November 22, 2004

Interview with Kevin Chalfant

It is with great pleasure and heartfelt thanks that I introduce this interview with Kevin Chalfant. The first time I heard Kevin was a few years back when I was going through a particularly tough time in my life; it was his music and emotion-filled vocals that helped me throughout the ups and downs. It was truly his songs and his rich powerful voice that gave me the strength to move forward!

In speaking with Kevin it was clear to me that he is a man and musician who gives of himself completely in his music to his fans and I am sure that there are many that he has influenced and comforted over the years. The world of Kevin Chalfant is filled with a close-knit family, God and strong beliefs in honesty and staying true to ones self.

I would like to take a moment to publicly thank Kevin for his music and for helping me to find peace in a turbulent world. With that said, please enjoy the soundclips of Kevin’s new album “Shadows Fade” in the jukebox and one of my own personal favorites “Masquerade” that accompany this intimate look at an artist who has entertained us all for years and who’s lust for life is still shinning brightly!

1. I'm sure that over the years you have answered a thousand questions in interviews but to start this interview I would like to ask you to answer a very simple, yet often a hard one, would you please take a moment and introduce yourself; Kevin Chalfant, the man behind the music...
Thank you Kathy for caring enough to ask. Well, I was born in Streator, Illinois in the great USA. I have loved many styles of music, but find myself centered in AOR Melodic Rock Mostly. I have three children and a great wife of many many years :^) I own a recording studio in Grand Ridge, Illinois population 580 people and some small farm animals. I like to quiet life and especially with all of the turmoil in the world, it brings me less stress of a nuke hitting our town. I enjoy going to races, concerts, and collaborating with other songwriters. I own an internet based record label www.CliqueRecords.com. I autograph every CD sold at our web site. I am happy to be singing in 2004 and I still enjoy it.

2. Now if you please would tell us a bit about your new album "Shadows Fade" in your own words and how you see it personally...
Well, I had always heard about recording being done through the internet, but had not completed an entire CD project that way until "Shadows fade". Alex DeRosso was the music producer in Italy and I produced all of the vocals in my studio in the US. It was a truly interesting experience. Alex mixed the CD as well. It is an experiment for me and I hope that it sounds great. I have not heard the final mixes after mastering yet. I hope that I like the artwork as well. The songs are all strong. I did write on several of them.

3. This album was created in a unique fashion, with Alex Doers sending you the instrumental music from Italy and you singing the songs in America! We have seen some others attempt this sort of set up before, but not to the success you have achieved with Shadows Fade; how were the two of you able to mesh so well over such a distance?
Soulfulness and reaching deep inside was the challenge. We were both alone in our own little worlds and we had to rise to the challenge. It was an exercise in self discipline

4. This album has a very show everything, hide nothing sound; meaning I can hear your passion in the songs, how do you feel about the finished project?
...well, I have not heard it yet, but from my versions, I believe it to be very good. The mixes should be very good.

5. Is there a particular song on "Shadows Fade" that you hold close to your heart, a favorite, that you could share some of the story with us and why it is special to you?
First Love Song is special to me. It has a real modern yet vintage sound. The chorus is extremely special to me. There are several favorites, but I am more interested in what you like....

6. With this project complete can you tell us what is on the horizon for you, more solo work, a revival of the days of "The Storm" or another collaborative effort like Two Fires?
I have a Christmas CD in the works as well as a career spanning DVD of my music of a lifetime. This will feature video and audio with interviews and much more. Thank you for asking Kathy!

7. You have achieved a status in the music world of today as an artist who can advise, collaborate and overall bring a positive voice to any project, what advise do you have for those artists looking to get their music heard, and of course make a name for themselves?
Come to Grand Ridge, Illinois to my Powerhouse Studio and let me show you how it's done! Do not sell out. Others will try to get you to cheapen yourself for money, but in the end, when the money is gone... you will be sorry you did. Instead, stand for something good. Someday you and I will be old and when you tell you grand children about you
life, you want more to tell them about than groupies and drugs. Have a story about your life written and you get to make the entire story up yourself. So any scene that you don't want in the movie, do not let it happen in your life! Fair enough?

8. The music industry of today is of course different than it was in the past with advances such as the Internet, which is a two sided blade, with advantages for the artists and downfalls such as file sharing, what do you think of the Internet in the music world of today?
Kathy that truly is a double-edged blade. I have many friends that download from the internet, I do not. That in my view is taking from others. Sharing is one thing, but many many artists are struggling because of it now. I find it to be a great tool for business and a
terrible tool for business. I find it to be rather like "musicians and songwriters finances being out sourced". When a person develops a program to share ware music, they are in a sense being paid a fee for the service that they provide, in which others can get our music for free. They are not directly stealing our music, only driving the get away car! How do you think people would feel if I was to electronically remove $15.00 from their checking or savings account without their permission? They would be outraged, but taking my music seems to be ok... I guess. Shouldn't I have the choice of who gets my music for
free? I think so.

9. Aside from the Internet, what do you feel is the largest advantage for the artists today, and if any what do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the artists?
Kathy, these are all very good questions. You gave this some thought, didn't you? Well, where do I begin?
The largest advantage for me is: I live in a free society, well, at least until this point anyway. I have the freedom to create my art in music. It has been threatened lately though, which brings me to the biggest challenge. That is convincing our legislators, most of which, have never owned or operated a business successfully, that loosening of
the laws governing copyrights and intellectual properties is a mistake.
I could not believe that our governing body had actually considered outsourcing our trademark and patent offices to China! Yes, China! Can you believe that? So, that all of the brilliant American ideas can be picked through first by other countries, before we even have the chance to develop these wonderful ideas for the benefit of our country. That means copyrights on our music as well. They can actually turn down income generating ideas to Americans and pass the best ideas on to our rivals for their gain. Do your homework on this. It seems to me, that the American Constitution states that our government is supposed to protect the rights of our citizens first. Out sourcing these
intellectual properties is doing exactly the opposite!

10. A music career can be a very time consuming, and even perhaps life consuming role, what do you do to balance out your life and help you stay focused on what you are doing?
Another great question Kathy... You are good! Well, I find time to spend with my family and friends. I never did that before when touring allot and writing endlessly. Bands consume a person’s life, just ask the band's women's auxiliary. My wife has endured more than her share of bull and continues to cut it up and throw it in the stew! We just have our priorities right, I guess. God has blessed us with abundance. Oh yeah, sometimes I like to go to the race track and watch the cars go around the track very fast with my non musician buddies.

11. You have had the opportunity to work with many great artists over your career; are there some moments that you look back on as the best?
Musically........Yes, in October 9, 1993 in San Francisco, I took the stage with Gregg Rolie, Ross Valory, Steve Smith, Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, and Ansley Dunbar to perform several Journey originals as the lead vocalist. That my friend, tops about all of the other stuff combined. It was electrifying....
Non musically........ witnessing the birth of my children.

12. Whom would you like to work with on future projects; do you have a "dream band" you would like to bring together for an album/tour?
Yes, but Brian Wilson just beat me to it! Paul McCartney, Elton John, Eric Clapton, plus Steve Smith, Gregg Rolie and Neil Schon.

13. You have always been very open to your fans and candid in your interviews, but sometimes I wonder if there is not a question that is never asked, so at this point I would like to ask you to give your answer to a question that you have not been asked but have hoped that someday you would...
Yes, I do believe that God has guided my career for a purpose much larger than just music. Influencing young people can make a difference in the world; music can be an awesome delivery vehicle. I love my wife Judy and children Jayson, Joel and Melinda. By them standing beside me and behind me and in front of me, I have been protected from the dangers that have taken many good men down early. I just want to say thank you to the many good doers that have helped me along the way, too many to name, but you know who you are. If you have helped someone because you felt it was the right thing to do and it made you think of one on my songs.. That would include you as well. My mom and dad are the still a driving force in my life and in the end, we will all be together again.
Love one another and take care of strangers, they may wind up to be your boss someday, it is true!

14. And, last but never least; do you have a closing message for your loyal fans?
Thank you so much Kathy for allowing me to share some of my life's thoughts with your readers. I can't begin to tell you how grateful that my family and I are for the wonderful opportunities that we have been blessed with. I lost a dear friend recently as he took his own life. It broke and still breaks my heart. He must have known how much everyone
loved him, we told each other very often. If I had only known that he was contemplating doing what he did, I would have told him this again and again, but he acted like everything was fine. If you are considering taking your own life, please, please remember this......
Don't Give Up, Don't Give In
Some day's you know you just can't win, but
Don't Give Up, Keep pushing on
and let's hope it doesn't take too long... But Don't Give UP!

God bless you all.
Your friend,
Kevin Chalfant

Posted by Kathy at November 22, 2004 11:24 AM