Interview with Back in the Saddle By: Dennis M. Kelly Chicago Music Guide

#1 Carl & Jim, when did you first pick up the guitar and start playing?
Jim was 12 years old and Carl was 7 years old.

#2 Does your family have a strong musical background?
Our dad played in bands for over 40 years

#3 Who were some of the influences that inspired you to create Back In the Saddle?
Our dad was the biggest influence we had. We enjoyed the musical aspect so much that we just kept the tradition going.

#4 How old was Jeremiah when he joined on with the band?
Jeremiah was about 14 years old when he started playing.

#5 Jim, did Jeremiah show an interest in music or did you encourage him in that direction first?
He definitely showed an interest in playing music. I encouraged him from there.

#6 Was Joe Smith's departure from the band and Adam Ward's arrival the only lineup change that Back In the Saddle have experienced?
Fortunately yes. We do a lot of harmonies in our music and having the same voices over the years definitely helps.

#7 You had released your debut CD entitled "Back In the Saddle" in 1998, is that still doing well for you these days?
Yes, very well. We also give away a couple in trivia contests, etc during the shows.

#8 Do you have plans on putting together another CD anytime in the future?
Not at this time. Possibly in the near future. We haven't really had time to write new material. We hired a Manager in 2006 and she keeps us very busy. We're hoping 2007 will be just as successful.

#9 How many original songs do you have in your set list now?
We currently play 3 of our original songs during our performances, Amy (please come save me), Cowboy Boogie and Being Lonely Ain't Cool.

#10 Does everyone write music and lyrics for the band or do you have a chief writer?
Jim and Carl write all our original material.

#11 Do you tend to write lyrics before music or vice versa?
The music usually comes to mind first. Once we have a tune, we put words to it.

#12 When you write new material, do you fashion your songs in any particular style of say (Merle Haggard or any other country performer) or do you specifically focus on trying to come up with something totally and uniquely you?
It's mostly our version of how we feel our song should sound.

#13 What percentage of original songs to cover songs do you tend to play?
About 10%. It also depends on the crowd. If we are in a place where the crowd is familiar with us, we may add a couple more of our songs per request by the audience.

#14 It seems Back In the Saddle would tend to focus most of its energy on performances. What sort of rewards (if you will) do you get out of it and also what do you feel the audiences come away with after one of your shows?
We love performing. It is great to be able to interact with the audience. When they are having a good time, we have a good time. Sometimes we get so caught up in it, we play right through our breaks! We have been told that whatever song we are doing, the audience feels they are actually hearing the original performer. We want our audience to leave a performance feeling great and wanting more. We get a lot of E-mails requesting we play festivals or fairs we have played the previous year. We always thank them and ask that they send their request to the entertainment committee for that particular event. It’s so great to get those kinds of requests.

#15 Have you played in the Chicago area at all yet or anywhere near Nashville?
We have been asked to play in Chicago but haven't managed to get up that way yet. We played near Nashville in our earlier days. We have families so we try to stay within 100 mile radius. But, sometimes the opportunities are too good to pass up so we travel some when possible. The furthest we traveled in 2006 was to Marshall MO, for the Missouri Valley College Homecoming.

#16 Have you been able to acquire some performances in some of the larger venues that you've wanted to play yet? If so, what venues if you don't mind me asking?
Yes, in Illinois we have played the IL State Fair and we also had the opportunity to play at the America Center in St. Louis, MO for a national convention. That was awesome!

#17 What have some of the bands proudest moments been so far?
It's hard to focus on just one. We have won a couple "Battle of the Bands", "Talent Showcases", had our music played on local and international radio and TV. But seeing our audiences having a great time definitely makes us feel proud.

#18 What have some of the biggest challenges been for the band so far?
Keeping everything in sync and keeping up with the current trends in music.

#19 Where do you see the band going from here in 2007?
We are looking forward to having a great 2007. We would love to play as many fairs and festivals as possible. We would also like to open for some of the national acts touring this summer.

#20 Where can people catch one of your shows next?
They can log on to our website, www.backinthesaddleinfo.com, and check out our schedule as well as other interesting things about the band. We keep our schedule up to date on there also.

#21 Do you have any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
Be sure to get out this year and support the local music playing near you. Also, if you like a band, be sure to let the event committees and/or venues know. That is the best advertising a band could hope for. If you hear a band you like while out or on myspace, be sure to tell your friends about it. We love hearing how much someone enjoyed our performance and we have made a lot of new friends on myspace!

We would like to thank you. We appreciate your interest in the band and giving us the opportunity to share our love for music