Tony Furtado is a songwriter, sculptor, banjo aficionado, maybe in that order? No, they all come from the same place.

I was fortunate to spend an hour, via Zoom, in Tony’s studio. I asked questions while he worked in clay.

me: I want to talk about the sculpting process…

TF: I’m doing it now; I’m planning to make a small version of an elephant sculpture that I can make a mold of. I have requests for small critters that aren’t so pricey. My interest is in making more interesting, bigger, or more elaborate, or more put-just-your-heart-and-soul-into-one-thing. But I see the value in, like when I’m playing gigs, having my tiles laid out.

me: You take the tiles on tour?

TF: I do. I usually take 20-25 on a short like long weekend tour, and usually sell all of them for $40/pop and that helps cover the loss now in CD sales that aren’t happening.

me: We’re up on the edge of get off my lawn. The kids are doing something differently now, and you can’t ignore that.

TF: I hear from younger folks that CDs are coming back. People also, they come to shows, they want to be supportive, they want a souvenir. They might buy a CD, knowing full well they aren’t gonna spin it. They want to be supportive. But if they’re given something else to buy, another piece of merch, then they’ll do it. That’s what I’m noticing with the $40 tiles.

me: This is audience participation, too. That’s something I wanted to ask you about: You announce a live stream, even in the live stream, you say, “I want to interact, ask me some questions, give me some requests…” so how do you or could you encourage interaction at a live show?

TF: For me, I have a specific way that that happens, and that’s simply me being at the merch table. I love doing that. I want to be my merch person, unless I’m gonna be overwhelmed, and then I want someone to help me. I like being out there talking to people, because that’s my interaction. From stage – I don’t want people yelling at me. I like when people cheer on songs, clap at a solo…but on a live stream it’s just totally different. Live stream, you’re sitting there with people. Part of the fun of watching a live stream is interacting with that person, and knowing that they’re seeing you, your comments.

Me: again, with the new generation doing things differently. We all got pulled into the live stream during lockdown, not wanting to go out into the world. It’s a very real community.

TF: also, the younger generation – speaking as an older folk – the younger generation is fully connected with that Twitch thing. You know, the Twitch thing is a whole universe, and they’re interacting quickly, super-fast, and with each other on it…somewhat on Facebook. I had about 40 people interacting the other night. But not all of them were seeing each other because they were on like 5 different platforms. When I do get a couple Twitchers, I call them Twitchers, I don’t know what they call themselves…

Me: I think that’s what they call themselves.

TF: All it takes is a couple of those Twitchers and my Restream (the restream is the platform I use to see all the chats) – it’s on fire with the people who are on Twitch. And that, I think, became popular with gamers.*

I’d watched Tony on a live stream – I was on Facebook, but others were on Twitch, Twitter, Periscope – this is what he’s talking about when he says 5 different platforms. The feel is intimate; we’re all in our living rooms, friends having a conversation. Tony felt comfortable enough to play new songs for the first time, like “Refugees.”

“I was gonna try another new song. Do I have the guts? I think I got the guts. If I can read the words, I’ll let the words speak for themselves.” He told viewers he thought the song might need a different title; people in the chat called out suggestions: “All of Us” or “Every Heart Alight,” maybe “American Hope.” They said it had a Paul Simon feel.

Something clicked in Tony’s mind, and he started talking about his song “Boat’s Up The River.”

“Boat’s Up the River” was one of the most amazing recording music experiences I’ve ever had in my life. 8.5 minute song, completely improvised, 1 take only. We (the musicians) all kind of trickled in…there was a point in the song I felt I was being guided…’I don’t think I can play a wrong note’…sort of rising and falling, and by the end of the song it rises up, comes down… thick, thin, high, down low, and then it peters out.  I asked Cookie (Marenco) if she caught that. ‘You’re goddamn right I did!’ she said.”

“You’re talking about sculpting,” I typed into the chat. “Yeah, I am,” Tony said to all of us.

me: So how do we keep the younger folks involved in Folk?

TF: Younger folks are attaching to their own artists that are younger; you might call it “Indie-folk.” Iron and Wine was called Indie-folk. There’s a lot that’s called Americana.

I don’t know what to call myself. I lump myself in the Folk category but I am frequently called Bluegrass; I frequently am called Americana. There was a time I would get lumped into Blues, too, but you know it’s all just kind of “in there.” But my crowd is generally an older crowd, and by older I mean older than mid-30s. So when I see a nice mix of a demographic in my audience, I feel really good about that.

I don’t know what to say about that, as far as the younger folks being involved in folk music – I kind of feel like it’s always a music that’s gonna feel relatable. I don’t feel like there’s any lack of singer-songwriters right now.

me: I guess what’s bugging me is the idea of some of these words (like Singer-Songwriter) being just catch-all terms, and not garnering enough respect in their own right.

TF: I remember back in the 80s I was calling my music New American Roots. I wasn’t writing vocal songs, but I was adapting old folk songs and basically had a rock band backing me up. I called it The American Gypsies. They weren’t using Americana; they were using AAA—that was a word. Now it’s Americana.

me: have you given any thought to Punk Banjo?

TF: no.

Read the full interview here: Tony Furtado – We Are the Beasts

Follow Tony Furtado in all the usual places:  Facebook, Twitter @tonyfurtado, Instagram @TonyFurtado5, Twitch. See what he’s making (music and art) at TonyFurtado.com.

*Karen Allen has an excellent tutorial in her book and website: Twitch for Musicians. She’s also available for consultation.

Here is the interview with Tony Furtado.

debora Ewing writes, paints, and screams at the stars because the world is still screwed up. She improves what she can with music collaboration, peer review for Consilience Science-Based Poetry Journal, and book design at Igneus Press. Find her art and word everywhere, including Jerry Jazz Musician, Shot Glass Journal, Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Cholla Needles, and Dodging the Rain. Follow her on “X” and Instagram @DebsValidation, and into seedy pool halls but probably not dark alleys.