I think 2020 is not only going to be a hell of a chapter in future history textbooks, but one I think everyone wants to forget. I knew the world was ending after Kobe's death... RIP to a legend, but what's going to bring us back into good spirits as we head into summer? Of course some cold beer, maybe some days out on the lake and pretending that yard work is fun. But, there is nothing like rolling your windows down, driving down the highway on a sunny day pumping some good ole Country Music through your speakers... And I truly believe I have found the Summer Anthem we don't want, but NEED... and yes, Todd Cameron delivers a beauty on his debut single "Denim Days, Neon Nights" like does it get more American than that?
Get To Know Todd
Originally from Princeton, West Virginia Todd made the move to Music City in 2012. From his youth until recently, Todd has been a part of several bands and has always had a passion for music. He talks about how he first started playing at church when he was around 10 years old. Before venturing out as a solo artist, Todd was in a band called Adairs Run for close to a decade. He credits Adairs Run for being an influential part in getting his feet wet in chasing his dream of playing music. One thing Todd touched on was the ability to travel all over the country with Adairs Run landing shows in "30 somethin'" states and has the goal to one day hit all 50. Moving into the future, Todd has decided to chase his dream on his own and is kicking off that journey with his debut single "Denim Days, Neon Nights" which was released on this past Monday June 8th. Todd described himself as "a backwoods country guy from West Virginia that's got a lot of stories to tell in the form of a country song with a little bit of Rock 'N Roll"... Excited to see what Todd has in store after he hit his debut single out of the park.
The Summer Anthem We Needed
Wait for it... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? If this song doesn't make you want to shotgun a beer then go do a cannonball in the lake then I just don't know about you. This mountaineer is bringin' the heat with an upbeat vibe. Then add that young reckless attitude that makes you reminisce of the days you used to burn rubber around town all day and night with your best friends. This is the kind of songs that brings communities together for a mid-day barbecue or a late night block party... Expecting "Denim Days, Neon Nights" to be a hit for years to come.
Inspiration behind "Denim Days, Neon Nights"
Produced By: Andrew Capra
Written By: Todd Cameron, Andrew Capra, Dan Harrison & Mitch Shoenman
"I went on a writer's retreat with a couple of buddies of mine, it was right before coronavirus hit. It was middle of winter and cold and me and a couple of buddies wanted to get out and go somewhere warmer and bounced around the idea and on Monday or Tuesday just decided to do it. So we packed out went to a place with a beach and got a condo for a few days. We ended up writing about three songs that weekend. It was fun, we had a blast. So, this song Dan brought the idea to the table at one of the writes and as we were talked about no matter where you go, everyone is a little different, but everyone is the same. Like we all get up in the morning and do what we gotta do, then when we get out of work and go straight to the bar and go have a good time. It also has a deeper meaning like the denim part of it, obviously we got the references in their like Levi's... Wrangler all that stuff, but it's just saying it's who we are, we are work hard, play hard people. It's simple, like you can go to Texas, Florida, West Virginia and there is going to be people just like me... that's pretty cool."
Q & A With Todd Cameron
Who is your biggest inspiration that made you chase your dream in music?
"Man, I have a ton of different artists that influenced me, but I can't narrow it down to just one. I can give one from each world honestly. So, I was a huge George Strait fan growing up my parents used to listen to him. I would always watch CMT all day long and those music videos is what I craved, I would always wait for videos to come back around so I could watch it again. Definitely George Straight, but also in the Rock world I was a huge Bryan Adams fan, a Canadian Rocker... he's awesome man. Just reading some of the stories how he made some of his albums is amazing. He would go with like one other guy to a hotel or cabin in the woods and would write and record a whole album in like a week and a half or two weeks or somethin', I got to go refresh my brain on that one haha. He's just got some sick melodies and guitar riffs, I love that kind of rock. From the guitar and melody perspective I've been more that way and then with how I carry myself and the vocals more on the Country Music side of things."
What would the perfect day be for you?
"Dude, I think the perfect day is waking up, and thanking the good lord for another day and getting a little cardio in with some boxing. Then, once I get going just getting in some water and throwing some poles in the water, hanging out with some friends and crankin' whatever is on the radio... just some feel good music. And honestly, I don't even need to be around a lot of people, just a few of my closest friends and then settling on the dock and get a little fire going and roasting some hot dogs or marshmallows. Just simple."
If you could be any superhero who would you be and why?
"Ah man, you know what dude. I was always a big Spiderman guy. I thought it was so cool him always swinging around.I think why is because obviously every superhero is trying to stop the bad guys, but I thought it was a cool story about a kid who wasn't really popular and it was cool to see something happen to a guy that didn't have that 1 up in life. It was awesome that he just genuinely just wanted to do good."
What Made you pursue music?
" Besides my idols, I learned to structure a song and for me it was a way to express my feelings and also I wanted people to enjoy what I was writing and to understand what I was saying. I just wanted people to hear me. It has never been about the money for me, don't get me wrong I love to get money back, but it has just been about the fun and being on stage and having others listen to what you have to say. It's cool to help people forget about their problems for a few hours at a show and that's exactly what I wanted."