Daily Discovery: John David Kent, “Free to Drive”

Updated:

June 12, 2014 3:57 pm

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ARTIST: John David Kent

SONG: “Free to Drive“

BIRTHDATE: June 6

HOMETOWN: Greenville, TX

CURRENT LOCATION: Austin, TX

AMBITIONS: I want to continue to release albums and tour world-wide – to spread music and love to parts of the world that really need it. I would also like to release an album of songs from the “Great American Songbook” at some point.

TURN-OFFS: Celebrity gossip, reality TV

TURN-ONS: Vintage acoustic guitars, motorcycles, and being in nature

DREAM GIG: Playing one show on the drums with The Beach Boys

FAVORITE LYRIC: He’s a walking contradiction, partly truth, partly fiction – Kristofferson

CRAZIEST PERSON I KNOW: My kids; they’re a riot!

SONG I WISH I WROTE: “God Only Knows” – The Beach Boys

5 PEOPLE I’D MOST LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH: Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr, Dennis Wilson, Kris Kristofferson, My grandfather Joe Weldon Bartley (RIP)

MY FAVORITE CONCERT EXPERIENCE: Went to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers a few years ago. Steve Winwood was opening. I was disappointed he didn’t do “Gimme Some Lovin”. When the Heartbreakers came out for their encore, they brought out Steve Winwood, and he did “Gimme Some Lovin” with the Heartbreakers. It was great!!!

I WROTE THIS SONG: “Free to Drive” is a super personal song for me. There is something magical that happens when you’re handed a set of keys, whether it’s to your own car, or your parent’s ride. Even with all of the “rules and stipulations” your parents put on you when they hand you the keys, there is still a feeling of freedom and independence that is euphoric. Everybody remembers their first car, who you were hanging with, where you went, the songs on the radio, etc, and it makes for life-long lasting memories; good and bad. I was reminiscing about this time in my life and what I was going through at the time, and wrote “Free to Drive” from my experiences. I loved the verses and chorus, but was struggling with an arrangement based around a bridge. I was mindlessly watching TV and strumming the guitar two nights before we went into the studio, and out came the bridge. It’s very simple, but absolutely necessary. It saved the song from getting the boot off of the album, and makes the song for me.