Three Questions with Jomo Edwards (of Jomo & The Possum Posse)

Jomo Edwards is a roots-loving, Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is perhaps best known for his viral video series, “Guy On A Buffalo,” in which he wrote and overdubbed a new soundtrack for the film, Buffalo Rider. The irreverent wit and sardonic sense of humor apparent in the video series is just as pronounced in his songwriting.

Edwards often performs with his band, Possum Posse. The band’s latest record, Local Motive skews heavily toward roots rock & roll and old-school country. With song titles like “Farts Ain’t Funny” and “The Real Housewives of the West of Us,” you can bet that this songwriter has his own, singularly entertaining take on the classic genres.

We took the time to ask Edwards about his songwriting inspiration, career news and his hopes for the NewSong competition.

What is your songwriting process like, and where do you find inspiration?

I do my best work when given a deadline or assignment. I don’t usually spend weeks or months writing a song. I usually write my best songs in one sitting. Then, I begin playing them on an instrument, and don’t look back at the words I’ve written down, which usually allows me to develop more organic-sounding lyrics.

A few years ago, I also started attending a songwriting circle where an assignment was given each week. I was immediately hooked, and I have ended up writing a large number of songs from that group.

What does it mean to you to be a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to gain from the experience?

For me, it means I’m not 100 percent crazy. I really believe in what I’m doing as a songwriter, but sometimes it can feel like there’s nobody else out there who understands and/or appreciates it.

What music news do you have to share with fans?

Earlier this year, my band, The Possum Posse, released a self-produced album called Local Motive. I’m pretty proud of it, and I think it captures the energy of our live shows. We’ve been playing most of the songs on that album live for a couple of years, so they organically developed their own arrangements. When we got into the studio, we were able to just play them the way we’d done many times before, and we were able to track most of the songs live.

To learn more about Jomo Edwards, visit thepossumposse.com and follow his band Jomo & The Possum Posse on Facebook.