An Interview With Jesse Lawrence

-By Paul Botwin

During the summer of 2009, I began to frequent a little coffee shop called Terra Cafe on Center Street in downtown Rutland Vermont. This particular place was a nice place to stop and get a cup of joe and use the wi-fi for a few minutes here and there. I met Jesse Lawrence there and we got to talking about music. He mentioned that he was in a duet that was mostly into playing acoustic sets. This is when I got the idea of filming them at one of their live performances in a little art gallery called TIMCO Art Gallery. I had a rough idea of dedicating these sites to some of the musicians that I have met in the Rutland area, but The Stained Glass Cowboys were the only ones that I have managed to really keep in touch with.

There have been a few moments where it seemed to me that a website of any kind involving bands from Rutland would have to be developed from the inside of the scene and not as an outsider who is trying to make a killing off of the local starving-artists type-deal. Also, our little place in this world would provide many potholes along the way, and, that being said, this interview was plagued from the start. I misspelled Jesse's email address, and, due to some bad planning, Jesse's computer was down for a few days, so when I realized my mistake, Jesse could not reach me anyway. But, finally after many mishaps, I have been able to piece together a short interview with Jesse Lawrence, the singer/ guitarist/ songwriter of the Stained Glass Cowboys.

Q: I was surprised when I first heard you play, that your stuff sounds very pronounced and genre specific. These are the traits of an experienced writer. So, I wanted to know how long you have been writing your own songs. I was also wondering whose music you used to cover and how that music influenced you.

A: I've been writing material since 2000. My earliest influence was by a man named Judas Brooks. He himself is a very talented songwriter. Judas crafted melodies around such beautiful lyrics. To this day I strive to portray myself as innocent and honest as I can. The Beach Boys were my first love as a child. Once I discovered The Beatles in my late teens, everything simply structured and heartfelt, I felt I had a lot to say. Music became a passion. It all came together for me then. I never covered material. Other musicians lives are there own. I've got my own life to share.

Q: I want to know if you had been interested in using harmony in your vocals because I think that your singing can go in a lot of different directions - beyond what you are capable of with only one vocal track. I mean it seems that "Off On Holiday" has a chorus that needs some kind of harmony in it. Do you agree?

A: Harmony in The Stained Glass Cowboys was never my mission. This started out as a side band for me. My other band 'Drag' has all that. My brother and I. More rock with that and more solo Americana in this. That's just the way I like this band. Simple. Off on Holiday interestingly enough was a tune my brother wrote. I have a recording with harmony. I feel like my performing holds up well enough on its own.

Q: We have talked earlier that there are two different stages of music that have two different kinds of energy to them in your playing. These require two different styles of singing. It seems that the style of singing that comes from an earlier time needs a gentler vocal style as opposed to some of the rougher-edged stuff where the lyrics seem to be about the real nitty-gritty of the night-life. It seems like an obvious fact, but can you explain some of this- or, please get into a little more detail about it?

A: Well the phrasing is completely different in my country style songs. Nitty gritty night life tunes needs to be sang exactly that way. It's harder for me to sing a ballad roughly. Ballads don't need it. I'm not Bob Dylan.