Photo Credit: Lauren Nieves 

The headline for this piece went over the heads of anyone under the age of 30 as those youth-filled people likely never endured a reality in which ‘Dawson’s Creek’ was one of the most talked about TV shows on earth. It’s theme song etched into the minds of everyone, even those who didn’t watch. To its credit though, Paula Cole’s “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” is insanely better than the show it played ahead of.

Alas, all these years later we finally have an answer and it’s Carter Vail; a singer-songwriter whose plans were foiled by the reality of 2020, but lessons were learned, locations shifted, and now the show – as always – will go on. Quite literally, Carter Vail is set to tour with Yung Gravy soon, playing songs off his July 2024 release, ‘100 Cowboys,’ due out on the 19th. We talked about all of the above, except Paula. Perhaps next time, but now it’s about Nashville, sad songs, and great mustaches. 

Kendra: So a while back you took your degree to Nashville and started making music there. Not a bad place for a music-minded person to be, but at some point your journey led you to where you are now, Los Angeles. Being that you tackled two titans when it comes to entertainment cities, which would you say is the best for a creator and which is the best for a music fan? 

Carter Vail: I moved to Nashville at perhaps the worst time possible. I arrived there with the rest of my college band to open a recording studio, and we were immediately shut down by the pandemic. So for the three years I lived in Nashville, I don’t feel like I got a good understanding of what the city was really about. 

That being said, I think Nashville was a great incubator for me to really figure out what I wanted to do/begin my music career because it was so much more manageable than LA. I think LA is the best place to be a creator of any sort because there are so many talented, creative people around doing wildly different things. Nashville, however, is the perfect place if you are a music fan because of the proximity of so much amazing live music. You can see 10 incredible live bands in one night without breaking a sweat. That’s not the kind of night I’m trying to have, but you could do that!

Kendra: Speaking of Nashville, let’s talk about the single that shares its name. I’ve been listening to ‘60 Songs that Explain the ‘90s’ and the host, Rob Harvilla, often says that a lot of the happiest-sounding songs are the saddest. “Nashville” is no different. Why do you think songwriters often mask their sadness with lighter musical arrangements? 

Carter Vail: I don’t know if I can speak for songwriters in general, but I personally don’t write sad-sounding songs because I don’t like listening to sad-sounding songs. A lot of the lyrics on this record are sad, but making the track sound sad as well would be beating a dead horse. Emotional overkill. There’s also something particularly poignant about one sad character in a happy scene. Everyone expects crying at a funeral, but there’s something more interesting about crying at a birthday party.

Kendra: One song I found not sad, but rather a bit empowering was “Harder to Kill” because I often think we believe we’re weaker than we are. Something you mirror with lines like “I should be harder to kill.” Was there an instance when you were in the process of making this record that made you realize you’re actually stronger than you can maybe give yourself credit for that inspired this one? 

Carter Vail: Interestingly enough, I think of “Harder to Kill” as the saddest song on the record! I suppose it’s up to the eye of the beholder though. “Harder to Kill,” to me, is about how I thought I’d be tougher in the face of a breakup than I actually was. I, like a lot of 20-something men, carry with me an unearned sense of toughness. It wasn’t until I was dumped last year that I realized just how fragile I was. 

Kendra: On top of being a musician, you’re also a NAGA jiu-jitsu gold medalist and TikTok creator. With that, what do you think is harder on the mind…athletic training or figuring out how to keep the viral moments going? 

Carter Vail: The nice thing about athletics is that I’m able to shut off my mind. The main reason I do Jiu-Jitsu is because it’s very hard to think about making TikTok songs when someone is trying to choke you. It’s the ultimate distraction. I think being consistently creative can be difficult, but it’s also very rewarding. Creativity is like any other muscle, the more you use it, the easier it gets. That being said, making TikTok songs is harder on the mind.

Kendra: Well, I’m sure the album will go as viral as your videos and perhaps might lead to a spaghetti western of your own but I’d love to know…if you could travel back in time with a copy of ‘100 Cowboys’ and make it the soundtrack to a western movie, which would it be and why? 

Carter Vail: I love the movie ‘Tombstone.’ I love the mustaches (all real, by the way!). I love Val Kilmer’s swagger. I think it’d have to be ‘Tombstone.’

Kendra: Time for a side note – With it being summertime, I’d love to know what is your go-to backyard, get-together song that you feel really helps bring everyone together?

Carter Vail: My current fave is “Sober” by Childish Gambino. It just feels so good.

Kendra; Lastly, with ‘100 Cowboys’ out on July 19th, what else can fans expect as we dive deeper into the summer months?

Carter Vail: Well, we’re going on tour with Yung Gravy soon, which I am unbelievably excited about. I think we’ll have a little headline tour after that, and I’m hoping to get back in the studio starting August and get back to cooking up the next project. Should be a music-filled summer, so keep on the lookout!