Nashville-based independent artist Ron Pope will release his latest studio album, Work, August 18 on his own Brooklyn Basement Records. The release follows last year’s critically acclaimed Ron Pope & The Nighthawks. Most recently, Pope most performed at The Music of Aretha Franklin tribute at Carnegie Hall on March 6, where he killed it with an in the pocket tight rendition of the Queen of Soul’s “Baby, I Love You.”
Work marks Pope’s seventh studio album. To date, he has surpassed one million monthly listeners on Spotify, sold out shows in more than 20 countries, sold over 2 million digital tracks, had over 200 million streams on Spotify, 630 million plays on Pandora and 150 million views on YouTube. Pope’s music has been featured on NBC’s “The Voice,” CW’s “Vampire Diaries,” “90210,” and multiple seasons of FOX’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” which sent two of his albums into the top 100 on iTunes simultaneously. Pope also guest starred as himself in Season 3 of the show “Nashville.”
Glide is thrilled to premiere the video for Pope performing “Baby I Love You,” (below) at Goosehead Palace in Nashville. Taking on Aretha is a daunting task, but with Pope’s vivacious voice and the top notch players behind him, this rendition is blessed with is on unique wow factor while retaining its original luster. Glide also had the chance to speak with Pope about the track and some other items of interest in regards to his rising solo career.
You performed Aretha Franklin’s “Baby I love You” at Carnegie Hall. We are premiering a version that looks like it was taped and recorded in a studio. What can you tell us about this version and where it was recorded?
We’ve become friendly with the City Winery folks over the past few years; I played their David Bowie tribute at Radio City last spring. When I heard they were doing an Aretha tribute at Carnegie Hall this year, I decided that we’d make a video to show them what we could do with her music; I’ve been singing her songs my whole life. We tracked this at Dan Knobler’s Nashville spot, Goosehead Palace. Dan has worked with a long list of awesome people and his studio is a great, low-key place to record.
We brought in Nick Bastoky and his crew to create the video. I wanted to play “Baby, I Love You” because it’s my favorite Aretha tune. Her lead vocal is lights out, the harmonies she sings with her sisters are interesting and cool, Jimmy Johnson’s guitar propels the whole thing but remains really understated, the groove is filthy, and King Curtis is part of the horn section! The Swampers AND King Curtis? That’s not even fair. I tacked on an ending that’s sort of like the outro to Wilson Pickett’s recording of “Hey Jude” because I wanted to kick it up into another gear (I’m also the guy who put a guitar solo on “Silent Night;” can’t help myself).
What was your experience like at the NYC tribute show and how did you get selected to join in on that? Did you select “Baby I Love You?”
After the City Winery folks saw our video, they invited us to play on the show. Believe it or not, I actually found out we were on the show right as I was getting off the subway at 57th Street directly in front of Carnegie Hall. It was surreal; I’ve maybe taken the subway to that spot five times in my whole life, but that day, I happened to be heading up there for a meeting. I always knew that this was the song I wanted to perform; it’s been my favorite Aretha number forever.
Your 2016 album Ron Pope & The Nighthawks was a huge departure from your 2014 album Calling off the Dogs. You have another new album coming out in August titled Work. Can we say “Work” is another big change up from its prior album?
I’d say that over the years, there have been certain albums of mine that follow along a path; “Work” continues along that path. “Daylight” progressed to “Atlanta” and “Ron Pope & The Nighthawks” progressed from that. Those are the records full of band sounds, more guitars, less keyboards, more linear narratives driving the songs; those albums are my take on American rock music. “Work” is the next step along that journey. Other albums of mine, like Calling Off The Dogs felt more like experiments that I needed to try along the way; they’re little tributaries of the main river.
Success is measured in various ways for different musicians. What is your definition of success and do you feel you’ve obtained it yet? If so, when do you feel that success hit?
I think your definition of success needs to evolve over time. When I first started out, the idea that I could make $500 a month with my music to pay the rent on my little bedroom in Harlem and buy some groceries seemed like a fantasy. Once that became a reality, my goals could expand a little. I have never felt like I made it; every day, I’m making it.
How do you explain your ability to be so prolific in such a short period of time? What has allowed you to continue writing such high-quality material consistently? Do your band members have anything to do with the creative process?
I feel compelled to write most of the time. I’ve been writing an average of around 150 complete songs per year for a very long time. Whoever you are, most of what you write is going to be garbage; that’s why you don’t hear 100 songs every year from me. From those 150 tunes each year, maybe we get ten or twelve good ones, and that becomes an album. I cowrite with lots of my friends, both within my touring band and without. That helps to keep the creativity flowing. I try to keep my mind and my ears open. If I hear something that gives me a lyrical idea, I write it down. If a melody pops into my head, I record a little voice note so I don’t forget it. I’m just chasing the muse all day, every day!
Your music has successfully been placed on a number of television programs – what advice would you give to getting their music placed on other media channels?
My music has gotten placements in a very organic fashion. People who like my tunes share them with other people; some of those people have been affiliated with television shows and it goes from there. My only advice here is to make the best music you can; that’s the surest way to see it spread.
You were raised in Georgia but now spend time in NYC, what part of the South stays in your music the most and what part or influences of other parts of the country come most into your sound?
These days, I’m in Nashville a lot of the time when I’m not on the road but it’s all in there, everywhere I’ve ever been. Georgia roadhouses I played growing up, sitting on the sidewalk in The Village outside a bar while two tough guys get in a fight over some girl they just met, working on a loading dock, singing in the subway, so many miles in Texas, Memphis drinking in the street, endless nights in LA, Otis, the Bible, my brother, Stockholm, Albert King, Dylan, talking with Zach Berkman on long van rides to Saskatchewan or Spokane. The journey gets in the records; it’s all part of the gumbo now.
What concert from your childhood/ younger days has had the biggest influence on you as a musician?
Too many to list in one article! I saw Bob Dylan, the Black Crowes, and so many other amazing acts at Music Midtown (a festival in Atlanta) over the course of a bunch of years. All my trips to that festival run together now and feel like one long, unbelievable weekend. We played there a few years ago and I was borderline giddy. That festival was a huge event in my life every year growing up.
