Charlie Rogers
Country artist Charlie Rogers unveiled his new single “Jericho” on August 10th.
The Nashville-based singer/songwriter released his first project in 2017. He has toured with Janelle Arthur, opened for Brothers Osborne, performed with Ricky Skaggs, and shared the stage with Russell Dickerson and Jordan Kyle Reynolds.
His new single “Jericho” was written by Rogers & Evan Michael, and produced by Joshua Gleave.
“While “Jericho” is a song addressed to the character herself, the song is a lot more introspective than that. I had gone through a bad breakup at the time, and I was isolating myself and turning my heart cold. I didn’t realize we were writing the song to me at the time, but upon later review down the road, it really clicked with me. That being said, I want the listener to feel what I felt in that moment,” expresses Rogers.
“Jericho” is now available.
Please introduce yourself.
Hi, my name is Charlie Rogers! I’m a crossover country singer/songwriter from Stilwell, KS living in Nashville, TN.
What’s your story?
I was born in Portland, OR in the early 90s. A few years later, the family moved to Kansas where I spent my growing years. I always had an attraction to the arts, especially music, and I found myself immersed in it any chance I got. After high school, I moved to Nashville, TN to attend Belmont University and continue my dive down the musical rabbit hole. From there I graduated and have continued pursuing a life as a performing artist and songwriter.
When did you know music was more than just a hobby?
Music has always been a major part of my life, there’s actually video footage of me running down the hill behind our house in Oregon singing “The Sound of Music.” I don’t think there’s a definitive moment, because as long as I can remember, I’ve been doing something musical; I can’t picture my life without it.
When did you realize you wanted to become an artist?
I think being an artist really stems from my love of performing, which I discovered doing theater. It wasn’t until high school that I started performing popular songs with a band, at which point I decided to learn to play guitar. It was somewhere in the midst of all this that I started writing songs, and I recorded my first EP at the age of 17. There’s just this amazing natural high that comes with performing for me - I can’t get enough of it.
You’ve been touring and performing with various artists. What did these experiences teach you as a performer, and as a person?
The more you perform, the more you learn to read a crowd. TJ of Brothers Osborne told me something funny once in that regard. He said something to the effect of, “You’ve always got to check your audience and see if they’re into what you’re doing. Sometimes, you’ve just gotta be honest with yourself, and play the song that your audience is waiting for.”
What gave you the confidence to make the music you are making today?
You’re always going to have your haters; everyone likes to have an opinion. That being said, if you come to the table knowing you have something good, knowing you have talent, knowing people will listen to what you have to say, you’ll make beautiful art. I have confidence in myself - and therefore in my music - as it is a reflection of myself. Now, is that to say I don’t have my doubtful moments, no. In fact, they happen all the time, but in this industry there is little room for self pity. So, you pick yourself back up, dust yourself off, and get back to work, always finding the lesson in your failures.
You recently released your new single “Jericho.” What’s the story behind this record?
I did! “Jericho” is a song I’ve loved for a long while. I wrote it with Evan Michael about five or six years ago, it was one of those songs that took about a year and a half to write, but came from a thought I had while driving one day. I have a good friend named Jericho, and I had the thought cross my mind of, “Won’t you bring down your walls Jericho?” and I was immediately inspired by it. I took the idea to Evan, and we had the chorus written that night.
Who produced it?
Much like the writing process, the production process of Jericho went through many different phases. I initially recorded it for my project “The Charlie Rogers Band” but didn’t release it as a single. A few years after initial release, I thought the song deserved new life. I decided to rerecord it for release on my solo project, really taking it where I wanted it to go sonically. Both recordings were produced here in Nashville by Joshua Gleave, and I thank God for his patience when it comes to the number of times I’ve brought the song back to him asking to add new or different things.
Who are you currently working with? Who’s helping you shape your sound and your artistry?
I’m working on new projects with my producer, Joshua Gleave, as well as an EDM band out of Germany, called The Delta Mode. I’ve been writing with a lot of different, new writers. It’s always interesting going into new writes and seeing what influences other people pull from their own pasts, in that sense different writers will always have an imprint on the sound of a song I write with them.
What does it mean for you to be an artist?
Being an artist is all about expression. It’s expressing an emotion or an idea that others can relate to or see fragments of their own life within. Being an artist is about connecting with people you’ve never met and meeting them on a human level. Artists are often the lens through which we view our world. We identify with certain songs, certain paintings, certain films because they invoke something deeper within us.
How would you define music?
That’s a tough one. I think that music is an expression of emotion through rhythm and sound. The sounds do not always have to be pretty for it to be music, because it’s still someone’s art. Music is meant to be the great connector, the universal language of our world that we can all come to and feel together, whatever form that takes is music to me.
What appeals you the most about songwriting?
The beauty of songwriting is that you get to tell a story through the medium of song, that other people will identify with. Songs are bits of your life poured out three minutes at a time in an attempt to connect with the broader world, but it doesn’t have to stop there. Sometimes the beauty of the song is the fantasy of it. You can often write something that makes you feel sexier than you are - or sadder than you’ve felt - but somewhere, it’s still grounded in reality.
What do you think of today’s music industry? If you had to change one thing, what would it be?
Today’s industry is definitely going through a huge change. With the birth of streaming, I think we’re still playing a lot of catch up, but I hope things like the MMA will help that. In country music in particular, there are a lot of checkmarks you need to hit before you can advance as an artist, however, something I appreciate is when talent speaks for itself.
How has Nashville helped you build your musicality?
There’s always someone better than you in Nashville, and while I live by “comparison being the thief of joy,” at some point those that are better than you drive you to do better yourself. The make you push harder, not settle for a specific lyric or a specific sound. If you look at the people in Nashville that floor you, they are all genuine. They all have their own sound and style that is unique to them, and that’s key. People can smell a fake a mile away - you want to be the next great thing and always push yourself to be better.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Be genuine. For a while, when I first started writing, I didn’t have my own legs yet, so I was doing poor imitations of people who had already made it. You are the only person that can be you, you are the only artist that has lived your exact life and loved your exact music so use that, and make people crave it, because we all crave the genuine.
What advice would you give to anyone who’d like to pursue a career in the music industry?
The music industry can be a blast if you navigate it carefully. It can be overwhelmingly exciting at times, but also soul crushingly disappointing. You have to learn to ride the rollercoaster and be okay with the dips. Always be true to who you are, stand by your morals, and stand by those who raise you up from nothing. Honor commitments, no matter how small. Love your fans, they make it so you can have this job. Be kind.
Any upcoming projects?
Aside from The Delta Mode feature, I’ve also been in the studio working on exciting new projects. Outside of both of those, the video for “Jericho” is coming out soon - it’s the first music video I’ve ever done, and I’m incredibly proud of it. I’m excited to keep marching on with the progress I’ve made, and I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
People being kind. For some, it seems kindness and empathy are seen as a weakness but at the end of the day we’re all humans trying to live our lives. Even something as simple as a smile can lighten someone’s day. A late friend of mine, Mr. Billie Block, used to sign of his show by say “If you see someone without a smile, give them yours.” I think that’s incredibly simple yet prolific advice to live by. Be empathetic, have a heart, but also be kind to yourself.
What’s your purpose?
Spreading love. I know that may sound cliche, but it’s true. There is so much hate going around the world right now when in reality there is more that binds us than separates us. In every aspiration I’ve worked toward in my life, it’s been out of love. I want to sing and share my stories, because I love connecting with people and making them happy. As John Lennon said “All you need is love.”
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