Rett Wicker is readying his debut album for release. “Around The Bend” is a legacy album for Wicker. It’s been a couple of years in the making, and he’s finally putting it out there for the world to hear. With the new year underway, we caught up with Rett to ask him a few questions about his album release, touring, and from where he got his unusual name….
Hey Rett! You have such a quintessential americana/country rock name. Where did the name “Rett” come from? How was growing up in Jacksonville, FL?
As far as the name I got it from my mom. Cue laughter. In all seriousness, my father wanted to name me “Jett”, however as my mother puts is, she was “afraid I would be made fun of” or other kids would taunt me “Why don’t you go fly like an airplane, Jett?”. Pretty silly, but she replaced the “J” with an “R” because she thought it “Sounded cool”. Alcohol may or may not have been involved. Growing up in Jacksonville, FL was similar to what I would assume youth in most other major cities experience. Plenty of trouble if you are looking for it, but by the grace of God just enough mentors to show you a better path.
Tell us about your debut album, “Around The Bend.” What can fans expect?
“Around the Bend” has been in the making for just about 2 years now. It consists of some very talented musicians voicing their instrumental expression along with the base of the compositions I wrote over that past couple of years. The songs mostly relate to real life experiences, and metaphors to tell the stories. One of my favorite songs is “Traintracks”, loosely based on the death of my Grandfather, who was sadly struck by a train while riding his motorcycle in 1974. Either way, I hope it tells a story. I hope it evokes emotion. Most importantly, I hope it gives my children and their children something to remember me by.
Congrats on the success of your first single, “New Year’s Day.” What was the story behind the song, and how was the recording process?
Thank you Michael. “New Year’s Day” is a cycle of broken resolutions. Every year, so many of us swear we will make changes and break the cycle of bad habits. Of course, the true test is willpower. The recording process was extremely fun and full of learning experiences. My good friend Nate Bryan and I sat down and worked out the acoustic guitar and piano parts, which laid down a foundation. It was recorded between 14-20 sessions in the studio with the rest of the songs on “Around the Bend”. We brought in Zane Clark to lay down the drums, Kelvin Lundy to drop the bass and engineer the sessions along with Nate. It has been one hell of a ride.
Any plans for a next single and video?
The next single released will have a much different feel than “New Year’s Day”. I’ll be releasing it towards January’s end, maybe February. It will surely paint a different picture, sad, hopefully inspiring at the same time. As far as a video, I have no specific plans, but let’s just say 2022 will hold many surprises for those that are hoping to hear more.
Do you like to tour? Any plans on supporting this record with a tour?
I love to play live, I feel that I thrive in a public setting. I certainly hope to put together a tour, of course that largely depends on the public’s reaction to the release. If people want to hear it, I want to play it and would love to tour. We will surely see what opportunities the new year brings!
Any last words/advice for your fans and/or other musicians?
Keep it going, follow your dreams, believe in yourself, all those other clichés. Some will hate it, some will love it. Either way, self expression is more than how much money you earn from what you do. It’s about what it does for your soul. Whether I make 10 dollars playing music, or a million dollars (the former is much more likely) My hope is to leave behind a legacy for my family or inspiration for anyone that feels they need to hear it, quite like my biggest influences did for me. I love what I do. If you love what you do, do it for your legacy, or just do it because it brings you peace.