We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dhalton Horsman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dhalton below.

Dhalton, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I sometimes wish i had started singing sooner in my career; which was about 2018,, Back in high school the choir teacher was always trying to get me to join, always saying “c’mon man, its in there, let it out” i did not know what “it” was but i do now.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Dhalton Horsman. I was born in Claremore, Oklahoma. I’m Native American from Shawnee, Serrano, Cahuilla decent. I have been into music since a very young age. This came from riding around Oklahoma in my dad’s truck or going through his endless stacks of CD’s; just grooving along. My dad has always had a huge appreciation of music and he passed that on to me, for sure. The first riff that I remember really taking ahold of me was on John Lee Hooker’s No More Doggin. It shook me to the soul. When I was about 11, my father got me a black Squier Precision Bass Guitar, i picked that up, and was really digging it. I played in the middle school jazz band for a minute before they kicked me out for sliding on the neck excessively! The first time I heard Led Zeppelin play Kashmir is also the first time I asked my father for an electric guitar. I dove deep, going through magazines filled with TABS, youtube, and constantly practiced. I went from being on the high school football team to wailing my guitar onstage at the schools end of year talent show (I thought it was cool but looking back a full band maaaay have been more enjoyable for the audience). After high school I tried to get a band going in Tulsa, that did not work; it was such a small scene and i couldn’t find the right fit. I saw a tonne of Nashville bands come through town and figured that’s where i needed to be. So i packed up at 19 and made my move and have been here ever since. I hadn’t thought about songwriting but something about Nashville just brings it out of you. I wrote a few songs and got a drummer and bass player. As a three piece we began playing dives around town. In 2021, Teddy Nabozny joined the band on electric guitar. His input was the first time I felt challenged. He was exceptional and he had ideas. Before, I had been writing all the songs – lyrics, melodies, all the parts and handing them to the players to repeat and it was getting kinda stale. Teddy was different, he had opinions and wanted to bring his own beat to the songs which I loved. He’s a killer slide player. A few shows in with Teddy the drummer and bassist quit right before we were called on stage. They wanted to make more money on Broadway. We played the show and went our separate ways. Teddy and I wanted to keep going. Eventually we found Sam Daly, graphic designer (he does all our album artwork and posters along with my wife Sophie’s photography) of psychedelic band Zipp Zapp, he usually play guitar but he just happens to be an absolute monster on the drums and Ben Garner on bass who joined in 2023. All three bring their own styles and voices to the band. We all write different parts and bring them in and see what we can work with! Its family style and it pushes us all in different directions which gives us our unique style. You’ll hear Allman Brothers, Hendrix, Howlin’ Wolf and many more seeping their way into our songs and sets. I also pay homage to my native roots in my songwriting. From storytelling to rhythmic drumbeats reminiscent of the tribal ceremonies I grew up participating in the music has the heart of my people pulsing through it.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I believe my purpose is to follow the path of my ancestors Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa. They are both leaders that made an impact on my people, the Shawnee, and the world around them. Having that same blood run through me and find it’s voice through music is a powerful thing I’m learning to harness. Music has always brought people together and I hope, through my heritage and song I can do that too.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Go to shows!! Buy a ticket, buy the merch, tip the band, buy a record! Be physically apart of that bands world where possible because streaming is killing us. Touring is so hard to make profitable but I could not imagine being a musician without a crowd.

My best advice is to always be in the moment – take one picture/video but then put your phone away for the rest of the show and be present!! The more people engaging the better the show’s energy always is. Whether its an art show, spoken word. or a rock concert the artists and creatives are giving you a piece of themselves and that should be respected and enjoyed through your eyes not a screen. The more we engage with one another face to face the more magic we’ll find in the everyday.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.atribeofhorsman.com/
• Instagram: @atribeofhorsman
• Facebook: @atribeofhorsman
• Youtube: @atribeofhorsman

Image Credits
Sophie Grace Horsman