Nashville is filled with a lot of special music venues where songwriters soak up the vibe and memories of the many characters who’ve come before them. One room in particular, East Nashville’s American Legion Hall, made Matthew Szlachetka feel right at home when he moved to town, and provided the inspiration for his latest single, “Old Soul,” debuting today.
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“I was hanging out at the Legion Hall during their magical ‘Honky Tonk Tuesday’ nights, feeling like a fly on the wall. I was completely taken by the building itself, which is like walking into 1955, and the confluence of people there to enjoy the amazing music. People of all different ages, shapes, sizes, religions and ethnicities were there in perfect harmony enjoying the music.”
“The phrase ‘there’s a place for you here’ popped into my head. Shortly after that, ‘young heart, old soul’ came to me and I wrote everything down and took the idea to my good friend and collaborator Mando Saenz (Miranda Lambert, Midland, Lee Ann Womack). This song captured the essence of my upcoming album and I felt that Young Heart, Old Soul was an appropriate title.”
On “Old Soul,” Szlachetka’s lyrics zoom right in and capture the timeless, unchanging aspect of the countless gathering places across the country filled with old disco balls, lived in couches and the calloused hands of friendly husbands and wives who have seen it all and still greet you with a comforting, welcome smile.
“Drift away/At the end of the day/You let yourself disappear/But you’re not sure where to go/Young heart, old soul/There’s a place for you here”
Amidst the uncertainty of not knowing where your place in new surroundings might be, the lullaby feeling in “Old Soul” makes you take a deep breath and relax. Everything will be alright, he reassures you in his warm, sympathetic voice, there’s inherent good in everyone.
A deft guitarist who cites Mississippi John Hurt’s guitar playing as a major influence, Szlachetka approaches the song with the vibe of an old country bluesman, fingerpicking the tender vocal melody on the guitar. The recording is primarily a solo effort, with co-writer Saenz adding understated vocal harmony.
To track the song, which he did at Blackbird Studio A and Thunderwood Sound with producer Scott Underwood (Train), Szlachetka turned to another trusty old soul: his early 2000’s Martin OM-28V. “It’s logged a ton of miles and it’s broken in in all the right ways. There’s some magic to it.”
For those aspiring songwriters who want to take the leap the Massachusetts songwriter did in 2017, he says it’s as simple as being nice, respectful and positive. “The community is like no other. It’s very supportive. If you’re good, work really hard and are a good person, people are receptive to that. They open their arms to you.”
“I was fortunate enough to play the Bluebird before I moved here. To have that under your belt before you move to Nashville is a blessing. You don’t just shrug that off. It’s hallowed ground. I felt like my voice was being respected. The Five Spot, Basement East, Belcourt Taps, Backstage at 3rd & Lindsley are a few other key places I’ve played where there’s a strong community where, even if you’re not playing, you can catch up with friends.”
Don’t worry about getting the magical cut on a top artist’s record is another key part of writing a good song. “Don’t just chase the pitch list. Write from your heart, something that moves and inspires you. If you’re writing for the pitch, chances are that song has already been written.”
Szlachetka found his inspiration in the American Legion Hall, but he hopes the message in “Old Soul” hits home with listeners wherever they might be. “The feeling of acceptance is something that I really want to put out into the world right now because I think we need it.”
Listen on Spotify here or Soundcloud below:
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