I
n 2010, Porter Lori (singer, song-
writer, and musician) was interviewed
by the Denver Urban Spectrum.
Deciding to revisit, and in spite of his
busy schedule, he sat down to discuss
what he is doing these days. Denver Urban Spectrum: What are you working on right now? Porter Lori: Right now I’m recording and performing as much as possible. This summer I start taking meetings and looking for a deal. My manager, Dave Woeckner has been developing artists and publishing for a long time; after getting his last artist signed, he actually retired. We met through a mutual friend, and now my music and performances have brought him out of retirement and back into the crazy world of music. God bless his soul (Lori laughs out loud). He believes 100 percent in my vision and that’s really hard to find in Los Angeles. DUS: Do you see yourself making it “big” and how do you react to that possibility? PL: That’s the dream: having the world recognize you and your art as something special. I’d love for that to happen and I’ll do everything in my power to do so. However a lot of it has nothing to do with the artist, the music or the business. It’s timing, luck, a lot of X-factors that can’t be created; they just are or aren’t. My hope is, in this next year, my music becomes my full time job. I want to tour and reach as many folks as possible. We’re in the process of taking my music to music supervisors for television and film with the hopes we can gain more exposure. There’s a lot of work going into this right now. Everyone is excited and has big expectations. My sound is actually something new, which is rare, and like anything that breaks new ground there’ll be a lot of convincing to do but I’m up for the challenge. It’s going to be an interesting year. DUS: How long have you been in the music scene on a serious basis? PL: Depending on what you mean by “serious,” my musical expression has been serious since the beginning, age 17. Whether hip-hop or what I’m doing now, I’ve always been serious about whatever I choose to say through music. As a professional it’s really been just the past eight years. This year looks like a possible breakthrough for me. DUS: Having started with hip-hop, was changing a conscious decision or an evolution for you? PL: I was drawn to hip-hop (and still am) because of its aggression and sense of honesty about what’s happening right now, in the moment. Chuck
Circling Back With
Porter Lori
By Paul Higgins
D said it best “Hip-hop is the CNN of Music,” it always has been and I respect it completely. It also speaks to the struggle of navigating the American dream – coming from nothing, creating something for yourself, however you have to. Our forefathers did the same thing in creating this country. Hard decisions often had to be made for the sake of the bigger picture. My decision to stop creating hip-hop came from knowing I had to express different points of view I didn’t feel could be expressed through that genre. Also hip-hop as a profession is a young man’s game with a very short shelf life. I strive for lasting relevance in what I speak to and the sounds I use. I strive to be classic. Evolution is crucial in life, and in art.
DUS: You were born in Louisville, Kentucky, lived in Denver, Colorado, and now reside in Los Angeles. How does your music reflect the relationship to each city? PL: Kentucky and Colorado represent my connection to family, to this country outside the music business. I’d be lost without that connection. Los Angeles is a wonderful city but people come here to “be somebody,” not to live an average life. It’s what makes this city so amazing and brutally difficult at the same time. LA is a working town – not for everyone. Finding a consistent audience in a city having an infinite number of things to do any given night makes it hard to
Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – June 2013
7
compete. I don’t make dance music; people coming to my shows are ok with sitting, listening to an artist really express himself and share his talent. Afterward we can throw on the hits, grab drinks and dance our asses off but the night starts with a man on stage telling his story. DUS: Describing a specific genre is difficult for your music; it’s been referred to as “Americana Soul.” How did that come about? PL: I came up with “Americana Soul” in response to the ongoing questions, “What kind of music do you make? What is your genre?” I create music because it’s inside me; I release it into the world just wanting to positively contribute to the human musical legacy. Music has done so much for my life; it’s my religion. I’ve traveled quite a bit; of course, all that is involved with my perspective but for now, “Americana” reflects my music and sound as distinctly American. “Soul” comes from my vocals mainly. I have a unique sound naturally falling somewhere between soul, country, rock and blues. Soul is what I strive to provide at all times in my music. Motown doesn’t apply to what my sound is, although it’s influenced me my entire life. When I first started, it was really uncomfortable when people brought up the idea that I needed to be labeled or put into a genre. Now I understand it completely; I see it as something others worry about and need. I created my own label and genre to be able to give an answer quickly in conversation. It still leaves people confused, so really, the only answer is – is to listen! My genre is “good music.” That’s all I care about. DUS: What is your long-term goal? Do you feel you’re closer or farther away from reaching them? PL: The long term goal is to take my success from music and transition into acting and philanthropic work. A perfect world would be my life revolving around music, acting, and helping others however I can. Kind of like a Black Bono but adding acting to the mix (Porter laughs). Every day I focus on my craft; I’m closer to what I want in life. I’ve teamed up with some great business partners who understand me musically, artistically. They share my belief in creating something new for the industry and music fans around the world. We believe who I am. My sound and words are unique and the time is ripe for presentation to the world. Editor’s note: For more information on Porter Lori, visit him on Facebook or his Web site at www.porterlori.com. His first album “Hell or High Water” can be found on ITunes and also available at www.porterlori.bandcamp.com.