Sterling Drake is an award-winning musician whose soulful tunes reflect his deep love of the landscapes, people, and culture of the American West. The media outlet Lonesome Highway probably best described Sterling’s music by calling it a “perfect fusion of western swing, honky-tonk heartache, and dance hall treasures.” But you can’t really confine Sterling’s music to a single, overarching category– his influences range from country to folk to blues [and more], and he’s toured everywhere from rural Montana to the swamps of South Florida to the music epicenter of Nashville, Tennesse. And it’s those wide-ranging experiences and influences that make him such a fascinating and thoughtful character and such a fun person to talk with.
Sterling’s family has roots in the southeastern U.S., and he was born and raised in Florida. Music was always a big part of his life, but his early interests revolved around the hardcore music scene and his love of drumming. Soon after graduating high school, he decided to head out west, where he began a long stretch of working on various ranches in several different states. Over time, his musical focus shifted from the hardcore world into the roots genre, and he began to capture the attention of audiences at bars, rodeos, and everywhere in between. Today, Sterling is a full-time touring musician, and as I record this, he is preparing for his first European tour. In my mind, Sterling is a perfect example of how a person can successfully meld passion, curiosity, hard work, and respect to create an entirely unique brand of art that resonates with a large, thoughtful audience.
I met Sterling last summer at the 2023 Old Salt Festival in Helmville, Montana, and I was instantly struck by his thoughtfulness, sense of humor, and his desire to contribute to the culture of the American West. So I was glad to finally connect with him for a podcast episode and have an in-depth conversation about his artistic journey. We started out talking about his upbringing in Florida and why he eventually decided to head west. We discuss his time working on ranches, lessons learned from living and working in Nashville, and why he continues to be drawn to Montana. We discuss his most recent EP titled Jereco Sessions, and why he decided to donate all of the proceeds of that project to the nonprofit Western Landowners Alliance. We also discuss Willie Nelson, books, martial arts, straight-edge culture, travel, and much, much more.
If you want to see Sterling perform in person and have a chance to hang out with him, I’d encourage you to come to this summer’s Old Salt Festival, which is taking place June 21-23 in Helmville, Montana. Both Sterling and I will be there, and we’re both looking forward to what is guaranteed to be an amazing weekend.
Thanks for listening, hope you enjoy!
Photos courtesy of Sterling Drake
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RESOURCES:
Topics Discussed:
- 5:00 – Sterling’s first memory of music
- 7:45 – Reflecting on Sterling’s childhood in Florida
- 11:00 – How Sterling became interested in the West, and further discussing Sterling’s upbringing
- 14:30 – Sterling’s time in Utah
- 17:30 – Where Sterling’s work ethic comes from
- 20:00 – How music played into Sterling’s early years out West
- 22:00 – A brief discussion of martial arts and its impact on Sterling’s life
- 25:45 – Sterling’s shift into country music
- 28:15 – When Sterling’s country career started to take off
- 33:15 – Sterling’s insider take on the Nashville music industry
- 40:45 – How Sterling became involved with WLA
- 44:15 – Discussing Sterling’s recent/upcoming album cover
- 45:15 – Sterling’s upcoming European tour
- 46:45 – Looking forward to Old Salt Festival
- 52:30 – Where Sterling may eventually choose to settle down
- 54:00 – Sterling’s advice to early career professionals and aspiring artists
- 1:00:30 – Sterling’s book recommendations
- 1:03:45 – Sterling’s parting words of wisdom
Information Referenced:
- Sterling Drake
- Old Salt Festival
- Western Landowners Alliance
- Beau Alexander and Logan Maxwell Hagege
- Cole Mannix
- Lesli Allison
- Jess Mudgett
- Chris Burkard
- Kaleo
- Bob Marshall Wilderness
- Ovando, MT
- Helmville, MT
- Nick Offerman
- It’s a Long Story by Willie Nelson
- The Lost Cowboy by J.B. Zielke
- Dusty Vaquero YouTube Channel
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:
- David James Duncan – Live at the Old Salt Festival
- Nick Offerman – Empathy, Nuance, & Good Hard Work
- Kathie Sever – Chainstitching, Craftsmanship, and Cosmic Western Wear
- Amber Smith – Creating Connection & Community
- Rick Ridgeway – Purpose-Driven Adventurer
- Nickolas Butler – The Craft of Creativity
- Rick Wittenbraker – Humility, Generosity, and Building One-of-a-Kind Brands
Visit the podcast page for a full, searchable list of episodes
