A New Single and Interview with Garrett Steele

A single release from Garrett Steele delivers a politically driven soundscape laced with Southern undertones, twangy guitars, and a blend of folk, classic rock, and Americana.

In terms of its tone, this song is wonderfully warm.  There are some amazingly layered guitars playing great licks that are performed with soul, and the live percussion really adds just the right amount of drive to the whole thing.

There are also keys on the track, which really blend in a wonderful texture with the rest of the song, also pushing a little bit more of that country undertone through. The whole thing is performed with heart, and it's probably because, for Garrett, the song has a lot of importance.

This single has a bit of a message. A lot of us can relate to it, because it's really about getting back in touch with the roots and foundation of what this country was built upon.

There is that sense of disappointment, mostly due to the way of the world today. Everyone is in a bit of disarray; the country is torn into pieces between left and right, and it's really a difficult field to navigate for a lot of us.

This country has been through a lot in terms of its political stature and parties; however, I don't think we've seen anything exactly like what's going on now.

It can be frustrating and, at times, leave us in awe of what certain people think.

This song focuses on how the country was founded. The principles that were put in place for the betterment of mankind, and allowing the country to work with that to thrive.

The song has a bit of emotion behind it and it, and again, it's because this is a powerful piece of work that expresses a lot of that political sentiment.

It begs the question of whether or not we have strayed too far from what America was founded on.

Sometimes it feels like it will be a difficult path to get back to where we were, and this song has to do with that as well. It's about the feeling of being lost and how most of this country feels that way at this time.

The song is about wanting peace again.

I feel like this is an important message and sentiment to put out there, and the way that Garrett does it is beautiful because he puts a lot of perspective into the lyrics and definitely paid a lot of attention to the little details.

It is unafraid to speak its mind, and I feel like that's a key element when it comes to being an artist.

Being able to express how you feel and get things off of your chest, relay a message, and portray it in a way that people can understand is an excellent thing for an artist to do.

Garrett puts it all together and performs it with that heart, so that you have a glimpse of his personality, what he stands for, what he wants, which is what a lot of us do, and because of that, plenty of this song sticks with you for long after it has ended.

The song's energy is really amazing. It almost feels like a live performance. It seems almost as if the whole thing was recorded live in one room at once.

The aesthetic is electric, almost like everyone was feeding off of each other's energies the entire time.

Now, of course I wasn't there for the recording of this; however, listening to it on record makes you want to go see it performed live, right in your face.

You can clearly hear some of those classic country influences coming into play throughout the course of the song, and the changes and arrangements are outstanding.

You have amazing vocal harmonies that come through robustly, especially in some of the bigger, more climactic sections like the choruses and post-choruses.

The keys and organs really fill the space, and also give more hints towards not just the country or Southern aspects, but again, that classic rock undertone that's sort of there.

He definitely has some swagger in his voice, which works amazingly for the country side of things. He bends some of those notes and gives the song it's country roots.

To me, this is a bit of an anthem for the times.

Again, a lot of us can really relate to this track, and Garrett portrays it exactly the way he wanted.

It's a bit Fearless, straightforward, and beckons all the better aspects of country in Americana, while delivering that message.

So, upon listening to this track, I wanted to sit down with Garrett to ask about the song.

I certainly wanted to find out how on point I was with its message, as, of course, music can be interpreted differently depending on who's listening.

For me, the sentiment was pretty loud and clear, but again, others may take it in a different way.

So, while you listen to this single, have a read through of our interview with Garrett Steele below.

Don't forget where you heard it first.

What made you write this song exactly? 

I've been concerned for quite some time about the state of our country and what is it thatI can do to help the cause of liberty and peace. I feel like we've lost our way. America IS the Constitution & Bill of Rights. We've strayed so far away from our founding principles over the years and it seems to be getting worse & worse and at a faster and faster pace. I recently heard an interview with one of my heroes Dr. Ron Paul. The interviewer asked him what else if anything did Dr. Paul wish he could do or could have done for the cause of liberty. Dr. Paul said he thought it would be really neat if he could sing because of how powerful and influential music can be. So, here my hero, the person who I BELIEVE has done more for personal liberty than ANYONE in my lifetime talking about the power of music and saying he wishes he could sing! WOW...what I was hearing from that was, Hey Garrett, get off your butt and use your gift of music for the cause of liberty! I too believe in the power of music so I feel like through music there's a great opportunity to awaken, remind and challenge Americans to our founding principles of individual liberty & peace. 

As for this particular song and title, I had first heard that expression "No matter who you vote for, you always get John McCain" years ago from author, podcaster and Sr. fellow at The Mises Institute, Tom Woods. The funny thing is when I went in to write with my friend and co-writer, A-list Nashville musician, Writer & Producer Mike Loudermilk,  he said "I have this song I have just started that I thought we could write called No matter who you vote for you always get John McCain. I busted out laughing and I think literally almost fell off the couch because as I mentioned I have been very familiar with that phrase for years. I believe Mike heard it from Jimmy Dore. That being said, we both were on the same page and understood what that phrase means and we felt like the timing was right, so we wrote it.

I am hearing a few approaches on this one. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

I've been  Influenced by many artists in my life. I also listen to and appreciate many different artists across different genres of music. Country music influences would range from John Denver, as a young boy. Kenny Rogers, Larry Gatlin, Lee Greenwood and Vince Gill, all great voices that sing/sang with such feeling and emotion. I also love Merle Haggard, Waylon and Willie. As an artist, I've been more of a balladeer who enjoys singing a good vocal line. This song is certainly different from that. I'm sure it will be viewed as "political", a new direction for me.  

Did you record this at a big studio, or a home DAW setup?

We recorded it at Mike Loudermilk's studio, Creek Side Studios

Did you produce this yourself?

Mike and I co-produced but he did all the instrumentation. He's a monster player!

Are you performing live right now? No big tour scheduled at the moment, maybe that will change. I've been doing some one off performances including Gerald Celente's "Occupy Peace",  a Peace & Freedom Rally in both 2024 & 2025.

You've been at it for a while now! What sort of advice would you have for other artists out there?

Be true to who you are as an artist. Network your butt off, always learn & be open/coachable. Burn no bridges if at all possible.

You are a fisherman as well, correct? Seems like you have multiple passions! Do you like making music as much as you do fishing?  

I've always loved fishing and the outdoors and when the opportunity presented itself for me to do it at a high level and compete, I jumped. I've had great fun and enjoyed wonderful support from national and international sponsors like Yamaha Outboards & Yamaha Pro Fishing, OffShore Tackle, Power Pole, Rollin Wrapz, Monster Marine Lithium just to name a few. Without those sponsorships and others, I never would have been able to be on  the pro fishing tour and to have experienced what I have over several years now. I'm very blessed. I've learned alot and it's been rewarding being able to share what I've learned and my experiences with others and to advocate for "common sense conservation". That is, treat the waterways and fisheries like they were yours in your back yard. Be a good steward! However, music and performing is who I am. I left College, family, west Texas, basically everything, to chase a career in music and entertainment. Both my family and I have sacrificed quite a bit over the years to chase and be a part of this crazy entertainment industry. gotta love it!

Is there anything you are working on next?

I feel like due to the condition of America and the world today that I should continue to focus on writing and recording music that awakens and inspires us all to fight for liberty and peace. Does that mean there won't be any beautiful ballads or fun "non political" songs? Of course not. But I do believe the threat to the American Republic is serious and real. I also hope that the message of Liberty, Peace and love will move not only Americans but others as well. 

I believe in this world we are all brothers and sisters and NO we don't and WON'T always agree but we MUST learn how to live peacefully with each other. 

What are you performing on the track? 

I performed all the vocals. While I do play rhythm guitar, I didn't on this track.

Before we go, is there anything you'd like to express to fans of the music?

Definitely! First I'd like to thank them for listening! I also highly recommend they see the very powerful video done by Dan Smotz at Dissident media.  He did an incredible job.  

I'd also ask them to be open minded. My heart and intention, whether conveyed through conversation or in song, is always for people to be free and for there to be peace.  Much of our angst and many of our problems come from the inability or unwillingness to see or hear the other side or another opinion. In doing that, we find ourselves stuck with little or no growth.

We must ABSOLUTELY have intellectual honesty if we are to move forward in any way. That is, we must search for truth unbiasedly, acknowledging facts and evidence even when they contradict our personal beliefs, and represent opposing viewpoints fairly. In other words, if your person, party, thought, idea etc...goes out into left field or isn't what it appeared to be or if you are misled or lied to, etc... you must be willing to call that out. Yes, that can be unpopular and risky. It takes courage but it must be done if we are ever to find the truth and to live free and peacefully.  

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