Norman's Caleb McGee stopped by Second Wind Coffeehouse to talk about his musical, his influences and his upcoming Norman Music Festival performance. He will be performing at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday April 27 at the Gray Street Stage.
With Norman Music Fest coming up so soon, how are you feeling?
Good, a little nervous, but that’s good.
What are you most excited for about returning to the festival?
I’m excited to play with my band again. I’ve been doing a lot of solo stuff lately because I found day work, and I don’t do as much music anymore, so I don’t get to play with the fellas as much. We’re gonna have a good time to get to be together again.
How would you describe your sound in three words?
Old school rock and roll.
Who are some of your greatest musical influences?
Muddy Waters is a huge one, and I can’t get enough of the outlaw country guys — Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings. I love Elvis, huge Elvis fan. All over the place, but mostly like that period of time in the late 50s to early 70s when country and blues and gospel, and all these different kinds of music started to kind of bleed together in the South and spread all over the place. I just, I love that mix.
I had a great time listening to Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” for that same reason. Like all of these influences come together, and they make a product that’s bigger than the sum of the parts. It’s really cool.
What got you started in music?
I was a singer when I was a little kid, and I got my first guitar when I was 14, 25 years ago. I did music all through school, and then I tried all sorts of jobs and never really found the one that fit me. When I was about 25 I decided to give it a shot and just see what a career in music would be like.
What has been the most impactful or formative moment of your career?
A toss-up between the Main Stage here at the Norman Music Festival ... that was my first big “Oh, I made it,” y’know. And then in 2017, I went and competed in the International Blues Challenge with a band in Memphis. We made it to the top 40 in the world on that, and that was really gratifying.
How would you say that you have grown as an artist?
I’m a lot more willing to listen to what people want now instead of just doing what I think is right all the time. I’ve mellowed a lot — I’m not a pirate kind like I used to be, y’know? ... I think it’s more that I’ve grown as a person than as an artist.
What are some of your favorite places to go around here?
Pizza Shuttle is always a win. I love The Deli – I used to stand outside of that bar before I was old enough to get in and watch Mike Hosty through the windows. It’s a chunk of history and a lot, a lot, a lot, of people have played there. I love the Bluebonnet, the oldest bar in town.
What can people expect from your show?
We’re gonna be after it. We’re gonna be real rowdy; I plan to get real sweaty. I’m gonna put everything I’ve got into it.
If you had to choose one song to play from your setlist, what would it be?
Probably one of mine called “Walking” because it fits, like, you can do it real fast, you can do it real slow.
I’m happy with my lyrics that I put on there, and I like to hit the notes and see what else I can come up with on that one. It’s a good key for my voice to be a little acrobatic.
Why is Oklahoma’s music community important to you?
Oklahoma’s music community has a long history of making its children go elsewhere to make a living. But, the adversity and just the grind of it makes for strong bonds between musicians, and those bars and clubs and venues that do pay well, and that do take good care of you, there’s a family aspect to it. A lot of us who do this don’t necessarily come from the best family life — not everybody, by any means — but a lot of us don’t, and we kind of find that with each other.
Why should people come to Norman Music Festival?
Well, it’s free, it’s gonna be beautiful outside, there’s gonna be a ton of people. There’s gonna be all sorts of art. It’s not just music, there’s gonna be crafts, there’s gonna be all sorts of booths. You can find anything you want there.
When I was still active and doing music for a living, I called it Christmas time for the bar people. And that’s really what it is. We shut the street down and we have a great time for three days.
This story was edited by Emma Blakley. Sophie Hemker and Avery Avery copy edited this story.
