Country Mike Blog

Eric Durrance interview

Mike Sudhalter  |  May 29, 2009

Eric Durrance has some advice for those of you who think that digital communications trumps real life - "Turn It Off."

It's quite a fitting song given our culture's newfound obsession with web surfing, text messaging and online videos.

It's never easy for an artist to switch genres, but Durrance appears to be making a smooth transition.

He was the lead singer for Christian rock band Big Dismal, scoring three No. 1 hits on the Christian Contemporary charts.

The band broke up, and joining the world of country music seemed like a natural fit for the Tallahassee, Fla. native.

"I've always played acoustic," Durrance said. "Everything I did sounded country and because of my accent I couldn't get away from it. Country songs are stories, and those are the kind of songs we were doing in the Christian Music."

Durrance recently opened for Jason Aldean and Lady Antebellum on the CMT Tour. "It was just amazing," Durrance said. "He's such a great artist and his fans are the greatest fans I think. Not knowing who we were - by the end of the show, we won them over. We'd hang out at the merchandise booth two hours at a time."

"Angels Fly Away", the title track on Durrance's debut album, is a moving song about being thankful for what you have.

That and "This Side of Sober" are Durrance's favorite two cuts on the album. The latter examines the serious issue of alcoholism.

Durrance grew up listening to traditional country music like Conway Twitty and Ronnie Millsap. As a teenager, he began listening to 80's rock bands. And both influences are quite apparent in his music.

His songwriting skills are strong as well; he co-wrote Jake Owen's latest single - "Eight Second Ride."

Durrance met Owen at a karaoke contest in Tallahassee when Owen was still a student at Florida State University.

On Windup Records for over a decade now, Durrance said he gets to develop as an artist with an independent label.

"It definitely gives you more development," Durrance said. "For being on an album like that for so long, in 10 years you can do a lot of growing. A lot of labels would probably be done with you."