Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Marcus Hummon chatted about his latest country studio album “Songs For Emily: The Album.”
The album is available via his son Levi Hummon’s 3686 Records. Inspired by the poetry of Emily Dickinson, the project re-imagines her most iconic works through a contemporary musical lens, blending country, folk, and literary tradition.
How did you approach the song selection process for the new album?
When Emily passed away in 1886, they found nearly 1800 poems (no one knew she was that prolific)! I have not read them all but am pretty familiar with about 200 of them.
I narrowed it down to 10 of my favorites for the sake of the album, and included a few of her most well known pieces, like “Hope Is The Thing With Feathers,” “Wild Nights” and “Because I Could Not Stop For Death.”
Were you going for a certain theme?
I did not have a specific theme other than trying to re-imagine some of Emily’s best-known poems as popular songs in form, using my own musical sensibilities.
Many have noted that a good percentage of Dickinson’s poems were written in hymn meter, the same meter as “Amazing Grace”; so, in a certain sense the poems were already songs—or songs waiting to happen.
It is also notable that as a young girl Emily demonstrated a talent for improvising on the piano. It is quite possible that she set some of these as songs.
What’s your personal favorite song on there?
I don’t have a favorite; I enjoy all 10 of them!
What inspires your music and songwriting?
Everything inspires my songwriting because I look at songwriting as a way of life. I often say songwriting is less of an occupation as it is an avocation, or even a calling.
Basically everything I feel or observe finds its way into my songs or musical theater works.
How does it feel to be an artist in the digital age?
On the positive side, I enjoy being able to release music through streaming platforms as part of a small independent label, and in this digital age artists can reach their audiences directly—I enjoy the connectivity of the digital age.
The negatives for me are that the digital revolution seems to feed on shallow consumption of art; that is art is engaged as “click-bait,” as opposed to in depth.
What do your plans for the future include?
I may do more development of the “Songs For Emily” album in some theatrical form.
I do quite a bit of musical theatre writing, and through-composed work (technically opera) but I feel there is some other theatrical form for these songs.
Beyond that, I keep writing and co-writing with young artists, and probably record another project or another musical before long.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
Doing work you love, and being able to make a living at it—that’s certainly one measure of success.
Doing something, good, kind, beautiful and loving is another—doing the work you were intended to do is still another.
What would you like to tell our readers about the new album? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it)
I think I’d love it if my album initiates an interest in Emily Dickinson’s poetry and life for anyone who was previously unfamiliar with her.
Emily is a fascinating character in American history, and one of our greatest poets!
“Songs For Emily: The Album” is available on digital service providers by clicking here.
To learn more about Marcus Hummon, follow him on Instagram.
