Marshall Dane’s infectious blend of country and rock is set to blaze a trail in the summer of 2014. Country by definition, but fueled by rock and roll and infected with a watermelon-sized helping of hope, love and salvation, Marshall’s the kind of guy you want to have on your side when the going gets tough in this world and his new album “One Of These Days” is set to be your alibi.
Marshall Dane’s latest album – for which he was a CMAO nominee in several categories including Male Artist and Album Of The Year – and featuring the new single “One Of These Days”, puts life back in to the swing of things, driven by a swirling blast of fabulous melodies that gives you a country rush right from the get-go.
“One Of These Days is about how I deal with the curves life throws,” says Marshall. “It’s not really about where I’ve been but more so about where I am now…where I wanna go…and how I’m gonna get there, wherever ‘there’ is.“
One of These Days has country in its veins topped up with doses of rock, pop and a side helping of soul. This latest collection is never far away from a radio-friendly corner, whether it’s the thrill of “Living It Up” or the reflective energy of “How Do I Get There From Her.”
Recorded in London, Ontario across June of 2012, “One Of These Days” is the follow-up to Marshall’s successful Running Stop Signs, released in 2010.
Born in Southern Ontario, Marshall grazed on a rich fix of music, from the country sounds of his preacher dad – “He first taught me how to play “The Farmer’s Song” on guitar” – through his mum – in his own words the strongest, toughest, hardest working woman he’s ever met – who played piano in the evenings to his four sisters and two brothers and through his own musical discoveries from Johnny Denver to Michael Jackson – “Thriller was the first album I bought, on cassette!”
Playing his first solo gig at 15 for thirty five bucks and a plate of cheesecake, Marshall tried working in a band before eventually taking fate in to his own hands in 2008 and headed down to Nashville for a master-class in composing country songs.
“Best move ever!” he roars recalling how he quickly got to know the country music capital’s song writers and music publishers. Within nine months he had gathered a repertoire of exciting new tunes. “I was encouraged to submit a song for a local songwriting competition at a country radio station,” he recalls with a grin. “Low and behold I won the contest. The prize? To open up for Emerson Drive and perform for an audience of country music fans.”
His appearance bagged him a deal with The Agency Group, opening for Alan Jackson in 2010,
a tour in early 2011 and then a nomination to represent the New Artist Showcase at the
2011 CCMA’s.
“I’ve been playing the circuit for a few years, consistently making sure to deliver a first class performance til the last note, even if the club had only four people in it! I’d rock it as best I could, hoping that one day someone who could change things and bring me to the next level would walk right in.”
That’s just what happened in June 2011 when Don Burton (The Cranberries/Gold Lake (w/Danny Goldberg) and “The Beav” caught his act. “I can even tell you the time,” he laughed, “it was 1:55am on June 21st! They heard one and half songs and the rest is history.”
Purposely influencing the musical presence on the album, “One Of These Days” features a range of new musicians in the Dane recording household. ”Producer Dan Brodbeck introduced me to Jeff Fountain (bass), Corey Thompson (drums) and Mike Bonnell (keys) and I introduced him to Doug Johnson (steel) and Shane Guse (fiddle). The combination was intense. Amazing.”
While Marshall will always prefer the live stage to the vocal booth he believes the “One Of These Days” sessions have turned out to be his best work to date. “I was excited to explore a different studio, producer and styles. I wanted to see what the other players would bring to the recording. I was blown away with the results.”
Of the songs on the album Marshall says “None of them were fleshed out before going into studio other than the fact that I knew them inside and out acoustically. Dan left me lots of room for creativity and all of “the happy accidents” where you just explore for a bit.”
Playing in bars and clubs as a solo singer and with a touring band – has given him his fair share of stories and insights – great for writing songs. On days off however, he prefers to spend his time out of the bar – in the gym, on his motorcycle, practicing yoga or at home in his apartment “cooking up something scrumptious.”
But when it comes to cooking up a tune, Marshall admits there is one source of soul-nourishment that keeps on giving.
“More and more I find the influences of my parents’ spiritual upbringing permeating my writing. Mostly the positive stuff like hope, and love, and kindness….you know – the fruitages of the spirit. “
Marshall Dane has been slowly bubbling up to this moment. With “Alcohol Abuse” now released to radio across Canada and the United States, 2014 promises to be the Year Of The Dane.