Dustin Chapman
Feed the Band
Feed the Band
Dustin Chapman
Patrick L.
Southern Fellow requires learning something new every day. There have been a few boring lessons, and some still stump me today. As a whole, it has been the best education of my life. Doing these interviews and getting to know artists personally has given me a new perspective on life. One reason for the change is artists sharing how they have overcome or at least live with hardship. Dustin Chapman is one of those artists and the newest member to join the Southern Fellow family.
I didn’t know the first thing about Achalasia until I met Dustin. It’s extremely rare. It only affects 200,000 people a year, according to the Mayo Clinic. It restricts or stops the flap in the lower part of your esophagus. Achalasia is painful, requires surgery, and makes eating a difficult task. As a chef, this diagnosis would be soul-crushing. Dustin Chapman could have complained or raised his fist to the sky in anger during one of our conversations, but he has yet to do so. I don’t think he ever will. He has learned not to fear the elephant in the room and refuses to let it take up too much space in his life. Dustin focuses on the things that really matter. Faith, family, and country music are the pillars on which he stands.
When Dustin Chapman first introduced himself to me, I thought my eyes and ears were being deceitful. I saw this skinny guy and heard this almost superhuman sound. My brain would not let me make the connection. That was even after watching his music video for “Slow Dance.” After a few short conversations with Dustin, my brain slowly put everything together.
I have tried to come up with a country artist that I could compare Dustin Chapman to. His voice gets deep like Josh Tuner”s but without the gravel. Dustin uses a more extensive range when he sings, and it has this smooth, soulful sound to it. There are artists outside the country genre that share a similar quality, but Dustin’s sound stands out significantly in country music. His latest singles. “Words and Alibis” and “Slow Dance” reflect that.
Truth be told, Dustin has one of the top voices in country music today. That, combined with songwriting that connects to some powerful emotions, makes him one of the best-kept secrets in country music. A secret that’s not going to be a secret too much longer.
Dustin Chapman's Latest Video
There are a few recipes that meet strict dietary restrictions and are highly requested here at Southern Fellow. Today we are sharing one of those recipes. Our Southern Potato Leek Soup is a family favorite and one that Dustin can also enjoy. Make sure to check it out below and also enter our giveaway. Let’s get to it! Here is our interview with country artist Dustin Chapman.
Tell us about your road to country music.
My road to country music has been a bumpy one. Being from rural North Carolina, I grew up listening to country music. My parents loved it and therefore embedded a love for the genre in me. As soon as I discovered my voice, I began singing all around the Carolinas as much as possible; however, it wasn’t until I was 18 years old and diagnosed with a rare esophageal disease, Achalasia, that I truly discovered how important country music is to me. The storytelling aspect of country music has always been what I admire most, so I began to create songs that I believed others could relate to, and that truly became therapeutic for me and brought me hope during hardship. I’m eternally grateful for country music.
If you could not play music, what do you think you would be doing?
Growing up I always said I’d be a professional wrestler, so I’m almost 100 percent sure if I didn’t eventually start singing I’d be somewhere trying to find my way working for the WWE. LOL!
What’s the coolest thing about your town?
The coolest thing about my town is the amount of hometown pride people possess. They rally behind each other, uplift and help during rough times, and they have been nothing but gracious and supportive of me and my musical endeavors. We also are the “Yam Capital of the World,“ so there’s a fun fact for you!
We are always developing recipes here at Southern Fellow; when writing music, what recipe do you use?
Oddly enough, there isn’t a specific recipe or pattern that I follow when writing. Many times the idea comes to me first and I run to my keyboard and begin creating the music which then guides my lyrics. However, sometimes I find the lyrics flowing and then I create the music to match the melody I already have. Just like you probably do with cooking, my method changes each time, and hopefully, that leads to something unique and tasteful.
Connect with Dustin
What is your first fond memory of food?
I have very rare fond memories of food now since my esophageal disease makes it extremely hard for me to eat, but I will say just spending family dinners growing up with my family are memories that I keep close. My parents always worked hard just to put food on our table, so I am extremely grateful for those dinners that I know today were the labor of my families’ hard work and ultimately instilled that work ethic into me.
What’s the hardest part on the road for you?
The hardest part of the road is definitely the ride. We typically travel in an SUV with all of our sound equipment, music equipment, and clothes, etc, so the rides can get pretty tight, but it’s entirely worth it to play around the country, meet new people, and create new, lasting friendships and memories.
Tell us about your latest single “Words & Alibis”.
“Words & Alibis” is a song that came to me after I returned from a co-writing session in Nashville. While I was in Tennessee, I got the opportunity to tour Loretta Lynn’s ranch, so when I got home I watched her biopic “Coal Miner’s Daughter” as well as Patsy Cline’s biopic “Sweet Dreams.” Seeing their relationships with their spouses depicted in those films inspired this song. From there, I recorded the single at Studio 101 in Woodruff, SC, and filmed a music video for it here in my hometown of Whiteville, NC, and it’s been moving the needle pretty well so I’m super excited to see how far it goes.
What do you hope never changes?
I hope the desire in me to learn and get better never changes. I never want to feel content in my career because that leads to stagnancy. I want to always find things to improve on and continually try to write better music, create new goals, and make a larger impact with my music.
What job would you be terrible at?
Honestly, I’d probably be a terrible coach or sports analyst. I love to talk and love to help people, but I was not blessed with athleticism, so I would not be very helpful in that regard.
Try this inspired recipe!
What does the coming year look like for you?
This upcoming year will be interesting for sure. I’m playing music full-time starting in June, which will be my last day as a teacher. I will be moving to Tennessee in the fall, and I will continue to release and record music. I’m grateful to be at a place where I could pursue music full-time, and I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what music city has in store for me.
What is the best way a person can spend their time?
I believe the best way to spend your time is to do what you love. Life is too short to do something you don’t enjoy. Surround yourself with good people, dream big, and make those dreams come true… To me, that sounds like the perfect way to spend your time and energy.
Here at Southern Fellow, we are all about family. In what ways has your family contributed to your career?
Oh goodness, my family has contributed to my career more ways than I can count. From introducing me to country music to paying for voice lessons to putting me through college where I got my music degree, and even now going to every gig, helping out with behind-the-scenes, and just making sure I’m staying healthy amongst all the traveling. They are truly the most supportive parents anyone could ever ask for and I will never be able to repay them for all they’ve done and continue to do for me.
Is there anything else you want your fans at Southern Fellow to know?
To the Southern Fellow family, thanks so much for supporting me and my career. Thanks, Patrick for doing whatever you can to help me, and if you guys haven’t already, you can find me online on all platforms. Hopefully, I’ll have a show near you all real soon, and we can meet in person!
The secret is out! Dustin Chapman is an artist you need to be following. Dust that playlist off and add all of his songs. You can find his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and YouTube. In between slow dances, give our recipe for Southern Potato Leek Soup a try. That and Dustin Chapman can warm the soul like nothing else. Thank you for stopping by Feed the Band. We have more recipes on the way!
This Post Has 5 Comments
You are absolutely correct! Dustin Chapman is a force to be reckoned with in the country music industry! Thank you so much for having him as your guest! I am now a follower of Southern Fellow too!
Thank you Donna and welcome to the Southern Fellow family!
We couldn’t agree more. Dustin is an amazing singer/songwriter and all around good person. He deserves all the praise he gets. He and his family are now among our dearest friends.
Wonderful article. Dustin is such a special person. I hope the world gets to see, hear, and appreciate this young man.
Dustin and Ryleigh are both so talented. Their new video “Family Thing” is my favorite song. It really touches the heart. Dustin is not only a great singer but also an amazing songwriter too. I wish him and Ryleigh much success in the future. They certainly deserve it.
Thank you for reading Ms. Tammy!