In a world full of cookie-cutter pop singers and piece bands there are the few who proudly create their own style and sound. It is hard to get original music played on the radio.
Don’t you think it’s time for a revival of the old-school sounds?
I’m talking popping jazz, and scratchy blues, funky New Orleans tunes mixed with Americana folk and even Celtic trips?throw in a little R&B and you have got a taste of C.J. Vaughn and Highway 58.
C.J. is a young artist with a wise, old soul.
“I know absolutely without a doubt I’m supposed to be playing music somewhere, it’s my calling,” he said when asked about his future. “I like to try to inspire people to grow and be better than they are now. People aren’t perfect but as long as you grow and try to be better that’s as close as you can get.”
A native of Michigan with his heart in New Orleans, Caleb Jared Vaughn is an 18-year-old blues sensation.
At the age of 11 he moved from playing drums to bass.
“That’s when I really began to play,” he said.
Within a year he had transitioned to the guitar.
C.J. moved with his family to Tennessee in 2001 and started to make a name for himself by playing at blues jams around Nashville. By 2005 The Music City Blues Society had nominated C.J. for two “Bluesy” awards, best Blues Guitarist of the year and best Blues Vocalist of the year.
C.J. is the front man of the band Highway 58; he describes their sound as R&B and funk. He is backed by his father Ron Vaughn on bass and vocals, Don Kendrick, who hails from New Orleans, on drums and Ross Lester who also plays percussion.
“Highway 58 is still a young band; we played our first gig February of last year,” said C.J.
“We do mostly cover songs, but we are constantly writing and adapting to the current mood. We try to incorporate at least one new song into every set. I figure if you build it slowly it dies slowly. I don’t want any ?flash in the pan’ success.”
He describes the New Orleans sound as constantly tripping over itself but it never falling down, very loose but “always were it needs to be.”
“The world around me is the first and foremost influence, but The Meters and any other New Orleans bands are huge influences. My grandmother was from New Orleans and one of my drummers, and I like to say that C.J., not Caleb, is from New Orleans too!” said C.J.
Highway 58 is currently working in Nashville on a full-length project.
“We should have it out by summer,” says C.J.
This innovative young artist offered up some more advice to other aspiring musicians.
“Take initiative for yourself and stay true to yourself. If there is something that you want you have to work for it. I have been very fortunate to have both of my parents help.
“Playing music is very much so a business, you have to take after it, other wise it will just sit there and do nothing. And laziness does not get you any where!”
