Alice Vol. 2 No. 2

helped me as well, but my parents were
the ones who gave me the ability and all
the tools I needed to take it all the way.
How has being from the South,
specifically Alabama, influenced
your music?
Hodges: I saw a lot of the state growing
up, not just Florence, Alabama, and
Muscle Shoals where I grew up. When
I was a sophomore in high school I just
looked up for the first time and realized,
“Hey, I live in Florence, where there is an
amazing history of recorded music and
artists.” I started listening and diving
into the Muscle Shoals music catalogue.
That’s when I really learned to love
to sing.
Where do you draw inspiration
for songwriting?
Hodges: My songs mostly come from
conversations that I have with friends.
It’s almost like a sickness that comes
over me when I’m writing. When I’m
in writing mode, I’ll just be having
a conversation with someone and I’ll
turn and write it down. Then I visit it
later and turn it into a song. A lot of
it comes from real life experiences and
just casual conversations with friends.
What is one of your favorite songs
to perform and why?
Hodges: Obviously people love when we
do “Magic Mountain” or “Lay by Me.”
I get a rise when I play “Americana
Dream.” It’s a nice moment to have a
conversation with a crowd. I always
change the lyrics a little bit to fit the
room I’m in, to fit the mood of the
crowd. And it’s always fun because I
never know what’s going to happen or
how people will react.
As a whole, how do you think
bluegrass influences American
music today?
Hodges: I couldn’t believe it when I
heard Mumford and Sons on the radio
for the first time. I had this moment
of thinking “Wait, bluegrass music
could be cool?” I was going to school
and trying to impress people with my
playing bluegrass music. It felt like
overnight, bands were successful. People
were buying banjos. I certainly saw it
firsthand. People are more acceptive to
music like this now. It’s been made more
approachable to them.
What do you hope your fans get out
of your music?
Hodges: I hope it takes them to a
place. I don’t want to dictate what
their experience is, but I just hope it
takes and removes them from whatever
they’re living in. I hope it’s an escape
for them. Really all I want is to create
an atmosphere, an experience, with my
music. I want to transport people, make
them live in my world for a minute.
-
Throughout the winter of 2016,
Hodges has been taking a break from
touring and instead preparing to work
on his second album. In the meantime,
his self-titled album firekid is available
on iTunes and to stream on Spotify.
Artist
Fun Fact
As a native of northwest Alabama, Hodges has performed
at many local restaurants, festivals and more in the Shoals
area. The sketch on the left was drawn by an audience member
during Hodge’s 2012 lunchtime performance at the Trojan
House, a sandwich shop located in Muscle Shoals. That
audience member’s name is Maria Oswalt — who now serves
as the creative director for Alice. Oswalt fondly remembers
attending many of Hodge’s performances growing up in the
Shoals. It’s a small world!
Alice Spring 2017 [89]