“I ride the path of least resistance. Current or trendy is nice, but I do like to stick to the roots as much as possible.”-@codyjoehodges
Listen to the show: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/avaliveradio/2015/10/01/episode-261-ava-live-radio-behind-the-music-with-jacqueline-jax
GETTING TO KNOW CODY JOE HODGES
by Jacqueline Jax host of A.V.A Live Radio
Inspiration to start in music…
Music has been in my blood for many years now. I grew up in a family that loved to dance. I spent many Fridays and Saturdays as a kid, listening to live, local music at small town dancehalls. My parents started me out with piano lessons when I was young, but it wasn’t until high school that I picked up the guitar and really started learning how to play.
Biggest fear…
Failure. However, failure is only a small part of a negative mindset. In not accepting failure, there is a high chance of success!
Success is…
Success is very much a positive mind set. Success is determined by the individual. My first single, “Getting Back to Country” was a success. Not many break into the top 50 on the Texas Charts with their first release, and “Getting Back to Country” came in the top 25. There was much hard work associated with it, but I do consider that single to be a success.
Life goal…
is to be happy; to never stop loving God and my wife, which in my opinion would lead to a long lasting marriage. A global music career to span over decades, keeping it Country.
3 Ways that I challenge myself…
1) prayer – We aren’t anything without the help of God.
2) keeping a clean house – I tend to become overwhelmed when thing are disorganized, so I find that keeping a clean house gives me peace of mind.
3) taking care of today – Focusing on today, rather than worrying about the future is another way that I keep my sanity.
One more drink…
might grab you as a drinking song, which don’t get me wrong, it is, but it’s more than that, it has a deeper message, which is to drink responsibly. We have all witnessed someone at one time or another, who has had too much to drink but insists on “one more”; this song speaks of that person and all the mishaps that can happen from having “one more drink”. The song was written in Cabo, Mexico inspired by family and friends.
What to expect…
I try to positive message in every song that I write. I think it’s important that we make a positive impact on each other, and that’s what I like to do with my music. I think some people listen to the first verse and chorus of “One More Drink” and write it off as a “drinking song”, if they continue listening and really pay attention to the words, it is a “drink responsibly” song.
Living in College Station, Texas…
I live near College Station, Texas (Home of Texas A&M) where the music scene is hit or miss. Not much going on most weeks, but there are a few trying to keep the scene alive. In College Station, the majority of the population are college kids, and when school is out, the town turns into somewhat of a ghost town. However, College Station is growing, due to many new hospitals and businesses, and the numbers are picking up for the 25 and older crowd
The music business…
is different for everyone, depending on their mind set and the path they have chosen. I like to think of the music business as a moving target – it is always changing and improving based on technology and sales. There is no set path, which makes it difficult but always interesting. A few pros of the music business are meeting new people and seeing new places. A few cons are being away from my family.
Social media…
opens my music up to a market that might not have been reachable 20 years ago.
Releasing singles vs. an album…
As a relatively unknown artist, I would say singles are the way to go until you have a single that resonates with the audience. If they don’t want to buy your single, what makes you think they would want to buy the album? We are in the world of technology where people are doing more purchasing online, but they purchase single downloads of their favorite songs.
Marketing strategy…
Our first radio release was “Getting Back to Country”, which we released and promoted only on the Texas charts. I figured we needed to get our home state behind us before we took anything nationwide. The song hit the top 25 on the Texas charts, so we decided to release our next single nationally. That’s where we are at with “One More Drink” – we are promoting it nationally and are about to go on a nationwide radio tour, in order to help it get national chart attention.
I’d like to spend 5 minutes alone with…
Any one of my all time country greats… I’m not even sure I’d know what to say or ask. I’m sure I’d get star struck and the timer would go off and they’d say, ‘I’m sorry Cody Joe, but we’re all out of time.’
Music trends…
I ride the path of least resistance. Current or trendy is nice, but I do like to stick to the roots as much as possible.
Social Media…
Website: www.codyjoehodges.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/codyjoehodges
Twitter: http://twitter.com/codyjoehodges
Instagram: http://instagram.com/codyjoehodges
Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/codyjoehodges
Itunes: http://www.itunes.com/codyjoehodges
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY5OzyGrwI2hx9taAq_xVJQ