Phil Vassar

Phil Vassar Interview

(Phil tells the story behind his latest single “Carlene”.)

It’s funny. I was sitting at home one night watching this Cindy Crawford bio and I found out that she was the valedictorian of her class and she went to Northwestern (The college.) and all this stuff and then she became the biggest supermodel in all of the world.

I suppose it was kind of a funny moment because it was neat. So the next day, I went into write (Songwriting sessions.) and I was talking to Chalrie and Rory (Charlie Black and Rory Michael Bourke) and I talking to them about it and just laughing saying,’ Man I was the football player who sat in the back of the class and never raised my hand.’ And it ended up that here I am writing songs.’ So, we had a good laugh and then we sat around and wrote the song. I though it had a neat little irony to it. I don’t think I knew it was a hit, I knew it was a fun song and that I loved it because of the subject matter. It’s a fun song. I love it because it’s not real serious like a song about saving the whales, it’s just a fun-loving kind of song. I demoed the song and I knew I wanted to cut it on my album. So it’s kind of been sitting around for a while. I write it three years ago. I’ve gotten a lot of feedback about that song. I mean my class (college) valedictorian didn’t look like a model, it was a guy (he laughs). But I mean you know, you’ve got to give him credit for that. It’s a funny concept, who would think that they’re class valedictorian looked like Cindy Crawford? Then you see her on the cover of Sports Illustrated wearing a bikini. That’s pretty brutal.

(Phil talks about the way he enjoys playing the piano and how he’s a bit different from the rest of the “piano men”.)

You know people often assume that just because you’re a piano player that you’re strictly a ballad writer. But I always liked the high-energy songs. The songs that says something and have that spark of energy in ’em. The songs that just happen to be written on piano. For a long time I think, the piano as an instrument has been overlooked by country music. When I first moved to Nashville (In 1989.) people would come up to me and say. Oh, you’re a piano player.’ But now it’s more like,’ Hey you’re a piano player!’ So I think that times are changing a little bit here in Nashville.

(Phil talks about his father and his father’s influence on Phil’s music. Phil is Phil Vassar Jr. Phil’ father’s name was Phil Vassar Sr.)

I think that, since my father wanted the best for me, he knew that he didn’t want me to go through what he went through as a singer. After all, the music business is hard, it can be brutal, especially these days with all of the competition. So with him knowing that, that was probably a boon and a bane for me (Phil laughs.) I think that he probably didn’t want me to have to endure what he knew I’d endure to make it in this business, so he discouraged me every way he could form going into it for a living. Because it’s hard to move away from home at first and move to a place where you don’t really know anybody. But hey, that’s what I grew up around (The music business.) That’s all I really ever knew and that’s all I ever wanted to do. My father owned restaurants and nightclubs and he tried and talked me out of doing that too. I was growing up and it was really cool because all of these bands played at my father’s nightclub. (It was called Phil’s Steak House.) Whenever they were touring Virginia, all of these really great bands, like the Platters and the drifters, played there. I was like twelve years old and I’d be in the back in the kitchen washing dishes listening to all of these great bands perform live at my dads restaurant. I’d take the clean glasses out and see them on-stage and say to myself,’ Man, I want to be on that stage!’

(Phil talks about the way he’s seen country music and Nashville change over the past decade and how he’s learned to adapt as an individual and his music to the changing times.)

Hey that (change) is a part of what we do. You just have to do what you do and make it as real as it is. I’m happy with my album and I don’t think that I’ve had to compromise, I’ve just made my album. Hopefully it’ll do OK. But, I’ll admit it’s crazy right now(In country music.)

(Phil talks about the versatility he has as a songwriter and a performer.) Man, I played clubs with a piano and a drum machine for years. I think those days were my training ground. It makes you better because you learned how to work a crowd. Every performance is different. It’s a lot like being a standup comic. You’re up there in front of everybody and you’re naked. If you mess up then there’s no one else but you up there. It’s pretty tough.