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Roger Goram

Photo credit: Joseph Hasbrouck, Local Musicians Photography, (Facebook page link)

Roger Goram…

“Turn It Up Son!”

 By Rod Kilbourn

 Hell-Lou… my name is Rod Kilbourn, and I grew up a Rocker. I was raised on bands like Skynyrd, Jimi Hendrix, vintage ZZ Top, Bad Company, Robin Trower, Black Sabbath, and Early Grand Funk Railroad, just to name a few. I said that, to say this…

 I have rarely ever been a Country Music fan. I know, I’ve heard for years that Country has gone Country Rock, but it has never registered with me. Country Rock is Country… Then Rock… Now Southern Rock has always been my favorite genre’… but there is a HUGE difference. Southern Rock is derived from Blues, or Blues Rock. Then you add a Southern flavor to it, and there you go. Plus! There are no boundaries. Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, ZZ Top, Marshall Tucker, Charlie Daniels, Wet Willie, knew no bounds and were not under the scrutiny of Nashville. Then comes (maybe) Jason Aldean… But nothing over the years has really caught my ear until I heard the music of Roger Goram of Tallahassee.

 Now, I am not going to attempt to even try to explain his music. I’m going to let you listen to it. That’s what art is all about. It is subjective to the seer, or the listener. If you consider it art, then it is art. I will tell you this, I feel that Roger Goram, although not a National Artist, is a very talented Artist, that you need to be exposed to. We have provided links to his online players, so as to make it very convenient for you listen to. And when you get through, I’m convinced you’ll have a similar experience to the one I had. You won’t be able to get the music out of your head. The test of a true musical artist.

 Now Roger was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He has been through the fire and is paying his dues as we speak, or read, or write…. You know whatta’ mean…

 And another thing that impresses me about Roger, is that he is absolutely dedicated to his children. Yes, he’s been through the “Big D”, just like most of us, and it hurts him that he is relegated to the role of “Part Time Dad”… (Credit Tony Young). But he picks up his guitar, and sings about his pain, and it doeth him just like a medicine. I know all of you songwriters out there can relate to that.

 What is equally impressive is that Roger has only been writing for just a few years. Let me tell you, he has many years ahead of him, and you will hear from this guy. He’s good, and someday may be great, if he gets a few breaks.

 I’m gonna’ leave it there for now, but I encourage you to pay close attention to Roger Goram and SoulCreek out of Tallahassee, Florida… he may be going places, and soon. Don’t you dare leave this page unless you click on his links and experience his music either, or else you will be banned from Beat for Life!

Oh… One other thing… as Roger often says:

“Turn It Up Son!”

Thanks For Stopping By…

Interview by Rod Kilbourn

Beat: Hey Roger, we at Beat have really been diggin' on your music. As a matter of fact, I just listened to a song you did with SoulCreek, called "Southern
Style"... that song rocks! Tell us a little bit about yourself, and then tell me where that song came from.

Roger: Hello Beat, its nice to chat with y’all and thanks for takin’ the time to listen to my songs. I really appreciate the fact that you dig’em too. The track
“Southern Style” that I wrote for my band SoulCreek is the most rockin’est song I’ve ever written and recorded. When I sing it, it gets my heart racin’,
that’s for sure, haha… I was born in Alabama and grew up in Montgomery and Dothan before moving to Tallahassee Florida in my late teens. I’ve always had a
passion for music, dating back to when I was eight years old singin’ with my mom in the car. Music has always been a big part of my life and especially so,
the past four years. The song Southern Style was born from the idea that SoulCreek needed a song that not many or any other acts could touch in the southern rock genre. To me it’s not a song that is meant to change the world, it’s just intended to show off the bands skills. I can really relate to it though, ‘cause once you start rockin’ houses with your own music, you don’t ever wanna stop. We recorded it with producer Brett Hestla at the controls. It sounds best, real loud! (Haha)

Beat: We really like that song. We here at Beat like to rock!
You mentioned that the past four years has been a significant time period for you in music. Tell us why, and then tell us how long you have been writing
songs, and what songwriting means to you in reference to your life and how you live your life.

Roger: I say the past four years only because those seem to be the “influential years” that have taken me to where my songwriting is today. I have written songs for different genres before. Hell, back in my teens, I use to think I could rap, I would write songs by just beating on a table. I’ve had folks yellin’ “Go white
boy, Go white boy” before. (Haha)
However in 2008 and about 2 months after my wife and friend of nearly twenty years took my three kids and left our home, I drove to our local Guitar Center
with my friend James and bought my first guitar. It wasn’t that expensive and I didn’t know a single note but I was strapped with the knowledge that country
music was three chords and the truth. The first song I wrote was “Turned to Stone” and I quickly realized that there was a “health benefit” to letting my
emotions spill-out into my songs. I was hooked but afraid that my songs were too personal for others to hear. I found myself writing songs every week but
couldn’t get them recorded because of finances. But, I just kept writing what was on my heart. Songwriting has become a much appreciated part of my life and I
hope I’m able to touch people lives through my songs, especially with the ones of a more serious matter.

Beat: Very well said Roger, it seems more and more of us are suffering from broken marriages these days, and I can surely relate to that subject and also to the fact that songwriting can be great therapy. It is a gift in more ways than one. Now I know you love your children very much, although Dad's these days get a bad rap... I really enjoyed listening to "The Way I Look at You"... tell me how that song came to be.

Roger: The first thing I want to say is, “God Bless the Broken Family”. It is to this day the toughest thing that I cope with on a daily basis. My song, “The Way I Look At You” is the second song I ever wrote and recorded. It’s a song that I intended for only my kids ears to hear and to have for future reference to
illustrate how their Daddy felt during the time of our separation from each other. It’s a song that can and will pull tears from my eyes. The song reminds me of where I was when I wrote it in January of 2009 and how truly special my kids are to me. It was recorded in a home studio with friend and artist Eric
Durrance at the composition and producer roles.

Beat: It's a great song and a great tribute to your kids. How many kids are there and are they all girls, or is there a boy in the mix?
We'll talk more about your family for sure later in the interview. For now I am curious concerning your band. Give us the history...

Roger: Thank you! I have three, Hannah and Hunter are nine-year old twins and another daughter named Madison that’s age six. They’re amazing!!!
Okay, SoulCreek is a band that was formed right from the home studio where I recorded the song, “I’m Not Yours Anymore”. I was working with composer and
producer Chuck Shea, when it was thought that we’d get a big band behind me. Some of my friends from high school, Steve Lewis and David Dickman had just been in the studio to play on the track and they decided to be a part of my band. So, in February 2011 we started rehearsing all of my songs as a band 4-5 nights a
week for up 2-1/2 hours. We quickly became a very tight 6 member band I named SoulCreek. The band name made perfect since to me, since words from my soul seem to flow so abundantly. We performed our first live show in April 2011 at the MOON to support a charity event for Gabby McKenzie. Our second show was for our wounded vets at the 2011 Vet Jam in May. We quickly established ourselves as a rockin’ country band and were honored to be the “headlining Act” for the 2011
Celebrate America Concert at Tom Brown Park. Performing in front of nearly 20,000 folks was an amazing experience. We were off and running with opportunities to open or headline big venues, when it was determined that we did NOT have all the right people with us.
 SoulCreek is now in a regrouping stage and its future is in waiting. I’m ready to write and perform songs with SoulCreek, once it’s determined we have the
right musicians gathered for the mission.

Incidentally, SoulCreek’s music is currently being heard all over the world via ReverbNation and internet radio. Music lovers in Europe are starting to dig
it. They email us sayin', SoulCreek Rocks!

Beat: "EYE" Say "SoulCreek Rocks!"... I've been listening to your two SoulCreek songs on ReverbNation... "People Say I'm Crazy” Rocks...
I personally feel that if you continue in the way that you are, and if you are able to find all the right guys, you have a future in this biz both as a
songwriter and as a front man...
Which role do you cherish more?

Roger: Thank you Beat, Crank it up son! Haha! “People Say I’m Crazy” is a song I wrote during one of our SoulCreek rehearsal sessions and I enjoy listening to it
too. I would love to hear 10,000 fans yelling that chorus during a concert. I am always ready to put my game face on and rock a stage with SoulCreek and I believe that the right people will come together. I’ve already seen some promisin’ signs in the past weeks. Either way, the songwriting will continue since that is my first passion when it comes to music.

Beat: So when it comes to writing songs, is there a certain formula that works for you? And what are both your short time goals, as well as your long time goals in the music biz?

Roger: There’s not necessarily a formula that I use because songwriting to me is more about a feeling or emotion that compliments the melody. My short and long term goals regarding my songwriting are to establish myself as a singer/songwriter in a very competitive industry and to have my songs performed by top recording artists. As a performing artist my short and long term goals are similar but with me being the top recording artist.

Beat: That's what we like to hear. We at Beat Magazine exist to try and help up and coming Artists of all genres... having said that, there is only one requirement.
Ambition. And obviously you have it Roger.
 So tell us what is happening right now with your recorded music. Are any of your songs getting airplay? Any awards or any other accolades?

Roger: Beat, thank you for doing what you do!
My recorded music has just recently started playing at three different internet radio stations, whose listeners are all over the world. The plan to market my
music began in January 2012, so I’m actually just getting started. The feedback from friends, fans and industry folks, has been great. The first song I wrote
in 2008 titled, “Turned to Stone” was performed by Eric Durrance during his CMT tour with Jason Aldean. To hear him tell me, “We performed Turned to Stone on
the CMT Tour and received great responses”, was a cool form of an accolade. I also just entered into my first song competition with the song, “The Way I Look
At You” that has some great opportunities associated with it. On August 12th, I will be interviewed by a popular internet radio show that has over 400,000
regular listeners, so hopefully some of them will dig the sounds too. Ambitous? Passionate? It’s definitely one of those!

Beat: When you write, I am assuming you write with an acoustic, to get the basics of the musical part of the song, but as the process goes along, do you also write the musical hooks, lead, and all of the other dressing? Or do you write the basic song including lyrics, melody, and chord structure, allowing your musicians to interpret the rest?

Roger: The latter of the two... When I write a song it’s normally stripped down to just a few chords. I love the warm sound of an acoustic guitar combined with my voice when I’m writing. It seems to go well with my cryin’ songs especially. Then it goes to my musicians, so they write their parts. Now I also like to write words to music that my musicians compose. Once I feel the melody, the words flow…

Beat: Well I've listened to each of your songs, and to be honest, there is not one that I don't like. To be even more honest, I'm more of a Rocker than I am a
Country fan. But I like your style of writing. Your songs are lyrically sound and the music is great. Keep it up Roger, you'll only get better. We of course are going to feature your music on your Beat page, I'm sure many more will enjoy it as well. So do you have anymore songs in the works? And do you prefer ballads over rockers? Or is it just a matter of what comes to you? Also, when it comes to your writing, do you feel that there is any Divine Inspiration involved? Or do you even think of your talent in that way?

Roger: Thank you, that means a lot to me and I am very grateful that Beat Magazine USA is featuring me and helping me get the word out. I have lots of other songs written that I wish I could let everyone hear and God willing, I will be able to soon. I do like the upbeat rockers, they are fun to perform but the ballads bring out that feeling of divine inspiration that you talk about. This leads me into the second part of your question… Two songs I’ve written titled, “Make It Through” and “Sunday Drive” are songs that even I can’t understand how the words came to me. I sometimes feel like I’m guided in my lyrical message.

Beat: I can sure relate to you there. Maybe we'll get the opportunity toss some songwriting stories around someday.Is there possibly a Roger Goram Album coming in the future? Or do you think you'll be concentrating more on the "Band Thing"?

Roger: That would be cool to sit and talk with you about how your songs were born. There’s a great possibility of folks hearing an album from Roger Goram, I
certainly have enough material written to make one rockin' CD. My band SoulCreek is simply waiting for the right pieces to fall in place and then I’m sure
once again, we’ll be rockin’ every house we’re invited to. After all, that’s how we roll baby!
.
Beat: Well, I eluded to the fact that we would talk more about your family in the latter part of the interview, so here goes...
Your kids look a lot like you. And I know how it feels to be a "Part-Time Dad".
And for the most part I feel that the Dad usually gets the wrong end of the stick concerning time with the children, and I believe that for the most part we
as Dad's have gotten a bad wrap because of a few idiots who couldn't care less about their children. So to end the interview, tell us about your relationship with your kids, and does it serve as a constant inspiration for you in your life and your songwriting that you have children?

Beat: Yes, I love talking about my children… they got their good looks from their dad (Haha j/k) but at the same time, it’s a very sad subject for me. The fact that I’m not able to see them and hold them every day is something that keeps me from being a truly happy person. Having children taught me about a love that I couldn’t feel for anyone or anything else. I cherish every weekend we have together but it’s NOT enough time though. I just really hate what happens with me immediately after I take them back to their mother; I get so down and lonely. It’s a horrible feeling and that’s when I pick up my guitar in hopes it will take me away from the heartache. If I didn’t have my six string, I’d probably be a crazy person.

Beat: Wow... I can strongly relate to every word of that answer. Butt! We pick up our guitars and play on... that's how we roll Roger! Roger?

Roger: Roger Rod…

Beat: Thanks for a great interview, and may God bless everything you put your hand to.

Roger: Thank you again BEAT for the opportunity to share my music and myself with your viewers. I really love the way y’all support indie artist or anyone with ambition for an art form.

Y’all keep rockin’ and turn it up Son!

Photo credit: Joseph Hasbrouck, Local Musicians Photography, (Facebook page link)

Roger Goram and SOULCREEK links

http://www.reverbnation.com/SoulCreekSouthernRock
Soulcreek at FB; https://www.facebook.com/SoulCreekRocks
Roger Goram on Twitter @RogerGoram
Roger Goram at SoudCloud; http://soundcloud.com/RogerGoram
Roger Goram on YouTube; http://www.youtube.com/Rgoram