ION INDIE MAGAZINE February 2015, Volume 9 | Page 51

One listen to “Tough Love” will indeed verify Ellis’ reputation as an
artist once described as “singing and playing with the conviction of
a man possessed”. Ellis recently spoke to ION about the new
record, some of the processes that go into his music, and also
provided a little insight into his artistic vision. This humble, softspoken Southern gentleman is, according to his devout fan base,
an unsung guitar hero that is, arguably, at the height of his creative
powers some 30-plus years into his career.
ION: Tinsley, how did the writing/recording process for the new
“Tough Love” album compare with your previous work? Was there
anything done differently this time around?
Ellis: Well, I write songs in my home studio. I whittle down around
30-40 songs until I kind of have an album’s worth of stuff that does
together. I work on it a bit here, then I go up to Nashville and work
on it with the guys there. It’s a long, drawn-out thing even though
there was only a short amount of time that everybody was together
with me working on things; you know, living with mixes and things like that. It’s nice to have home studios to do this sort of
thing. Back in the old days you’d be watching the clock in the big studios--it wasn’t conducive to being relaxed.
ION: As far as self-producing the album like you did, tell me about the freedom that involves. And, of course, at the end of the
day it’s you who is responsible for the finished product.
Ellis: Right. I do have advisors. The keyboardist, Kevin McKendree, not only performs on the albums, but helps me record and
mix--he’s the best set of ears I’ve got. Then, there are other people in my sort of network that I can bounce stuff off of, because
I get so close to it that I can’t tell; things that I think are no good, someone might say, “That’s my favorite one!” I just get too
close to it. The problem with being self-produced is that, yes, it does give the artist enough rope to hang himself with, but I try
to stay off the gallows if I can (laughs). I take my time with it, too, and not try to rush anything.
ION: I want to talk about Kevin McKendree if we can. He’s worked on so many great records over the past several years. What
does he offer, as far as advice, and what does he bring to the music?
Ellis: Kevin has played on every studio album I’ve done since 1997 (“Fire It Up”), and started off recording with me on that
album, on which Tom Dowd was the producer. We just thought Kevin was great; we brought him in and we didn’t realize how
gifted he was. He was in his 20’s at the time. Like I say, I call him in on every album; his playing just suits me to a “T.” A few
years ago he built a little studio behind his home in Franklin, Tennessee. A friend of mine who now plays with Bob Seger’s
band said, “I’ve been going over to Kevin’s”…and it’s really great to record there, but he’s an incredible mixer. That’s a real
gift to be able to mix, because you can be great in the studio, a great musician, but not be able to mix. It turns out he’s got a
great ear for mixing. So, we did the instrumental album--that was called “Get It”--it was recorded in 2012 and came out in
2013, and we did the “Midnight Blue” album that came out the next year. Last year, we started on “Tough Love.” His mixing
has continued to please me, as well as his playing and his camaraderie; he’ll tell me stuff other people won’t tell me--break
the bad news to me in a nice way. I need that. Maybe that’s the tough love right there (laughs).
ION: What kind of a songwriter are you? What sparks a song for you?
Ellis: Well, it comes in two ways. I’ll either get the “lick” of a song--in blues, it’s usually a riff, or, somebody will say a phrase
and I’ll say, “What a great song idea!” Rarely do I have riffs just out there that I can match up with a song; it would have to
happen within a few days of each other or the same day. Then, I’ll have my phone which has a recorder on it--I’ll be in a hotel
room and I’ll start singing and playing into it; that way I won’t forget it. Even if I’m home, by the time I get to the studio I’ll forget
a song. So, I try to capture it on the cell phone--it’s a great technology. I guess back in the day people would have pocket
cassette recorders or something like that to capture it. The cell phone does it within seconds.
ION: As far as contemporary blues artists go, you’re a pretty prolific guy. A lot of blues artists go years without releasing new
material. What’s your reasoning for keeping so up to date on new studio material?