I Know You Are, But What Am I?

[Definition of “genre”: a category of artistic, literary or musical composition characterized by a particular form, style or content.]

Lately, I’ve been asked several times what kind of music I play.

Well…

I am currently working on lining up live performances for the first half of 2022, and when I get a nibble of interest from a venue, I’m often asked, “what kind of music do you play?”

Huh. Let me think…

And I’ve been doing a lot of the virtual paperwork to get my new album (“Like A Luna Moth”) digitally distributed to the usual streaming and download music services. So, I’ve had to choose the genre (and sometimes a subgenre!) that best describes the total album. Yes, all 11 compositions are supposedly supposed to fit tidily into one category.

Hmm…

Um… this is not easy, folks. I have no idea what kind of music I play. Oh, I know it seems “artsy” to declare that one’s music is “undefinable” and not beholden to some arbitrary groupings devised by record company executives.

But I swear, I am not being pretentious when I struggle to define my musical style. I really don’t know! 

I’ve had to literally ask other people to tell me what kind of music I play. And, guess what. Everyone gives me their opinions, but they rarely are the same answer! 

OK… eclectic?

Problem is, “eclectic” is more of a description, not a genre. Can’t find “eclectic” on any dropdown menus.

Let me try this approach. Here are the types of music I am certain my music isn’t: classical, jazz, reggae, electronica, hip hop, disco, Latin, ambient, grunge…

Wait, that’s a fruitless exercise.

How ‘bout this genre: "Americana" . (A relatively recently defined style of music.) Never heard of “Americana”? It’s not in the usual day-to-day lexicon of casual music lovers, so here’s how it is defined by the Americana Music Association: “(Americana) incorporates elements of various American roots music styles, including country, roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, R&B and blues, resulting in a distinctive roots-oriented sound that lives in a world apart from the pure forms of the genres upon which it may draw. While acoustic instruments are often present and vital, Americana also often uses a full electric band.”

YES! Now we are getting somewhere. If you think the definition of Americana as a musical genre is so broad that it makes it almost unrecognizable from a stylistic POV, I am with you! But for now, I may have to consider myself as poking out from under the umbrella of “Americana”.

For now, it kinda fits… I think?