you know, I think that's also the nature of anyone who sees themselves as a creative person is there's that Venn diagram that went around Facebook for a while of like, a balance between massive ego and massive self doubt. And that overlap is where the creativity comes out.

Speaker C: 00:15:07

Oh, absolutely. You kind of need that. That push pull kind of thing. It is egomania with an inferiority complex. You know, it's a. It cracks me up.

I mean, I do this all the time. I'll. I'll. I'll think, well, I shouldn't. I shouldn't be saying this out loud.

Speaker B: 00:15:23

I think every creative person totally gets it.

Speaker C: 00:15:25

Yeah. Like, I don't think I need to say anymore but you know what I'm talking about, so totally.

It's interesting, but then it's like, how would you know what to write about if you didn't feel all that stuff or think about it all, have it turning in your head, you know, do.

Speaker B: 00:15:39

New things come to you when you put yourself on a schedule or are they continuing to come?

Speaker C: 00:15:43

Since we were on the road, I get to this point where writing is a real helpful way for me to process. And when I haven't done it in a while, I literally feel like I'm going to explode. Not with hit songs, but just with emotion. So I have to.

That's the outlet for it. So when I'm on the road, I'm not the best at writing on the road. I hope that changes, and I think it will.

I wrote a little bit when we were out there, but you spend a lot of time around other people and moving or in the car or whatever, but you're also observing so many things. So since I've been back, I have been riding some and really kind of enjoying just processing all that information.

I mean, we just traveled from the northwest down to Southern California, over to Denver, back to home. That's a lot of driving, a lot of scenery, and a lot to think about, you know, in the meantime.

So it's giving me things to want to explore because I get a little caught up with the new record out. You get caught up with those songs of like.

Well, because I'm still learning how to put those out there, you know, I'm trying to get a grip on all that sort.

Speaker B: 00:16:49

The songs you've already got out there are probably changing.

Speaker C: 00:16:52

Yes, they are changing. You're right. And it's funny how songs do that.

And it's funny how you can play a song you wrote five years ago and it means different something else to you, you know, down the road. It's really weird. I love that about writing. I have songs from my first record that I play now, and I still relate to them, but in a different way.

But I wrote this, and I knew what I wrote it about, but now it's changed. That's kind of neat.

Speaker A: 00:17:18

Hey, y', all, this is Sloan Spencer, the host of Country Fried Rock. We've had an incredible year with more people finding us on the radio and our podcast than we ever imagined. Thank you all so much.

Careful what you wish for. You just might get it.

Speaker C: 00:17:33

You can buy my new album, Royal Blue, on Amazon, itunes or at your local record shop.

Speaker B: 00:17:39

That is cool. And especially when it's like oh, yeah.

Speaker C: 00:17:45

Yeah, yeah, exactly. And, I mean, that happens with songs I listen to as well, you know, So, I don't know. It's fun to explore. It's fun.

Writing is of all of the parts of this. The showbiz, the singing and all of it, and playing live and recording. I love it all. But recording, my favorite part is the writing.

You know, if it weren't for that, I don't think I'd do it because I do have pretty bad stage fright. I don't know if that comes across.

Speaker B: 00:18:11

I did not know that.

Speaker C: 00:18:12

I don't think it's extremely apparent, but I have it. I mean, there is part of me I love getting on the stage as well, but I don't know. It's more about. I want to share these words with you.

Speaker B: 00:18:24

You know, I can get on stage in front of a thousand people more easily than I can in front of 100 people. I can understand that there's that anonymity to that crowd.

Speaker C: 00:18:34

I was just about to say that. Anonymity is a gift, and I feel the same. Playing for friends is so scary to me, as opposed to playing for strangers.

I'm like, okay, you know, I don't know you. You don't know me.

Speaker B: 00:18:47

We're good.

Speaker C: 00:18:48

I don't know each other anything, take it or leave it. But with my friends, you know, it's. I mean, I want to do my best for anyone, but with friends, you're like, oh, you know me.

And it can be harder for me in front of people I know to kind of get into that stage Persona. Part of me is like, oh, they know me. And they're going to think I'm being a goofball, you know, because they know how awkward and silly I am.

And now I've got to be. You know, it's like you're yourself on stage, but you're in an inflated version, however subtle that is, or not, you know.

Speaker B: 00:19:16

So you're going to continue to tour a bit this summer. What does that look like for you?

Speaker C: 00:19:21

Yeah, well, right now, I'm patching that together. I've got some playing this meat festival in St. Louis called Twang Fest. I've got something in town.

I'm hoping that Erin Lee and I get to get out on the road this summer. We had talked about that.

Speaker B: 00:19:37

Ooh, that would be good.

Speaker C: 00:19:38

It would be really good, and I think it'll be cool. So hopefully that all works out.

There are a lot of things up in the air at the moment that hopefully will not be so up in the air in the next couple weeks. So yeah, the goal is to stay on the road for as long as I can.

Speaker B: 00:19:56

So I think in the fall you're actually going to be heading up towards.

We have a great radio station and music venue that we're big buddies with up in Goshen, Indiana with both 91.1, the Globe College radio station, and then also Ignition Music Garage in Goshen.

Speaker C: 00:20:10

Yeah, I've heard nothing but wonderful things about Ignition. Everyone says it's just awesome there. I'm excited.

Speaker B: 00:20:17

So what else do you have in store?

Speaker C: 00:20:19

Well, right now the goal is I've been doing this duo stuff, which is great and I plan to do more of it and hopefully be touring with the band more consistently and to write a lot. I want to make more albums. You know, the focus right now is this one, Royal Blue. And hopefully there will be another one. I don't know when. Soon.

You know, I don't want to quit. I don't want to give, you know, think everyone has that fear when you're at where I'm at, where it's like, alright, you chip away at this.

It takes time and you pay your dues and then you keep paying them and you keep paying them and there's always that fear of what if I don't get to make another album? And then you realize I can always make another album. There's all kinds of ways to do that. So I want Royal Blue, Tick tock.

Reach the hands of whoever finds it valuable and. And I want to keep writing and recording and playing well.

Speaker B: 00:21:12

You know, as a fan there's definitely. You can see, you can hear some. The progression from the previous record to Royal Blue. Tell me about the album art on Royal Blue.

That's like a funky top view of a gemstone and then your head.

Speaker C: 00:21:26

I know. Isn't that cool and weird?

Speaker B: 00:21:27

It is.

Speaker C: 00:21:28

I really was excited about it. We went through a lot of different potential covers and my friend Jordan Null did that artwork. He's awesome. He lives in Atlanta.

He's done some work with Normal Town and New West. I really like him in his spin on things. He always does kind of out of the box type stuff, which I'm a fan of.

You know, there are all these pictures of me and it could have been the kind of thing of like a pretty picture with my name on it and this and that, which is nice. And I like album covers like that, but I just wanted to. When he threw that one at me, I was like, wow, that's really cool. And Wacky.

And, you know, if I saw something that I'd remember it. It looks kind of trippy and my head inside a jewel, you know, so.

And we wanted to put the blue theme in there, because why not, you know, fun with the color. I just wanted something memorable, you know, and it kind of represented this time in life.

Speaker B: 00:22:19

So one of the things that you haven't specifically brought out is that lyrically on this record, some of it's really funny.

Speaker C: 00:22:26

Well, I'm glad you think so. That makes me really happy because I think, you know, it.

There is some kind of heavy subject matter on there, but life is funny and dark stuff is funny, and I have a bit of a dark sense.

Speaker B: 00:22:40

Of humor, so I should have been clear about.

Speaker C: 00:22:42

In the writing. That makes me happy.

Speaker B: 00:22:44

I should have been clear about that. Dark, dark humor, yes. My kind of humor.

Speaker C: 00:22:49

I'm glad you pick up on that.

Speaker B: 00:22:50

Yeah. Jesus would have let me choose a restaurant or something to that effect.

Speaker C: 00:22:53

Yeah. It's a long title. I know.

Speaker B: 00:22:55

I was like, cracking up.

Speaker C: 00:22:57

Good. I want that song to let crack you up, you know, it's like, but it's not Jesus. And they're like, oh, no, where is this gonna go?

And I'm like, if you listen, it is. It's a funny song. It's not a serious. You know, it's not a serious song. It's meant to be tongue in cheek kind of thing, so.

Speaker B: 00:23:14

I'm a huge Replacements fan, so I always am. Of the, you know, Jesus rides beside me, never buys any smokes, has always cracked me up.

Speaker C: 00:23:22

I'm a big Replacements fan, too, so I'm on the same page as you.

Speaker B: 00:23:26

But anyway, because that's like one of the most brilliant lines ever, so.

Speaker C: 00:23:29

Yeah, it is.

Speaker B: 00:23:30

Normal Town usually puts out records on vinyl. Is Royal Blue available that way as well?

Speaker C: 00:23:35

Yes, it is. Absolutely. It's cool vinyl, too. It's blue. Pretty nice vinyl.

Speaker B: 00:23:40

Well, Lily Hyatt, take care. Safe travels. Thank you so much.

Speaker C: 00:23:43

Yeah, you too. Talk to you soon.

Speaker B: 00:23:45

Bye.

Speaker C: 00:23:45

Bye. I've really enjoyed talking with you.

Speaker A: 00:23:47

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