Before there were Belting Bronco Sessions, there was Jeff’s Musical Car.
Discovering videos from your favorite artists at a young age never gets old. It’s amazing to look back and see how their talent has grown while appreciating the raw ability that got them placed on the map. It’s also fun to look back on these old performances and interviews because when you’re starting out, any appearance benefits you, so you take the gig. In Colter Wall’s case, he appeared on Jeff’s Musical Car.
A baby-faced Colter Wall, who had just turned twenty when this video was filmed, buckled up and hopped in the back seat of a sedan to talk about his new EP, Imaginary Appalachia, and give viewers a taste of what he’s about.
Before Wall dives into his songs, Jeff, the interviewer, asks him if he’s been doing this for a long time. To which Wall replies:
“Oh no, this is my first tour. I’m on the road promoting my first debut EP. And I’ve been lucky enough to travel alongside and play alongside Danny Oliver, which has been quite the experience. Yeah, this is as far out East as I’ve ever been.”
Jeff then asks Wall to talk briefly about the song he planned to perform. Wall explains how “The Devil Wears A Suite And Tie” is about a folklore story of Robert Johnson, who is the godfather of the Delta Blues. Allegedly, Johnson sold his soul to the Devil in order to play the guitar. This story inspired the lyrics of the now-beloved single.
As soon as Wall opens his mouth, it leaves me in awe. His thick and raspy vocals almost do not match Wall’s exterior, but it captivates you from the first note.
“Well
Reverend Reverend please come quick
‘Cause I got something to admit
I met a man out in the sticks
A good old miss
He drove a series 10 Cadillac
And wore cigar on his lip
Don’t you know the Devil wears a suit and tie
I saw him driving down the sixty one in early July…”
Almost a decade later, this song still strikes the chord it does the day it was released.
While looking back on the past is always fun, Colter Wall told fans during his interview with Dale Brisby that they should look forward to the future. Wall shared on the Rodeo Time podcast that he just finished a new record and hopes to release it this year.
When Brisby asked if any new music was in the works, he answered with an excited “yes,” followed by some non-musical roadblocks he and his band hit while making the new record.
“We just got finished actually. Just got done. Started a new one like a month ago, then the pedal steel player in the band got everyone really sick. We call him ‘Muskrat.’ He gave everybody the flu really bad so I couldn’t sing. We had like two more days in the studio to finish…
I don’t know when it will be out. Probably… I would guess, usually they want to shoot for or put that stuff out around July or August. Hopefully this (next) year we’ll get it mixed and out into the world. New record, all original songs (with) one cover on there.”
We’ve already had new music announcements for 2025 from Muscadine Bloodline, Sierra Ferrell, and Colter Wall, which suggests that this year will be musically memorable. Bring it on.
You can hear more from Colter Wall in the interview below:
