Patrick Lawrence is a West Virginia based recording artists who performs his own unique Bluegrass and outlaw country music. He is known for his unique style and for being a person with albinism. He is currently signed with nine lives records and his music has been on the radio Nationwide!
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hey Patrick Lawrence, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
I always had an interest in music. When I was a kid my uncle got me a drum set and one of my sisters friends taught me how to play it.
I only had one lesson but I was able to figure it out by myself by just by listening to music and creating my own beats. When I was 16 a friend gave me a guitar and after holding it for 5 minutes I just knew I wanted to be a guitar player. I have to give a lot of credit to my stepdad Joe, my Uncle Greg and My guitar teacher from high school because those three were my main guitar teachers and if it wasn't for them I may not be where I am today. All through highschool I worked in a classic country radio station and that's where I gained an interest for older country music and bluegrass.
I also realize I could write and play that music better than any other styles so I decided that's the style of music I wanted to play for the rest of my life.
What is your creative process like?
I actually have three creative processes.
1st,
I'll sit down with my guitar and just play random things. Sometimes that's how I come up with new ideas for songs.
2nd.
A lot of my best songs come to me randomly. I'll be talking or joking with someone and then all of a sudden I have a new idea for a song.
3rd.
I listen to a lot of music and when I find a song I really love I try to write a song similar to it that I think is better. For instance my song "The Storm" I came up with the idea for that song by listening to Porter Wagoners song "Big Winds Coming".
Your latest song is 'Dandelion Wine". Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
I wrote that song back in 2012. I got the idea from a Buck Owens and Rubys Bluegrass Special song called "Corn Liquor".
I rewrote that song about 3 or 4 times since then but this year is when I came up with the final version! I loved it so much I couldn't help but make a recording of it. That recording is the song you all know and love today!
What was the most difficult challenge you faced?
The most difficult challenge I faced and I still face is my lack of transportation. As most of my fans know, I am legally blind and I have Albinism. It's really hard being a legally blind person in the Bluegrass and Outlaw country music industry. It would probably be different if I was a millionaire rock star or country star but there's not a lot of money to be made in Bluegrass so nobody wants to drive to my house to pick me up and no record company is going to provide transportation. I've got far with my music but I would have been a lot farther and I would be a lot more popular if I was able to drive.
What is the biggest mistake you have made within your career to this point?
My biggest mistake has been with my social media accounts and search engine optimizations. I paid a lot of money for advertising but I targeted it Nationwide. I should have focused on building my fan base in West Virginia first. Since then, I have built a fan base in West Virginia but my fan base would be a lot bigger now if I would have advertised in West Virginia when I first started.
Are there people who help you with the production of the songs?
Absolutely, I network with a lot of musicians from around the United States. When I make a recording I send it off to three or four different people to add instruments to it. I also work with the After Dark Studio in Georgia. They add the finishing touches and master my recordings so they are radio quality!
What are your long term goals?
Because of my lack of eyesight I've decided that I'm going to try to gain more social media popularity.
With a mixture of my music and my advocacy for mental health and disabilities, I feel I can become more successful by becoming a social media influencer. I am in the process of trying to get paid sponsorships.
What do your fans mean to you? What do you value most in them?
Sense my music is so unique and old fashioned not everybody likes it, when I gain a fan that tells me they listen to different styles of music. It tells me they appreciate traditional styles. It also tells me that people are starting to realize that country music isn't country music anymore, and that Bluegrass and Outlaw Country is becoming more popular. I really appreciate each and every fan because they are helping these styles of music make a comeback!
What memorable responses have you had to your work?
Being signed to my first record label is a moment I'll never forget. That's actually how I found out my styles of music were actually gaining popularity. Knowing that people like my music so much that they want to sign me to their label is just mind blowing! I just can't believe people actually enjoy my music because for the longest time I thought nobody could be successful playing these outdated styles!
Where is the best place in the world you’ve ever been to, And what is your message to them?
I've actually never traveled a whole lot. I've been to different states when I was a kid but it was not music related. Most of my popularity has been gained over social media. I however did play a lot of music in the state of Maryland when I was in my early twenties.
Bluegrass is actually quite popular in Maryland so if I had a message for them it would be to listen to more Bluegrass and support their local musicians!
Everybody in the music industry famous or not famous starts out as an independent musician. It's easier for a musician to succeed if they have a support system!