Culture
Crowe Boys discuss major label debut album ‘Made to Wander,’ music video trilogy, Grand Ole Opry debut
By: Ian Saint
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HAMILTON, Ohio (WOUB) – On June 9, the day before their Grand Ole Opry debut, New Orleans-based Crowe Boys — brothers Ocie (acoustic guitar) and Wes Crowe (mandolin) — sat down with WOUB’s Ian Saint at UMG’s Downtown Nashville office. At the time, they were fresh off multiple CMA Fest performances, not to mention the June 6 release of their debut album Made To Wander.
Praised by NPR All Songs Considered as a “Best New Album,” Made To Wander was produced by The Revivalists drummer Andrew Campanelli and features a cinematic music video trilogy for the songs Bootstraps, Bonfire In My Soul, and Debris.
On Saturday, the Crowe Boys play Jared’s Jam at Hamilton’s RiversEdge Amphitheater (116 Dayton St.), their final U.S. performance before launching their Roaming Europe tour.
The RiversEdge appearance is a full-circle moment for the brothers, who played Jared’s Jam 2024.
“We played there with Maggie Rose last year,” Ocie recalls. “It was a lot of fun, a great experience (…) We’re excited to get back.”
A transcript of that June 9 conversation, edited for length and clarity, follows.
IAN SAINT: How has living in New Orleans influenced you?
OCIE: Growing up, our family traveled full-time; we lived in an RV since pretty much (before kindergarten). So we lived most of our lives traveling the south, and Louisiana was home base. We grew up very involved in gospel music; but we listened to a lot of music (styles), traveling and experiencing different cultures. Constantly detaching gave us the groundwork to not be so bent on just being established in one way of thinking, but constantly searching for newness.
When we moved to New Orleans (as young adults), we were both hungry to (absorb) as much as we could. One of the reasons we’ve stayed is there’s so much depth — even after seeing so many places on tour, New Orleans is special. So many people there just want to feel alive, and are genuine. It’s a great place to live.
Between Jared Jams, you signed with Universal’s EMI label and released your debut album.
OCIE: This record was pretty much in place before we signed. We finished recording it under the label, but we’d already decided the songs and started the process. Bootstraps had been recorded for maybe half a year before we signed.
Elaborate on Bootstraps, the opening track for both Made to Wander and the music video trilogy.
OCIE: Bootstraps is about finding who your real family is. This album was built to bring you through a full range of emotions. The first three songs come from this place of separating yourself from what your expectations about life were, before you moved out of your family’s house or started to become your own person. Regarding Bootstraps, we were really struggling with our career.
We believed in the music we were writing; however, the hard lesson that anybody pursuing something they’re passionate about is that you find out who’s really going to have your back in the very beginning — when things aren’t yet working out. There were lots of frustration around watching the people you thought you were close to turning their backs.
The video story continues with Bonfire in My Soul, then Debris. What’s the scoop on the trilogy?
OCIE: Wes and I were sitting in a van, and creating this story of two brothers who go on adventures and learn life lessons together — which is honestly what our show, music, and our life is. We made all three of those videos in three days in Los Angeles. The team over there was phenomenal; many of them are good friends now. These three videos set up a longer-term story… a fan asked, “Is this beginning the Crowe Boys Cinematic Universe?” It definitely is. The original idea was to get a manga drawn up, and maybe create an anime series, because we have some friends who do that in New Orleans.
Which other songs would you like to make music videos for?
WES: Lucky To Be Alive. My wife had the idea of hiring two dancers to just dance throughout the video — I think that’d paint a really cool picture of the song (themes about) love and loss.
OCIE: Yeah. Then the album ends with Hello, I Know, (which infers) relationships are messy, stuff happens and you just never know — but set your sails towards something (you’re passionate about), run hard to that, and live to the fullest.
WES: Honestly, we could make a music video for all the songs.
We’re speaking the day before your Grand Ole Opry debut (June 10). How are you feeling about that?
WES: We’re extremely excited. It’s an honor to play on a stage (seemingly) everyone’s played on. It’ll be really cool to get out there and just have fun.
OCIE It’s an interesting lineup. We grew up in the Christian music world; seeing Sanctus Real is a nostalgic moment. I’m a big fan of Hailey Whitters, so it’d be cool to connect with her. There’s lots of other legendary people playing (such as Suzy Bogguss and Opry members Don Schlitz, Mandy Barnett, and Gary Mule Deer). The whole Opry culture around how they do things backstage, we saw while touring it last time we were here; we’re excited to be part of that.
Speaking of interesting line-ups: any surprises in your playlists?
OCIE: I listen to Dua Lipa a lot. I’ve had moments of listening to sad girl pop obsessively.
WES: I’m listening to lots of Gregory Alan Isakov. His songs inspire lots of songs that I’m writing.
Brothers in bands range from inseparable, like Van Halen and AC/DC; to bitter splits, like Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Kinks. How do y’all make it work?
WES: We’ve definitely had ups and downs — every band does, family or not. We used to be a three-piece; our brother Jacob was our drummer. Jacob decided to settle down, and didn’t want to tour. After he stepped away, we really stripped back our set and became closer as brothers — but also as friends. We’ve grown closer together as we’ve done this record and toured. We both love doing this, and it’s great to be able to do that with my brother.
OCIE: Also, Wes and I are very different people. If we were the same, we’d probably hate each other. (laugh) I do most of the frontman-ish things; but a lot of my decisions worked because I’ve had Wes to bounce those things off — I know his character, he sees things I don’t, and vice versa. Growing our friendship, and keeping that friendship as our first priority (is paramount). People ask us, “Would you ever do your own thing?” I don’t really want to. I love doing this because our relationship is very meaningful.
For Crowe Boys tour dates, visit https://www.croweboys.com/tour.