We recently connected with Aaron Deyarmon and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Aaron thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
How did I learn to do what I do? As in songwriting? Well, self taught via the masters of songwriting, I suppose and woodshedding my guitar. Learning to play the songs I wrote and playing those songs hundreds and thousands of times each just so I know how to play them and be ready to deliver them live.
You asked, “ Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process?” I’m not sure that I could have sped up the learning process in any other way other than, I could have started sooner. But ultimately life and choices dictates our time. What is great about life is you can change your path at anytime and restructure your time anyway you like as well. To keep learning! That is the key and do it at any pace you like.
What skills do you think were most essential? Communication with the audience. Both verbal and nonverbal communication, connecting with the audience on a personal level and developing a relationship with them while being on stage. It’s necessary to engage with your listeners and it’s so rewarding as an artist to do so. From a performance standpoint, nothing is better when the audience is locked in with what we are playing for them. To have the audience cheering a song they never heard or have a full room is so quiet after playing a soft song, you could hear a pin drop. Learning to connect with the crowd is essential.
What obstacles stood in the way of learning more? I’m not sure anything can stop me from learning more on this side of the grave. Ha ha! I will say that what stood in the way of moving more quickly as far as my guitar skills are concerned. Bad eye hand coordination has played havoc on learning my instrument. Although my ears are great tools, my hand and eyes often miscommunicate, ha ha. However tenacity is another useful skill I have developed. Never give up!
Aaron , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Aaron DeYarmon and I am the creator and band leader for Graveyard Pete and the New Appalachian Sound. We are a seven piece, independent Americana/Folkrock band. I remember our first gig was this cool pizza shop and bar called Benito’s Backstreet. Small place with handful of tables and a nice wooden bar. Cheep, strong drinks and good food. Mike and I played there several times and from there we just started calling venues and trying to get the sound out anyway we could. Since then we have grown a great deal. In the three years Graveyard Pete and the New Appalachian Sound has been in business we have released our first self produced EP, Sunbury Underground (available on most streaming services), were official finalists for 2024 International Singer-Songwriter Association Album of the Year and Band of the Year, We won World Songwriting Awards Fall 2023 for Best Traditional Country Song with, Cross The Ravenswood Bridge and we had two top ten finishes from WSA for Rotten Wood and Castles in the Sand. We also will have a new full length album, Castles In The Sand, available early 2025.
Our approach, path and success is as unique as our sound and stage presence. Our live shows, whether it’s just solo acoustic, two piece with a fiddle player, three piece with Mike’s bass groove or Will’s tasty guitar leads or the full six or seven piece band bringing the house down.. We play our original songs and love the audience’s attention and respect that we receive. We love playing live shows and we love recording music. Our goal is take you on a musical journey and take you from the monotony of life a few minutes at a time. You should definitely come see a show or stream a tune.
I am most proud of my family and my team. My wife who believes in me and this crazy project so much that her support is un-repayable except for love. My team of musicians who have taken simple folk songs and added a quality and depth of sound to my songs that I only could hear in my head or as they reverberated off my acoustic guitar. These dear people have made all of our success possible as well as our industry friends who help clear the way.
We want people to know our music is for them. Live show, backyard bbq, driving solo down the highway, big truck, small car; it don’t matter, we’re here with you on this crazy planet at the same time. We’re going with love. That’s who we are.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The return love from our fans and especially at that point when they become fans. To have taken an idea and work that idea into a finished piece of art that inspires emotion in other humans who share that emotion back to us. To see and feel the listeners be taken by our music, that is where the most internal reward comes from.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
To spread love, music and hope to help combat the opioid and suicide epidemics that are tearing families apart. Particularly in the Appalachian Mountains. If we reach just one person, we can reach another one.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://graveyardpete.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/graveyard_pete.nas?igsh=MWZzZHBxcjY1OTdvbw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Graveyardpete.NAS
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@gypnas?si=FzxV7HCtEOZUtXJm
Image Credits
Fred Langford