Jesse Brand | Bellingham Herald

Country artist Jesse Brand — "the last of the hardcore troubadors," as his Web site labels him — twice has been nominated for songwriter of the year in his native Texas. Brand answered some questions about the history of his music and the inspiration for it: life.

Members:

Jesse Brand — guitar, vocals

Mark Eisenhour — guitar

Question:Where is your band from?

Answer:Fort Worth, Texas.

Q:What brought the band together and when?

A:Jesse has been playing music since he was a child and writing music since he was a teenager.

Q:What genre of music do you classify your band as?

A: Americana/Texas country.

Q: What inspires your music?

A:Life.

Q: What are the highs and lows in your band’s history?

A: Playing for 80,000 people to playing for 80 people. Drug and alcohol addiction to sobering up. Mediocre music to great music.

Q: Who influences your band’s sound?

A: Steve Earle, Chris Knight, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Townes Van Zandt.

Q: Where have you toured?

A: The entire United States.

Q: What albums have you released?

A: "Tuggin On The Devil's Sleeve," "3 Steps To The Wishing Well," "The Suicide Tapes," "The Unreleased Bull Sessions," "Pills Booze and Grass," "Live at the White Elephant."

Q: Where do you see your band going in the future?

A: Exactly where it is.

More info: www.fiveslumprecords.com, www.myspace.com/fiveslumprecords

Contact: amanda@fiveslumprecords.com