Artist Spotlight: Caleb Hawley
Janus, the ancient Roman deity, and Caleb Hawley have a lot in common.
Janus had two faces, one looking forward, the other looking back. Similarly, Caleb Hawley understands what has come before him and what will happen next. His music certainly has hints of Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Dangerous-era Michael Jackson, but there is another element that is all Caleb. He's fun to watch, too - his stage antics are somewhere between Mick Jagger and Michael J Fox in Back to The Future. As you’ll learn below, he also has a ‘30 pound mutt’ named Fargo.
Did you choose music, or did music choose you?
Definitely chose me. I wanted to be a baseball player, but that dream quickly faded when I got a guitar for Christmas at age 12. My thirst for attention was quenched playing "Come as you Are" outside the middle school cafeteria... goodbye Minnesota Twins, hello Coachella.
We like your monthly videos; How do you find that youtube has changed the music industry?
I suppose it's the most current version of video killed the radio star, and it's a way for everyone to access live music for free. I like the idea of that, as long as people still keep coming to shows. I'm curious how VR will change things... I think that's the next step.
As is evident in this video, you are a dog's best friend. Tell us a little about your pup.
His name is Fargo and he's super sweet. He's a 30 pound mutt and for years he was my only companion on the road. Recently, he's been in commercials and he was also on TMZ years ago. Such a success story, and we didn't even try to make it happen. I should probably take a hint and stop trying so hard myself. You gotta learn from the greats... and Fargo is great.
As an American Idol alumni, do you think American Idol helps or hurts its contestant's careers?
It definitely is a nice push while you're on it, but it lasts about as long as the flavor of Juicy Fruit gum. I think it does more for the judges than anyone else. That being said, I made some great friends in my experience. That part was worth it!
We heard that you listened to nothing but Prince for a whole year. What in the world inspired you to do that?
I hadn't really listened to him, and I felt an urge to listen to the music of my homeland. I could've gone with Bob Dylan or Semisonic, but I chose Prince. It took an entire year because I wanted to give each album a fair chance, which is at least three listens in my opinion. He had 36 studio albums at the time. It's fair to say I got stalker level obsessed.
Excited yet?
Us too! We can’t wait to see Caleb Hawley – and you - at the festival!