We recently connected with Peter Daily and have shared our conversation below.

Peter, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My dad was a gospel artist who released two albums on a Dallas-based label. His debut, “To All My Friends,” came out in 1969, followed by “Rise Again” in 1970. My father passed away in 2013, and since then, many people have asked me about his albums and if they’re available. So, I’m working with a studio here in LA to mix and remaster them. Additionally, I’m taking a few of my favorite songs from both albums and reimagining them adding new instrumentation to his original vocal tracks. It’s an exciting project, and even though my father passed away 11 years ago, it feels like we’re finally getting a chance to work together musically.

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?

Growing up, music was an integral part of my life. My father and mother were gospel singers, and I spent much of the 1980s traveling across North America and Canada on their tour bus. I performed covers of popular Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) songs at various churches where he had concerts. This nomadic lifestyle imbued me with a deep appreciation for music and its power to connect with people.

In 1991, my family got off the road and relocated to Denver from our hometown of Dallas, as my father took up a pastoral position at a local church. It was during this period that my own musical journey truly began. I started a singing group with a cousin of mine and performed all over Denver with local artists and bands who were influenced by the CCM artists who were big during that era, namely a band called dcTalk. After school, I would often find myself at the church, experimenting on the piano. My mother played a little piano and showed me a few chords. This initial curiosity evolved into something more structured when I started taking lessons from a blind pianist I met at a music store.

This incredible mentor taught me the nuances of playing by ear, helping me identify chords and develop my musical intuition. His guidance was instrumental in shaping my abilities and fostering my growth as a musician. I owe a great deal of my development to him. So, thanks Brian, wherever you are.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Invest. Society doesn’t invest in music and art like they used to. When I was growing up there weren’t any streaming services. You had to go to a store like Tower Records to get whatever albums or singles you wanted. Recently I heard that Taylor Swift has had 77 billion streams in 2024 so far. In 1966, the Beatles had sold over 150 million records world wide since the release of their first album. 150 million people physically got up and went into a store and bought their albums. Nothing against Taylor Swift or her music, I like her, I’m a Swifty. I just think the effort that 150 million people took in 1966 to buy those Beatle albums is a bit more impressive than someone using clicking “add song” on a streaming service they pay a monthly fee for. And it’s not a secret how bad streaming services pay artists and bands. I love the technology we have and the ability to be able to access music so quickly but, I believe the consumption of music has been severely cheapened by the model in which streaming services operate by.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

When I first listened to albums like Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life” and The Beatles “Abbey Road,” I was moved and inspired so deeply, it really influenced my thinking on the world and humanity and that in turn affected how I looked at people that weren’t the same as me. It made me want to be a better human. I bought in to the message of love and peace and togetherness. A lot has changed since those albums came out. People seemed to care about life and others a bit more back then than they do now. There’s a lot of division in the United States right now. Enough to drive any stable minded person bonkers. It can feel a bit heavy but I still believe in the power of music and it’s ability to set people free. That is what drives me creatively. Will what I’m writing about change the world? I don’t know, but if I didn’t have faith that it could, I wouldn’t be doing it. I heard Charley Crockett, a great singer songwriter from my home state of Texas say in an interview that he writes for the heart, not for the charts. I like that.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.peterdailymusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterdaily/
• Facebook: facebook.com/peterdailymusic
• Youtube: http://youtube.com/peterdaily