Greg is a family man – a musical family man. He and his wife form a passionate folk/bluegrass duo with a heart-warming story which plays traditional songs and regularly invites fellow musicians to play on their porch. Mr. Edwards talks at length about his songwriting process, emotional concert experiences, and how being on Drooble helped him discover the flute player he’d been searching for forever. This is quite possibly the most wholesome Drooble interview there is!

Hello! Tell the world about yourself. How did you become the musician you are today?

I am Gregory W. Edwards, I was born and raised in the Rolling Hills of Kentucky. As far back as I can remember, my mom made sure we all got up, got ready, and got to church on time. Mom sang In the choir and had a voice like no other. She sang in a band, did choir shows and was a big part of a troop that did a roaring 20’s act. Mom started it all! She let us get involved in music plays in church and school. She made sure I practiced, knew the words, then practiced some more till we had it just right. Mom made music what it was supposed to be. She used to tell us to sing for the Lord… so, If I got to put a finger on how it all started, ya, I blame mom.

Introduce your current musical projects and tell us what makes each one special for you!

A few years back, my wife and I started a Folk/Bluegrass duo called “Reachin Out The Window For Kentucky”. We wanted to take it back old school, traditional, and bring out songs everyone loves and remembers but not many bands play. Especially the old traditional or Original Country style music. There is a great love story on how we got our band name.

When me and my wife were first dating, we both lived in Ohio. On Sundays, we would drive to church at her aunt’s house down in Winchester Kentucky. Every morning, we would have to drive across the bridge from Ohio to Kentucky and my wife would roll down the window, sit up in her seat, she would stretch her arm out the window as far as she could reach. I thought she had lost her mind or I was such a bad date she was going to jump out of the truck. So I ask her one morning what the heck was she doing…

There was bluegrass gospel playin’ on the radio in the background and just as peaceful and normal as one could be, she politely says: Why I’m a going to be in Kentucky before you… I didn’t think about any other name for our band, I mean, how could I… and before you ask, yes, there is a song for our great love story.

Currently, we are working on an album titled “Songs From The Hat”. The title comes from us having a hundred songs that belong on the album, but we can only pick so many. We wrote down the title, put them in a hat, and we take turns picking the next one.

The music in my heart drives itself. It never runs out of gas and there is always something playing in my head I can wait to get out!

How is your local music scene? Do you feel like you fit in?

We live in a college town where the local music scene and its genres stretch from hard core grunge to new age rap and any thing these wonderful young folks can fit in between.
There is no Traditional Folk or Bluegrass Stage locally that we have found. When were are at home you’ll find us pickin’ on the porch and every now and then a local musician will stop by and join in.

What is your all-time favorite record and how did it change you as an artist?

Every time I think I have a new favorite song or album or band, something else I love better comes along and then I need a new favorite list for my favorites.

We love to have fun and we try to take as much work out of the recording as possible. The folks at Presonus and the guys at our local music store 4 O’ Clock Rock sure have helped us out with that.

What is your songwriting process like?

I have a pile of unfinished songs as tall as corn stalk, some songs I started go back to the 1980s… yesterday, I was going through a shoe box looking for something and found a half of a verse to a song I wrote in 1988. I think with that little gem I should finish it this week.. I wonder how can I sneak that little gem into the pickin a song hat.

What is your favorite experience performing live?

I’ll play for strangers in a store, I’ll play for the folks sleeping on a park bench, I have opened and played for number one recording artists and their crowds. The one show that gave me bats where the butterflies should have been was in a church for God, and among about five hundred people, my mom and dad showed up… I just hope it was good enough for the Lord. Mom had a few tears so I know it got to her heart.

What is your biggest musical goal?

I’ve always had one desire when it comes to my music. Make the people feel.

How has being on Drooble helped you as an artist?

The first time I saw Drooble on Facebook, I blew it off, thinking it was just more spacebook or myface spam. Man, was I wrong! A Musician friend sent me the link to Drooble again and told me to join up. It’s really an awesome site and I would be amazed at the folks posting music there. I’ll be 100% honest, it’s beyond my wildest dreams… I can’t believe I never found this before. Where has it been? Wow, just wow.

I am new to Drooble and have been on the site less than two months. I am working on a collaboration of one piece of music I wrote for guitar and flutes. I met a guy on Drooble from Brazil who has the flute sound I have been looking for and could never find… I can’t wait to see what Drooble brings us this year.

Again, I want to thank the folks at Drooble for this opportunity and I want to say thanks for the best music social media site on the internet, ever!