Roger Jaeger speaks with Primarily Pop about his newest single, ‘Grandpa’s Ghost‘, in addition to his music, his inspirations, and what lies forward for him.
Are you able to inform us extra concerning the inspiration behind ‘Grandpa’s Ghost’?
I by no means met my dad’s dad as a result of he died of lung most cancers earlier than I used to be born. My dad didn’t see him from the ages of about 6 to 22 as a result of my grandparents had divorced and my grandfather moved to Colorado and began a brand new household. Because of this I’ve been offended at him for a lot of my life. However as I become older I notice how sophisticated life could be, and the way generally the folks we see as villains are sometimes extra nuanced than we notice. I additionally have a look at my very own life and surprise if there are areas the place I’m like my grandfather, or if I’m able to making comparable decisions. And so I’m wondering what it will be like to fulfill that grandfather, and what kind of recommendation he may provide me.
What particular moments or emotions out of your previous influenced the music essentially the most?
We visited the opposite Jaegers in Colorado once I was a boy – there was this entire different aspect of the household that I hadn’t been round in any respect. I met my grandfather’s widow and his different grandchildren. It was a complicated expertise on the time.
What message do you hope listeners take away from ‘Grandpa’s Ghost’?
That the outcomes of our lives are so largely influenced by even the small the alternatives we make, and that there’s alternative to reside nicely and go on one thing good to the following technology.
Are you able to describe any memorable moments throughout the creation of ‘Grandpa’s Ghost’?
The music began in a lodge room at a on line casino in Las Vegas. I used to be there for a music enterprise convention and had time to kill earlier than the primary occasion so I began taking part in round on the guitar. I finger-picked this easy riff and the lyrics for the primary two verses form of fell out of my mouth. I don’t understand how I tapped into my grandfather’s story in that second, but it surely was one thing I deeply wanted.
Are there any explicit artists or songs that influenced ‘Grandpa’s Ghost’?
I don’t know that there’s a selected artist, however ‘Grandpa’s Ghost’ is certainly in keeping with a method path I’ve taken over the previous couple years. I’ve leaned extra totally into the acoustic guitar, finger-picking, and simply proudly owning a extra Folks/Americana fashion. It looks like I’m proudly owning my roots and moving into the depths of who I’m and the place I’ve come from.
Are you able to share some insights into the idea and artistic path behind the music video for ‘Grandpa’s Ghost’?
The thought was to have somebody play my grandfather as he drove an previous truck round. I sat within the again and sang the music as he drove – to represent how shut we’re, how I’m impacted by the place he went in life. The video ends with one other man driving the identical truck – he’s me as an previous man, choosing up my grandson to spend time with him. The thought is that I need to offer my grandson the present that I didn’t get from my grandfather – time collectively.
In what methods do you see your music evolving sooner or later primarily based in your life experiences?
I’ve actually loved digging into extra private life tales and circumstances for my songwriting materials the final couple years. I’m having fun with this storytelling path for now – I’m in a position to be uncooked and sincere and folks appear to attach nicely with that.
What’s subsequent for you after ‘Grandpa’s Ghost’?
‘Grandpa’s Ghost’ was the primary single from a full album that can be launched this Spring – known as ‘Wander’.
Discover out extra about Roger Jaeger and his music on-line on YouTube, Fb, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. You may watch the gorgeous music video for ‘Grandpa’s Ghost’ beneath.
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