Old Dominion is Not Your Average Come-And-Go Country Act
Competing for a place at the top of the Country Music charts can be a daunting task. Yet, Old Dominion makes it looks easy as pie. With multiple number one songs, this five-guy band has proved they’re not your average come-and-go country act. They’re here to stay.
Following the success of their debut album Meat and Candy, the dudes of Old Dominion are back at it again with a recently released sophomore record, Happy Endings. Combining a mix of timeless country charm with witty lyrics and rock ‘n’ roll grit, this band is every bit as talented as they are unique.
We caught up with band as they’re enjoying the ride on tour to chat about their hit single No Such Thing As A Broken Heart, what the dynamic of the group is like on the road and what they hope their fans will take away from this album.
CHLOE MAGAZINE: Let’s talk a bit about No Such Thing As A Broken Heart—the lead single off of your second album, Happy Endings.
We wrote that song on our tour bus with our buddy Jesse Frasure. Jesse had built a musical track on his computer, and we didn't really have an idea what to write to that day. But Matthew at one point sang, "I wonder if Jack and Diane ever made it after the drums and the guitar is all faded"—we didn't know what that meant but we knew we were off and running.
We had a lot of the lyrics written before we had the hook. But when Trevor said, "you gotta love like there's no such thing as a broken heart” we immediately knew that that summed up everything we had written up to that point.
This song just really stems from the state of the world, all the negativity on TV and our questions of how to deal with that as parents. And really what it boils down to in our opinion is that you can't worry or focus so much on the possible negatives. You just have to live your life to the fullest and appreciate every moment.
CHLOE MAGAZINE: The music video is also really cute! What made you guys go with a video game theme?
Our director Steve Condon is very creative. He has directed all of our videos, and he knows us very well. We just try to have fun with our videos—not take ourselves too seriously. When he drew up the treatment for the video, we immediately thought it looked fun and interesting.
CHLOE MAGAZINE: You’ve have had a few other chart-topping singles. What’s that been like and how does it inspire you to keep making music?
Our whole lives we dreamed of having songs on the radio, so really it is a dream come true. We are so thankful for the success, and hopefully the hits will continue to come. You work so hard to make music you love, and to see it actually work and connect with the people is very validating.
CHLOE MAGAZINE: What’s the dynamic of the group like when you’re on tour?
We were friends long before we had a band together, so really it is just five friends traveling the world together and enjoying every minute of it. We wake up laughing with each other and basically don't stop all day. We usually try to get some exercise, maybe write some music, and then it just depends on where we are. For example, in Montana we spent a whole day on the lake. Or depending on the city we are in we will try to find something local and fun to do.
CHLOE MAGAZINE: How do you guys think you’ve grown as a band in the last couple years? How has your music developed?
As a band, I think we have just tried to constantly get to the next level, whether that be stepping up our live show production, or stretching the boundaries of our music. Success has helped us really understand who we are as a band and what it means to be Old Dominion.
As far as the music, I think the sound has maybe matured a little bit, but at the heart of it we are still just trying to write great, catchy songs that people can relate to. Essentially we try to make music that we love and we just trust that if we love it then others will love it too.
CHLOE MAGAZINE: Where do you draw inspiration from for your music?
We draw inspiration for our music in many different ways. Sometimes it starts with a melody or guitar riff. Sometimes it starts with a title or catchphrase. But regardless of how it starts, really the only way to write a great song is to draw from life experiences, whether they’re your own or someone you know personally.
Other artists or songs that we love also inspire us. We have a diverse musical background—it’s easy to hear the many different styles and genres that have influenced how we make our own music.
CHLOE MAGAZINE: What do you want fans to take away from this album? And what can we expect from you next?
We just hope that people continue to make our music a part of their lives. We were so proud of our first album Meat and Candy, and with this album we just wanted to show that we are here to stay. We are super proud of Happy Endings and we hope our fans love it as much as we loved making it.
This article was written by Melina Morry and appeared in Chloe Magazine's Fall/Winter 2017 print issue.