INTERVIEW WITH A.P. RODGERS AND KAYLA CHARLENE!
Wednesday May 8, 2019
Just when I thought young people these days only listened to either pop music or super-angsty tunes, it was refreshing and an honor to meet Old Time duo, A.P. Rodgers and Kayla Charlene. Hailing from South Carolina, together they play and write Southern heritage music. In 2019, they’ve just released their debut album, followed by their first European tour!
Here is my interview with them:
Between the January release of your debut album In The Heart of Dixie, to your European tour in April, your schedules must have been hectic! How do you stay centered and focused?
A: I set time for everything so that we can stay ahead. It’s really important to plan ahead so that we don’t feel rushed. I set time for practice, but I also set time to relax and reflect.
K: I keep a mindset of “I get to…” rather than “I have to…”. It takes a lot of mental work and meditation to stay positive and not be overwhelmed.
What is your favorite song on your album “In the Heart of Dixie” and why?
A: That would definitely be “Dawn on the Mountain” because that is the first song we wrote together as a duo.
K: I completely agree.
What were the highlights of the European tour?
K: We were visiting a castle in Aberystwyth- a beautiful town on the coast of Wales- and a woman jumped out of her car and said “Hey are you Dixie Dave (A.P. Rodgers’ former name)?”. Her name was Rose, she is a fiddle player from Wales. She took us to her home and played music with us. It was the most serendipitous moment of my entire life maybe. Our favorite part of playing music is sharing folk songs with people who love what we do. I will never forget it.
That sounds like an incredible experience! You two are a gorgeous, young couple. Have people had misconceptions about what kind of music you play prior to actually hearing your music?
A: Yes. Everyone assumes that it’s bluegrass because there is a banjo and what we do is Old Time.
What do you enjoy the most about the genre of music you play?
A: I love everything about it. The way it makes me feel, the music, the history, and the fact that it’s our heritage.
K: I love how universal it is. There are songs for every emotion, but somehow I find a way to dance to even the high and lonesome songs.
If you were to go on a dream tour with any artists -dead or alive- who would you tour with?
A: Oh man. Roscoe Holcomb, Doc Boggs, and the Skillet Lickers.
If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?
K: Pursue what you love fearlessly and have fun doing it. Never stop growing and learning.
A: To quote Brisco Darlin from the Andy Griffith Show- “If you’ve got time to breathe, you’ve got time for music.”
Awesome! Thank you both so much for your time and I look forward to seeing what’s next in your musical career!
For more on their journey, get social! Links:
A.P. Rodger’s Instagram
Kayla Charlene’s Instagram