Q&A: Brian Keith Wallen

Brian Keith Wallen appears at the Cincy Blues Fest on Saturday on the Budweiser Main Stage. (Credit: Provided)

Brian Keith Wallen is only 19 years old, but he’s already accomplished more than a lot of musicians do in their entire career.

The self-taught singer/songwriter from Cambridge City, Ind., a village about 15 miles west of Richmond, has self-released 16 albums that he recorded in his home studio including last year’s folky "The Way" and this year’s Delta blues-inspired "Every Mile." He plays 10 instruments like the guitar and dobro, and has performed more than 300 shows, even a few at dentist offices.

In May, Wallen won the Solo/Duo Cincy Blues Challenge, which garnered him a spot at Saturday’s Cincy Blues Fest. We caught up with the wunderkind during a break from his the indefatigable touring.

Do you have any expectations playing the Cincy Blues Fest?
I’m thrilled to be playing at the Cincy Blues Fest, and I expect it to be a great experience. Anytime you have a group of musicians and music lovers gathering together, good things are bound to happen. It has some great history too, and there are a lot of exciting things going on this year, with the rockabilly stage and the fantastic lineup of artists that they have. I found out recently that the Cincy Blues Fest is believed to be the largest all-volunteer blues festival in the U.S. I think that really says a lot about the festival and I can’t wait to be a part of it.

You won the Solo/Duo Cincy Blues Challenge. What was your reaction after winning?
It was a huge moment when I found out that I was the winner. I’ll admit that my heart was beating pretty fast before they made the announcement, just because I knew how much it would mean. Winning the challenge is one of the highlights of my career so far, and it has led to a lot of connections and shows in Cincinnati, in addition to the booking at the Cincy Blues Fest and the chance to compete at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. I can’t thank the Cincy Blues Society enough.

Do you like to play in big cities like Cincinnati?
Cincinnati is hands down my favorite city to play in. It has such a vibrant atmosphere and the music scene is so strong. I really feel like people in Cincy have an appreciation for the arts that is second to none. I’ve played a lot of places, but I’ve never been anywhere like Cincinnati. I love it and I absolutely mean that. I feel at home in Cincy.

What do you bring to your live performances that’s different than your recordings?
My shows have a lot more energy than my records. There is no substitute for playing in front of a live audience, and I really feed off of the crowd. I get into it. When I’m on stage, I don’t hold anything back, and I give it everything I have. The way I look at it, if you aren’t absolutely exhausted and soaked with sweat when you walk offstage, then you aren’t doing something right.

How would you classify your music? Would you even classify it as blues?
I play the blues, but I am a roots musician, meaning that what I do draws deeply from the origins of American blues, folk, bluegrass and jazz music. All of those styles started out in the same place. They all have their own stylistic hallmarks, and they have progressed over the years into what they are today, but they all share a common musical bond. There is very little that separates blues, folk, bluegrass and jazz. Artists like Blind Lemon Jefferson and Robert Johnson took it one direction and became known as the blues. Bill Monroe took it another, and it is known as bluegrass. Jelly Roll Morton took it in yet another, and it became jazz, and so on.

Did growing up in a small town influence your music?
I would say that traveling has actually influenced my songwriting more than anything else. My parents went to a lot of different places around the country on family vacations growing up, and experiencing different cultures has always inspired me to write. And once I started touring, it really opened up my eyes to a lot of new perspectives, which has definitely come through in my songwriting.  Growing up in a small town has definitely shaped me, in good ways and bad. It was a great place to grow up, and the atmosphere you find in little communities like mine can be a wonderful thing, but it can also be somewhat restrictive. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people and visit a lot of different places, in addition to living in a small town.

You’ve already accomplished so much, so what are some goals for yourself? 
In the next couple of years, I want to start touring nationally, and then internationally. A booking agent would be a big help in that regard, so I have high hopes that I’ll be able to make that connection between the Cincy Blues Fest, the International Blues Challenge, and Dollywood. There are a few different philosophies on how to become successful in music, but my view is that touring is the most important thing. I want to get out there and share my music with as many audiences as possible. It’s worked for me to this point, so I hope to just keep growing.