A few days ago, I had the pleasure of speaking to Daves Highway.  I wasn’t familiar with the band, but after listening to their music and speaking with the band members, I walked away knowing I was a fan; and feeling like a friend. Naturally I took the time to listen to some of their music, check out an appearance on a syndicated radio show, and learn a little more about the group.  From their start as young children, this brother and sister trio have grown into not only great artists, but very talented songwriters.

The siblings are Zach Daves, Erika Daves and Delaney Daves.  The Mississippi natives are now based in Nashville. Zach plays lead guitar, Erika has lead vocals, and when the play with full band Delaney is on bass. All of them sing, and the harmonies are unmistakenly family.

The band has been busy the past few years, opening shows for Darius Rucker, Lee Ann Rimes, Eli Young Band, Maddie & Tae; and an appearance on The Bobby Bones Show.  That appearance was followed by a performance at a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, held at the Ryman in Nashville.

Daves Highway’s new EP, IF YOU ASKED ME, being released on Aug. 15, has five original songs and one cover – Martina McBride’s “Anyway” (written by McBride, Brett Warren and Brad Warren).

Get to know more about Daves Highway (Informal Interview)

CC:  Are you currently independent artists, and are you looking for a label?
Erika:  We are still independent.  We are not actively seeking an offer but would like to sign with a label.  We would want to make sure it is the right deal for us when we sign one.

For now, the trio is working at jobs they enjoy, while still performing and recording when the opportunities present themselves.

CC:  Tell us about your work outside the music industry.
Erika: I was a receptionist in a massage salon.  I am still at the same business but am now the manager.
Delaney:  I had been managing a retail store but am now a server at a Nashville restaurant.
Zach:  I built industrial sewing machines.  That company has gone out of business, and I now work for Carter Vintage Guitars.

CC:  I noticed you performed at area churches when you were younger.  Are you still doing that?
Zach:  We stopped doing that several years ago.  Not because we are opposed to it, but we have shifted directions with our music.  Back then we didn’t really do Christian Music on purpose.  We posted a few videos of that, and people started asking if we would like to play at their church.  The offered to pay us, so we did that for a while. That was back when we were like 12 and 13 years old. We are all Christians, and we are all very strong believers.  We wanted to play music, and that was a good place for us to start. I worship with my wife, Brittney, every Sunday when I am in town. So we still kind of do that now, but it has shifted more from performing to leading the congregation.

CC:  Have you ever auditioned for a television talent show?
Erika: We auditioned for America’s Got Talent and X-Factor, a long time ago.

CC:  A lot of your newer videos are audio videos.  For someone who has never seen Daves Highway on stage, what can people expect to see when they come to your show?
Erika:  We still have our signature sound that we go for that is very harmony driven.  We call our music country/rock.  We have a lot of rock influences in our music.  You might see our full band, or maybe just the three of us with Zach on guitar.  Zach is the band leader.

Zach: We keep the show stripped down.  Whether we play acoustic or with the full band.  When we do play with the full band, I play electric guitar.  Delaney does bass and we hire a drummer.  The drummer we are using is like a brother and is one of our closest friends.  We call him an honorary member of Daves Highway.

CC: It is easy to see why you started the band name with Daves, keeping the family name in the band name.  But where did you come up with Highway?
Zach:  We came up with the name when we were in our early teens.  At that time, we were doing Christian music more than anything else.  We chose Daves, of course, because we wanted what we were doing to reflect a strong family unit thing.  We wanted to have our family in the name because that was important to us.  We chose Highway because at the time it sounded really cool. Highway could be like country highway and also God’s highway. While we still believe that, the name came partly because we wanted to pull people toward God and do country music.  Odd to come up with that when we were so young, and have it stick.

Delaney plays bass every time they do a full band.  When they did churches, Delaney said “I played mandolin, because dad really wanted us to play instruments on stage.  I started to play bass with the full band, because we didn’t want to hire another person, she joked.

Erika is lead vocalist, when they were younger, she played keyboard with the family band.  She is now solely the lead singer for full performances.  She told us they might add keyboard back at some point, but she will just remain lead vocals for now.

CC: Who were some of your music influences
Erika, Delaney & Zach:  Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, Martina McBride, Little Big Town and John Maher.

CC: Do you have a favorite song on the EP?
Erika:  We put together an EP of five original songs and one cover.  We whittled down a list of about 50 songs we love.  These are truly our five favorite songs.  For me my personal favorite is “If You Asked Me”. I wrote that one by myself, so those are always really intimate because they are truly like a journal entry in a way.  The fact that we all get to play it together and play it live exposes all of our deep dark secrets on stage every night.

Delaney: “Happy to Be Sad”. Erika and I were going through bad breakups when we all wrote the song. We had both bonded over the fact that we were broken hearted and we wrote a ton of songs about it. But after I had come to terms with the breakup that is my number one favorite. because it is about our home town and an ode to Mississippi, which is where we are from and it’s just a very special song

Zach:  For me it goes back and forth between “Happy to be Sad” and “Heaven High”.  “Heaven High” is my favorite one.  It is a bonified rock song and I actually get to play guitar on it. All of the guitar and all of the really ‘in your face’ parts were played by me on the record.  On “Heaven High” in particular, I got to flex my lead guitar muscles a little.

CC: Is there anything else you would like to say about the record?
Erika: “We are really proud of this album, and we are really excited for everyone to hear it.  It is special to us.  If there is a way to describe Daves Highway, it is this EP”.

Zach:  “Since we were kids our goal has been to make music for people who are eight to 80 year old.  We wanted to always just make music that appeals to the masses – to be all inclusive and let everyone know what Daves Highway is.  This is the first record we’ve ever put out that feels like that to me. While the title is one of the songs, and I don’t want to take away from that. We also thought “If You Asked Me” is a funny talking point to call it “Daves Highway If You Ask Me”.  The song is what it is, but it also has a meaning to me i particular.  If you ask me what Daves Highway is supposed to sound like; If you ask me what Daves Highway is about. If you ask me what a Daves Highway is – Here it is.  Just hand them the record.

Delaney: We’ve been making music for a long time, and we’ve gone through a lot of different phases and a lot of different genres and trying to find ourselves.  We are artists, we have evolved.  We finally got to a place where we know what we are and who we are as artists.  I think the record is the perfect description – just like Zach said.   If you want to know who Daves Highway is – this is who we are.  We worked very hard on the music, the writing, trying to capture live sounds we have when we play shows on a record, and I think we’ve gotten as close to that as possible so we’re really happy with that.  Also, our producer, Geoff Sprung from Old Dominion has contributed to that as well.  He helped with the creative process and it was just amazing experience and we’re very happy with how things are going right now.  We can’t wait for the world to hear the record.

IF YOU ASKED ME – ALBUM REVIEW”

“Astrovan” (Stephen Hunley, Bobby McLamb, Erika Daves, Delaney Daves, Zach Daves)
If you are looking for family harmonies, you aren’t going to have to look too far.  This one starts with a Capella opener that showcases the harmonies in this family band. Doing what all country songs must do – “Astrovan” tells a story of long-distance relationships, counting miles and remembering the past.  Looking back in the rearview mirror or recalling fond remnants in the road ahead”.  It ends with ‘I drive all night make record time, to fill the space in this heart of mine. If there’s an ‘over you’, I’m never gonna get there”.  This is a slower song, but considering the story it is telling, it really needed to be.  From start to finish, the melody pulls you in, and the lyrics keep you there.

“Happy To Be Sad” (Bill DiLuigi, Jude Toy, Erika Daves, Delaney Daves, Zach Daves)
I don’t think I’ve ever been happy to be said, but I just heard a song that more than convinced me it is possible. “…”I got tired of holding on too tight took rock bottom to see the light, can’t be good to want somebody that bad, so I’m happy to be sad.”  Like most of what they write, this song gives us all a lot to think about.  The story falls into place as you listen, and while it isn’t too hard to figure out why it ends up that you can be happy to be sad. You may want to listen to it more than once.  In fact, the entire EP is that way.  Beautiful, well-written songs, with more than memorable vocals.

“If You Asked Me” (Erika Daves)
I received a little write up about the songs to go along with this review.  What they said about “If You Asked Me” doesn’t need any help from me.  “Melancholic vocals define moments caught between the delusion of happiness, the dawn of the light, and letting go of the hold”. This song is not only pretty but also teaching us something.  The storyline canvasses the confused and emotional gap between the desperate need to hold on and the healing medicine to move on. This one has a very nostalgic ring to it.  I think you are all going to have a problem picking one favorite out of the songs on this EP.

“Good Luck Girl” (Ryan Rp0ssebp.  Erika Daves, Delaney Daves, Zach Daves)
This song might put you in mind of Colbie Caillat, Megan Moroney or Taylor Swift.  The song is about an ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend.  And a warning to that new girlfriend from the ex. She’s telling the new woman in his life “Good Luck Girl”.  Kind of with an “I told you so” attitude. You really want to hear those sweet words and promises from your new boyfriend but take the advice that’s coming your way – It’s just a game that he plays.

“Heaven High” (Peytan Porter, Erika Daves, Delaney Daves, Zach Daves)
Get ready for a bit of that rock sound right here, guys.  We’ve got Dave on electric guitar, and he definitely knows what to do with it. Not just the guitar, but the drums also heighten the intensity of “hallelujah” acclamation while the screaming rundown in the bridge takes a verse from the Skynyrd and Zeppelin Bible. The song is a praise for prayers answered to find deep love.

“Anyway” (Martina McBride, Brett Warren, Brad Warren)
I think mostly every reader of Country’s Chatter knows this song.  Martina McBride had a hand in writing it, and the single became a Top 5 hit on Billboard’s Country Chart. Daves Band turned this song into their own, with their vocals and harmonies. Dave has his rhythmic acoustic guitar in the opening with one voice starting, and the others joining in on the chorus.  The theatrical opener, supported by rhythmic acoustic guitar throughout, builds with dramatic moments backed by ambient piano and strings.  Simplistic production unveils poetic instrumentation and leaves space wide open for the angelic lead vocal, hymnal chorus and breathtaking harmonies.

One thing I enjoy about what I do is that I can listen to these great songs first.  That just makes me more excited for the day you will get to hear them.  When you do – I hope you will take a few minutes and call your local radio station.  Tell them about Daves Highway and let them know you would like to hear them on the radio.

I really couldn’t pick just one song to play repeatedly – though I will have to admit I spent a lot of time listening to “If You Asked Me”.  But that’s okay – it is a great six-pack from start to finish and you will probably do what I did – put the entire thing in your play list and hit ‘repeat’.

Keep up with Daves Highway by visiting their website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube

 

 

 

countryInterviewNew ReleasesReview"Anyway","Astrovan","Good Luck Girl","Happy To Be Sad","Heaven High",Daves Highway. Zach Delaney,Delaney Daves,Erika Daves,IF YOU ASKED ME
A few days ago, I had the pleasure of speaking to Daves Highway.  I wasn't familiar with the band, but after listening to their music and speaking with the band members, I walked away knowing I was a fan; and feeling like a friend. Naturally I took the time...