Terry Lee Burns (2009)

He’s an American artist that moved to Europe in 2002. Bass guitarist, rhythm guitarist, he’s played with John Lee Hooker and Johnny Cash’s son.

He’s back in Romania NOW for the 6^th year running, so we did this email interview with him and hope to catch up with him at one of his future shows.

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CZB: Where are you originally from?

Terry Lee Burns: I’m originally from Alabama but moved to California when I was 16, where I spent my 20′s, then back towards home to Nashville, Tennessee where I lived until moving to Europe.

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CZB: When did you move to Europe?

Terry Lee Burns: 2002

CZB: Why did you move to Europe?

Terry Lee Burns: I’d spent 25 years playing nearly everywhere on the North American continent between Mexico and the Arctic Circle. It was time for a change.

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CZB: Of the artists you have played with on stage, who are you extremely proud of meeting and working with, and why?

Terry Lee Burns: I don’t take pride meeting anyone because another person’s greatness doesn’t rub off on you. You need to create your own aura of being something special with your work and the person you became along the way.

I did enjoy knowing Johnny Cash for a short time when I played in his son’s band; John Lee Hooker when I worked with him for a few months and a lot of other players I admire but aren’t known, unless you are also a music nerd and read the liner notes concerning who played what on great CDs.

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CZB: Is the American music industry split up into two halves? East of the Mississippi is dominated by New York and West of the Mississippi is dominated by Los Angeles?

Terry Lee Burns: This was true 50 years ago but now musicians live and record everywhere. The schism between East and West coast only persists in hip hop and rap but seems less important all the time even there. The primary music centers are New York, Los Angeles and Nashville because that’s where the record labels, recording studios and publishing companies are concentrated. Secondary cities like Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans, Austin, San Francisco and Seattle also should be considered music centers too, if a bit less mainstream.

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CZB: What is it like playing in Germany (comparing it to the States)? Are the important centers in the Land capitals?

Terry Lee Burns: Basically, doing my job is about the same everywhere. There are minor variations but I play about the same show everywhere and it seems to work. Touring in Europe is easier because the distances between gigs are much closer.

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CZB: Did you start out playing bass guitar?

Terry Lee Burns: I started with piano at 9 or 10, then guitar at 14. I moved to bass guitar in my 20′s because it was more fun and there was a shortage of bass players so I made more money. Bass is fun. Even now I put a lot of bass lines in my guitar playing. Working with a good drummer to create a steady, dynamic rhythm section still pleases me although I don’t get much chance to play bass anymore.

CZB: When did you switch back to rhythm guitar and why?

Terry Lee Burns: When I decided to put myself on the line as a leading rather than a supporting player it made sense to turn bass playing over to someone who could concentrate on it and do a better job.

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CZB: When did you first come to Romania?

Terry Lee Burns: 2002.

CZB: What are the reasons you keep coming back here, although the system doesn’t work like it does in Germany?

Terry Lee Burns: When I make enough money to afford a psychiatrist that’s going to be one of the first questions we will work on. Offhand, I would say because the audiences are fun to play with and intelligent enough that I can play more interesting material and they get it.

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CZB: What are some of your favorite cities in Romania and why?

Terry Lee Burns: It’s all about the same. It comes down to the bar, who attended the show that night, what their mood was, etc.

CZB: When you come over you usually do cover sets. is it the same in Germany?

Terry Lee Burns: I do cover songs but always with originals mixed in when I play pubs. The percentage depends on the audience that night. This is true whether I am in Germany, Romania or elsewhere. I began working more purely original gigs in 2009 and will increase this in 2010. Bottom line is to do successful gigs, whatever that takes, and leave town with an invitation to return the next year.

CZB: In what other countries in Europe have you played?

Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Serbia and Poland. This year I will add Britain and Ireland.

CZB: You have recorded three albums. these are basically DIY. How do you feel your music is developing or how are you developing as an artist?

Terry Lee Burns: I have 4 CDs, in varying states of completion. The Saint Of Lost Things was recorded in 2008/2009 and is now being mixed in a very good studio here in Germany. Another, Odd Jobs, is a DIY. It’s about half way done. I’m hoping to complete it before 2010.

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Two others, both DIY, are complete. The first, A Fine Mess, was recorded in Nashville (1999) and the other, Falling Up in Bucharest (2002).

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The truth is I like DIY. If there is a trade off between technical polish and being edgy and fresh (and there usually is), I will take the latter every time. Good ideas come at three in the morning sometimes and it’s nice to be able to record them in your home studio while they’re fresh. At this point I am getting fairly good recording at home so the trade off aspect is pretty small.

CZB: Are there certain songs that are more popular with audiences here that we can listen to on YouTube?

Terry Lee Burns: I didn’t chose or dictate the recording of any of my YouTube clips. I usually found out about them after they’d been posted. I like them though. Maybe some more than others. The version of Cold Blood is good.

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Interview by: RiCo

12.OCT.2009

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www.myspace.com/terryleeburns

terryleeburns.wordpress.com

Comments

I would like to know are you steve earle fan. Please email back soon. When live in nashville tn how long someone like you try to find. Work women shelter 2000 at the time. Are you him? Hard to track down. Still free this world if your this person born july 19th. Please email back soon. Thank you. I really miss some old songs. On tape I play sometime.

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Yes I am a Steve Earle fan; I alm also the one who worked in Nashville at the Women’s shelter. email me Julie. Let’s chat. Terry

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