Imagine having the ability to see the world through a musical lens, ready to create a song at any moment. That’s what life is like for CJ Garton, who even writes songs in his dreams. He has a fascinating story and we’re excited to share that with you, as well as premiere “Good Gone” off of his upcoming album.
Music is Life
From a young age, Garton knew that music was his career path. He wrote his first song when he was just six years old at his grandfather’s office. During the visit, he became rambunctious, as any kid would, so his grandfather instructed him to write a gospel/country song to keep him busy. Little did he know, young Garton would return in ten minutes with a finished product.
The result was almost too good to be true, as the lyrics seemed as though they’d been written by an experienced songwriter. Garton wrote the song himself, only needing assistance when trying to think of the word “mahogany.” Clearly a proud moment, he recalled his grandfather framing the lyrics and displaying them in his office long after that.
Garton still writes most of his songs in about ten minutes, garnering inspiration from everything around him. He even described the way he can put a melody to a person as they’re having a conversation. His impressive catalog includes over 6,000 songs.
700 Mile Journey
As we all know, traditional country music has been pushed out of most country radio stations’ playlists. The traditional side of the genre has always been Garton’s focus and after moving to Nashville, he wondered whether country fans still wanted to hear it and decided to embark on a 700 mile journey from Nashville to Oklahoma to find out.
His 13-year-old son and he saddled up their horses, Lefty and Poncho, and went on an adventure that few people can claim to have done. It took them over 30 days, but it was worth it. In addition to finding out what fans wanted, Garton also envisioned this trip as a time for his son to learn a lot of life lessons.
Prior to this trip, Garton’ son had never really ridden a horse. He’d been on one for pictures and had ridden a pony, but not to the point of understanding how to take care of them and really immerse himself into that lifestyle. He learned all of that on the trip and ended up leading the pack on their journey.
Not only did his son learn about the cowboy lifestyle, but the trip showed him a different side of life that couldn’t be captured through a day in the life of a typical teenager. Garton shared that at one point, they rode through a day of severe weather and ended up soaked. While trying to decide where to stay for the night, a local tow truck driver invited them to stay at his home.
The man and his family gave them a room for the night, served them a hot meal, and allowed them to wash their clothes. His son’s faith in people was restored, given the kindness of strangers.
“Honestly, dad, I can’t believe how kind people are in the world,” Garton’s son told him. The trip resulted in a restored faith in humanity and a strengthened bond between father and son.
The Album
Garton will release Tales Of the Ole West and Other Libations to Please the Palate on January 14, 2022. Joe Spivey, one of the original members of The Time Jumpers, produced the album and Garton referred to him as a “phenomenal mentor.” They started in 2018 and went through a whopping 400 – 500 potential songs before deciding to start narrowing them down.
Due to COVID, the amount of time he was able to spend ended up being a blessing. “There’s a lot of things you can buy, but you can’t buy time,” he said.
Fans can purchase vinyl copies of this upcoming project beginning September 16, well ahead of the digital release date. Each person who purchases the album also receives the digital version when it’s available.
“Good Gone”
Garton wrote “Good Gone” on the first day of their multi-state journey. The night before, he celebrated his anniversary with his wife and stayed out late. He was feeling it the next morning as he walked across the church parking lot. His idea of someone hungover from a heartache came to mind and he immediately wrote down the lyrics and recorded the melody to his phone.
“The song just hit me out of nowhere,” he began, “and I stopped for a bit, wrote it on my phone in the notes application, put the phone in my pocket and began our 700 mile trip together. Over the duration, I wrote 32 songs in 30 days on the road horseback.”
“If Daddy Could See”
Garton will release his first song from this project to streaming media on October 22. “If Daddy Could See” is about the true story of himself, his father, and his son. He grew up on a cattle ranch, working with cows and also sacking groceries. His father passed at an early age, which had such lasting effects that when it came time to name his son after him (Clinton), he knew it was the right thing to do.
Garton is also named after his father and people used to refer to him as “Little Clinton.” In 6th grade, his cousins were still using the nickname, even though he was older and bigger. On a fishing trip, his dad and he came up with the solution to go by “CJ.” When his dad passed, and his son was born it only felt right to carry on that name. It was a way of paying respect to his father and his history, which is a big theme throughout the album.
“Ferris Wheel”
The song “Ferris Wheel” tells the story of how he felt at one point after moving to Nashville. He explained that sometimes you wake up and feel like you’re on top of the mountain. Other times, it’s the bleachers. All of these songs have a meaning to them – with each one having its own story behind it that makes for an interesting listen when pieced together.
“All My Heroes Have Halos”
“All my heroes have halos” is the last song on the album, written the day John Prine died. Garton loved the simplicity in Prine’s writing, and how he would elevate a room out of joy. His positivity breeds even more for everyone else. Garton wrote it over the phone with a friend and didn’t realize how the song would impact him until playing it back afterward.
Connect with CJ Garton
We think fans will enjoy Tales Of the Ole West and Other Libations to Please the Palate, so be sure to order the vinyl album on CJ Garton’s website https://cjgarton.com/ and check out his next show!
