Up & Coming New Nashville- Chuckanut Drive (With Exclusive Interview)

Nearly each week, That Nashville Sound features a new country or alt-country act from around the country. This weeks column features Chuckanut Drive from the northwest state of Washington.

Chuckanut Drive is an alt country band from Bellingham, Washington spearheaded by Texas born singer/songwriter Stephen Ray Leslie. The band has released 3 full-length albums in the past five years and sold copies in over 10 countries.

Over the years, the cast of characters in this raucous alt county collective has changed several times, but anchored by Leslie’s songwriting and raw emotive voice one thing remains the same – great songs that bypass pretension and go straight for the gut.

The release of their 2006 album “The Crooked Mile Home” garnered the band national attention when it reached 13 on the Freeform American Roots Chart in July of 2007 and made it onto several DJ’s end-of-the-year lists. This ambitious country/rock concept album chronicles the wanderlust adventures of a young man through the back roads of Middle America. Leslie’s penchant for storytellin’ songs is well displayed on this album.

The band’s current album “Fidelity Grange” has recently been released to much applause. It quickly made the top 30 on the Roots Music Report and also reached 13 (tied with John Hiatt) on the Freeform American Roots Chart. “Fidelity Grange” was also picked by influential DJ, Don Slack, as one of his top 12 favorite new album to be added to the Swinging Doors program on Seattle’s KEXP.Chuckanut drive is also known for its feverish live performances.

“Chuckanut Drive is a great band to see live. The band members command their instruments and the energy of a room with aplomb, wrangling the crowd from a group of disparate strangers into a dysfunctional family reunion” - Seattle Sound Magazine.

The band’s skill on the stage has allowed them the honor of playing with some of their favorite contemporary artists including: Bobby Bare Jr., The Sadies, Split Lip Rayfield, The Meat Purveyors, Richmond Fontaine, and Jonathan Byrd.

The band isn't afraid to blend old sounds with new, and does so with soul and skill. Leslie's songs radiate a human warmth rarely heard in today's popular music. Chuckanut Drive plays pop music, but Leslie's lyrics often have an intimacy you would expect to find in a folk singer. Chuckanut Drive plays rock music, but Huggins' twangy guitar lines evoke a sprit of the by-gone honky-tonk era. The result is the vibrant sound of an American band carrying on an American musical tradition.

We had a chance to talk with Chuckanut Drive’s bassist Stephen Ray Leslie about the band and what inspires their sound…

That Nashville Sound- What brought you to music in the first place?

SRL- I started out playing bass in a band when I was about twelve. I still remember how it felt to make music for the first time (nothing like it) Soon there after, we needed some original songs so I started writing. I eventually migrated to the guitar and later formed Chuckanut Drive

TNS- Describe your music, it crosses lots of lines & genres- what's the mission behind the music?

SRL- I think our music would be considered alt-country with a singer/songwriter focus. The mission is to write honest unpretentious songs that resonate with people.

TNS- What are couple of your career highlights so far?

SRL- So far, I would have to say playing with Fred Eaglesmith. Also, playing with The Sadies and Jonathan Byrd. All great songwriters and musicians. We've also been invited to play a show in Nashville to help get Gram Parsons nominated into the Country Music Hall of Fame. That's coming up in September, I'm sure it will be a highlight as well.

TNS- What kind of music are you listening to? What inspires the sound of Chuckanut Drive currently?

SRL- I go through phases. Right now I'm listening to Mary Gauthier, Black Joe Lewis, Fred Eaglesmith, Joe Pug and Levon Helm.

TNS- What's next for you? Where do you hope to be career-wise a couple years from now?

SRL- We're going on a tour in September that will take us from Seattle to Shreveport. I'm hoping that our next record will come out on a decent sized indie label such as Bloodshot records. We also hope to get over to Europe, but that probably won't happen until next summer.

TNS- Quick questions (which do you like best?): Big stage or a diva bar?

SRL- Dive Bar

TNS- Record stores or downloads?

SRL- Either way as long as you're buying my records

TNS- Fine dining or southern cooking?

SRL- Southern Cooking

TNS- Baseball or fishing?

SRL- I'd say fishing, but I know several members of my band would fight me on this one.