Listen to the Live Interview
Episode #424: A.V.A Live Radio Behind The Music with Jacqueline Jax : http://tobtr.com/9758995
GETTING TO KNOW JIM RICHTER
by Jacqueline Jax host of A.V.A Live Radio
I’m a solo artist….
I write and record original music. I play guitars and keyboards on my recordings. I have several professional bass players and drummers who have worked in Nashville, Atlanta, and New York, and they help with the bass and drums tracks.
Endless War
I had a high school friend who lost his older brother in Vietnam. I have always remembered the way that this affected him and his family. My father lost two uncles in World War One, and a cousin in World War Two.
The song is about the terrible human cost involved in the endless wars in which our nation has been involved during most of the time I have been alive. People are killed in wars, but wars also affect wives, children, families, and friends. I am not a pacifist who is against all wars- there have been some times when there was no alternative, for example, the American Revolution and World War Two. Both of those wars ended with definite results, and the issues which had started them were mostly resolved. By contrast, I have long felt that the Vietnam War and the endless recent Middle East conflicts might have been avoided. Additionally, neither Vietnam nor the recent wars have resulted in clear-cut victories for America, and they did not resolve much of anything, at least in my opinion.
Irrespective of whether one agrees or disagrees with a particular military conflict, I believe that when our nation sends its military people to fight for us, then we should support them to the maximum extent possible. I’m old enough to recall the disgraceful manner in which many of our Vietnam vets were treated when they returned home from serving overseas. More recently, Americans have become aware that many of our vets have received poor service from the VA. Some have been given the run-around for so long that they have not gotten treatment at all. We owe our veterans and their families a profound debt of gratitude.
The song came to me over a period of weeks. I usually write my music in my home studio. I can’t explain the process. I find the process of song writing to be mysterious. A song comes out when it is ready.
I recorded the song at Michael Cornett’s beautiful Cornett Ranch in Ellijay, Georgia. Michael is a total pro. He has worked with some very talented people in Boston, New York, and Miami. I don’t understand why he isn’t world-famous. Not many people are as talented…
Music is…
the most powerful of all the arts. It connects directly to the brain and the emotions in ways that literature, poetry, and the visual arts can’t. I hope that Endless War will have a powerful impact on those who hear it. I can’t say what I expect from this song in terms of commercial success or worldly approval. However, I do believe that those who listen to Endless War will understand that it is a serious work that is intended to provoke serious thoughts and emotions.
I live near Cherry Log, Georgia…
It’s in the North Georgia Mountains. It’s very peaceful and beautiful. Most people in this area listen to country music and bluegrass. However, the music scene is changing. There are now a number of wineries and craft breweries in the area, and they have various kinds of live music. There are also music concert venues in the nearby towns, so we are getting a wider variety of visiting artists/performers than in the past. Lake Blue Ridge, Carter’s Lake, lots of nice restaurants, Blue Ridge Community Theater, Gilmer Performing Arts.
The music business is tough….
There are a lot of extremely talented people who never experience commercial success. I have made good money playing gigs on a local basis, but my recorded music hasn’t yet proven to be the path to fame and fortune! However, those of us who are professional musicians generally keep playing because we love it. I have been playing music professionally for a long time. I’m just happy for every day that I have the chance to do what gives me joy- play music.
I would love to have 5 minutes alone with…
I’d like to meet Vince Gill. He’s the real deal- a great singer, guitarist, and songwriter. I’d love to ask him about technical things, mostly about his approach to guitar playing, guitar tone, amps, etc. That stuff is probably boring to most people, but I’m a guitar player, and I love talking about those things. I know a few people who met him when they were playing music in Nashville. They all had good things to say about him as a person.
My You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi03pFudLGzqq9wN_H5NSlg
Videos on ReverbNation: https://www.reverbnation.com/jimrichter8