Royal Wood Singer - Songwriter - Producer
By Jay Cooper Contributor / Musican
I had the chance to speak to Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and arranger Royal Wood. Royal has a farm in Lakefield Ontario and loves the Kawarthas. What is it that Royal loves about the Kawarthas? “Growing up, Lakefield was home and no matter where I am now, it is still home. There were five kids in our family, and we had incredible parents. Music and nature was such a huge part of it as we lived on 100 acres of farmland. The Kawarthas is one of the most beautiful places in Canada. It’s a pretty easy place to grow up and be inspired to make music when you’re surrounded by that kind of beauty and have that kind of culture. And you have a lot of time on your hands as a country kid and you create your own fun. I wasn’t a kid to pick up a hockey stick, but instead grabbed an instrument and just ran with it. I took my guitar outside and wrote songs. I love it here and now own the farm I grew up on. I’m blessed to still have a piece of my childhood into adulthood.” Because Royal travels so much, being close to an airport is a necessity so he also has a condo in Toronto, “But any chance I get, I go back to the farm”, he says. Playing music has been a lifelong passion. Royal started playing piano by ear at the age of 4. “I was such a fortunate kid as my parents loved music. With a piano and guitar in the house I had access to find where my talents lie.” He continued, “All my siblings play music in one way or another. My brother Luke and I made a career out of it and my parents are very proud.” Royal has definitely ‘made it’ in the music industry, yet he says, “What is making it? (he laughs) I don’t even know what that means. I mean, people on my level don’t know, people on a bigger level don’t know, so it doesn’t matter as long as you’re happy making music and it’s heart felt. Page 46
Then I think you’ve made it.” So what are Royal’s influences? “I was a kid surrounded with all types of music. My Dad liked country, big bands to jazz, my Mom loved classical and my 3 brothers were playing newer music and classic rock songs that they thought were cool. I had an uncle that passed and we got all his vinyl and reel-to-reel music, and it was Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens and Billy Joel while most of my friends were into New Kids on the Block. So I don’t sit down to write a certain way, just all those influences are in the songs.”