Photo Credit: Olivia Wolf
Many have a year or two of their life that weigh a little heavier than others in retrospect. Taylor McCall may not have been connecting the dots as at seven, but in hindsight that year shifted a lot in his reality. Keep reading on to find out all that transpired as well as what has happened since in this singer-songwriter’s life. From teaching himself guitar to the significance of a few full moons, all of that and then some have led to the February 2nd release of ‘Mellow War,’ an album that pays homage to his late grandfather during a pretty big moment in his own life – when he was overseas serving in Vietnam. All of that and then some as we get into it with Taylor McCall.
Kendra: It’s long been said that creative people tend to channel their pain into art, and at 7 you got your guitar but also lost your home and your grandfather. Do you think those unfortunate events are what pushed you to keep at the guitar at such a young age?
Taylor McCall: At that young you’re not thinking about that. Over the years it has evolved into where I channel all of my feelings into my music and art, while also remaining introspective and engrained in the message I’m supposed to be passing along.
Kendra: You wound up teaching yourself, but when did you start to sing along to what you were playing and then realize – okay, there’s something here?
Taylor McCall: When I was in Montana, it was just years of playing the guitar, not really knowing what I was doing. I was learning over my whole life what I wanted to actually play. When I was in Montana, first starting to write music, it just happened and the words and music flowed harmoniously. It wasn’t a conscious thought as much as it was an action that happened to me.
Kendra: Because you actually had plans to become a fishing guide, but music called you back. Now here you are with your sophomore album, ‘Mellow War,’ an homage to your grandfather coming out in early February 2024. If you could spend a day with him listening to this record out on a boat fishing, what lake do you think would fit the tone of the album best for a day out with him?
Taylor McCall: I’d be out on a river at Between the Lakes on the Madison River in Montana because that’s where the fishing is good.
Kendra: And let’s not forget, this album was inspired by his time serving during Vietnam. You said these songs were what you imagined his letters home to have been like. Were there any actual letters to reference, or tales you may have heard from him or your other family members that you were able to pull from as well?
Taylor McCall: My grandpa would say about this picture, “That’s me smokin’ Lucky Strikes and dodgin’ bullets.” That being said, the record isn’t just about that either. The letters-from-home idea is only the surface level of this embodiment of work. As you dive deeper there are multiple spiritual meanings, some that I know about and some that I don’t know about. There are meanings in here that mean something to me one day and something entirely different the next. I hope that’s how everyone experiences this album.
Kendra: Speaking of touring, you spent the fall of 2023 in the UK with Robert Plant. Which, iconic. How did you react when you officially booked that, and how was it once you got on the road and opened for him?
Taylor McCall: The first important thing to note about the Robert Plant tour is that I found out on a full moon, the first show was on a full moon and the last show was on a full moon. It’s just been too mind-blowing of an experience to process, even still after having done it, I still can’t actually realize that it happened. It’s something you dream about as a kid and literally can’t ever imagine it coming to fruition, but you always have a sliver of hope in the back of your mind.
Kendra: Time for a side note – With it being January and us all starting a new year, I’d love to know what non-musical resolution you have set for yourself.
Taylor McCall: You can always change a million things, but I currently am in a space where I feel at peace where I’m at a very happy place. I’m not planning on going to hot yoga on Tuesdays every week, but I do plan on continuing to eat Oatmeal Cream Pies.
Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Mellow War’ out on February 2nd, what else can fans be on the lookout for as we get into 2024?
Taylor McCall: There will be more touring, more art, more videos, and more music.
