Is Jeremy Parsons Living a “Life Worth Dyin’ For?” Find out in this Exclusive Interview!
Texas-born singer songwriter Jeremy Parsons has released his new single, “Life Worth Dyin’ For” last month,, a follow-up to his Top 15 UK iTunes hits, “Tickin'” and “Humanity.” This one reached the Top 10, peaking at #8. The track is also climbing several national radio airplay charts, making “Life” one of his biggest releases to date.
The song is a soul-stirring ballad that explores the idea of living a life that one would be content with: “a life worth dyin’ for.” The track is from a forthcoming album and is driven by Parsons’s heartfelt musings, contemplations, and experiences.
Jeremy took some time out to answer some questions for us in this exclusive interview…
Can you describe your experience as a singer/songwriter and was there any other career you thought about?
I can't say I would change a thing about my experience as a singer/songwriter. It's been ideal, if not cliche. I got consumed by the craft from my first song, then swallowed by all the other things that come with art later: drugs and alcohol. I suffered and brought about my continued suffering in many ways. As Hank so perfectly stated, I saw the light, came out on the other end better for it, and became more aware of myself and people than ever before. The career I went to school a little bit for was Kinesiology. I wasn't happy with it because there was something else I was in love with. I knew deep down it wouldn't be what I did, but I had to pick something, and sports were always around.
Can you walk us through your creative process when writing a song?
It differs from song to song. It also depends on how it finds you or where you find yourself. Traditionally, I come up with a hook or a line and build everything around that so it may wrap around to continue to make the same point. I've gotten a great song out of having only a melody. You start singing something over it; if it's meant to be, the pieces will fall into place. I don't ever force the process. Even in a co-write. It's not something I will do. We will revisit if it's not coming out and wasn't meant to. I don't force art; I don't believe you can or should.
How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback when it comes to your music?
I remain open-minded, but we're sometimes in different headspace, whether it's because of lack of sleep, being hangry, or maybe there's a full moon. Everybody deserves the stage to be heard, though, and if they care enough to speak their mind, it usually means they see potential in you and want to see you grow and help if they can.
Can you give an example of a project where you worked collaboratively with others in the music industry?
In every project, we work with producers, engineers, and instrumentalists. Collaboration is key to creating music, and it's rare for anyone to complete a record entirely on their own. Even if they do, they often use a mixing or mastering person or software. The music industry thrives on collaborative efforts, and even the start of a song is usually a joint effort. Many of the songs you hear are co-writes or co-productions, which often result in similar outcomes.
How do you stay current and relevant in the ever-changing music industry?
I try to worry about my lane. Keeping up with what the music industry does is like trying to stay a step ahead of an ever-changing algorithm. You can waste a lot of time and energy on stuff like that. Staying on and following my paths ebb and flow, to me, always makes the most sense. If we start making something that feels right, it is. Maybe not for another artist, but that's how I navigate the creative process. If it's happening, it's happening for a reason worth paying attention to.
Can you name some of your biggest musical influences and how they have inspired your own music?
Hank Williams Sr. is by far the biggest. By way of Hank and others who followed who were also great writers, I found my way to John Prine and others similar. Since then, I have gotten into Jason Isbell, Brent Cobb, Phoebe Bridgers, The Lumineers, and Imagine Dragons. Everything you listen to becomes a part of you and your musical journey. We're sponges, which is precisely why I try not to listen to any of my favorite artists or music outside of classical when I'm creating for a project.
Can you describe a time when you faced a creative block and how you overcame it?
Creative blocks will come and go and are a necessary gift to accept when they manifest. We would work ourselves into the ground doing something that we love without breaks if we could. I say we, but I can only speak for myself. I hope it's the same with everyone else; I would be pleased to hear that. You have to wait. Find ways to distract yourself or apply yourself to other parts of your field. Practice on guitar, update your website and post all your dates. There's always something to do, and it all benefits you more than sitting there and feeling bad because you last wrote a song a week ago. Like all things, it too shall pass. Practice your patience and stay focused.
How do you ensure that your performances are engaging and memorable for your audience?
I always play different songs, and the order of the originals is always random. I go based on the energy of the crowd show to show. I let everyone make requests and stay available for conversation between songs. Sometimes, and at some shows, you provide folks with music and nothing else. I've been doing this long enough to know the difference, and I appreciate all of the shows, but I lean more towards enjoying the ones where the get and the give between myself and the crowd is fantastic. The number of those shows goes up as my career progresses, and I'm grateful.
Can you discuss your experience with recording and producing your own music?
I love the recording process but don't produce my own music. I am always involved in some capacity but not a natural producer. You will find that I only sing on most of my songs. There's been a few exceptions, the current single "Life Worth Dyin' For" being one. My favorite part about the process has always been seeing where the producer will want to take the song. Up until this latest project, it's been straightforward. One of my favorite parts about working with Dustin Martin is seeing where he makes the song go. I love following the path he clears for me. It's the first time in my career that I've given a producer writing credit. He takes my original demos and makes them into the perfect combination of who he is as a producer and who I am as a writer. It's the ideal creative environment to work within.
How do you balance the artistic and business aspects of being a singer/songwriter?
At this point, I've found the perfect balance of existing as both consistently. There's harmony between the two mindsets because one serves the other, which you must understand for continued progress. Also, the awareness that you must make adjustments for that continued improvement. Does one take center stage more than the other at times? Absolutely. That is a part of the process, and you learn to accept it.
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