My One And Only is an Americana duo comprised of married couple Kassie and Benjamin Wilson. Their music can be described as “Southern soul mixed with curious grittiness” and their talent has been shared across the country, from intimate house concerts to the legendary Ryman Auditorium in their hometown of Nashville.
My One And Only will record their debut EP in late May with producer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes “Boys and Girls”) in Nashville. “You can expect reckless meanderings about loud people, some thoughts about our parents’ age, and some cries for Divine mercy,” says Benjamin. The album is due for release mid-2018.
We asked My One and Only some questions to learn more about their songwriting process and vision.
My One And Only will perform at NewSong’s LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition Saturday May 12.
What is your songwriting process like?
Kassie and I consciously make time to songwrite each week. In a lot of cases, we find that inspiration follows action. Since there are two of us, our songs are put through two filters, which brings about a unique blend of style and point-of-view. We always try to come from a fresh perspective, and to have something in our songs that the listener can really grab ahold of, whether that be a sweet harmony or a slightly off-kilter lyric.
Where do you find inspiration? Do you have any songwriter heroes?
Together, we have been inspired by (and loved) old country songs written by the likes of Kris Kristofferson and Hank Williams, Sr. Also, John Prine and Lori McKenna have been songwriters we’ve looked up to. Adam Duritz of Counting Crows was very influential to me growing up, and Lionel Richie was frequently on the record player as Kassie was growing up.
What does it mean to you to be selected as a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to get out of the experience?
We were so excited to be chosen as a NewSong finalist. Of the many entries into this competition that seeks out the best songwriting, to be picked out is reaffirming and encouraging. Most of all, we are looking forward to just being a part of the LEAF Festival as performing NewSong finalists. This will be an incredible opportunity to put our art in front of people, and also to be a part of a community that has the same mind as us.
What would you like your audience to know about you and your music?
Music is powerful! Combining the emotions that notes and melodies can bring with the transfer of thoughts in lyrics is a dynamite recipe. We hope that, in our music, you can feel what we feel and learn what we have learned. We hope that it connects with you on some level, that it feels natural and sweet. We hope that it feels like home. And if it does, then hang with us for a while! We can walk this journey together.
May 8th, 2018
