Eddie And The Getaway: Why Slowing Down Is The Real Key To Survived Industry Pressure

As a part of our series about Nashville’s rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Eddie And The Getaway.

Eddie And The Getaway embodies a fresh yet throwback sound that fuses 2000s pop-rock with the American storytelling of modern Country. Eddie emphasizes the meaning behind “the getaway” stating, “it is not only about the music; it’s also about the freedom-filled lifestyle that surrounds it and these songs are the soundtrack”. If the wild-curly-haired front man isn’t on a stage or writing in the studio, he can always be found chasing the next thrill surfing in California or letting loose on a downhill mountain bike. Eddie was raised in the sunny state of Arizona, where he met drummer Christian “Champ” Champion at age 13 and since has been crafting their own style. With Eddie’s powerful crispy vocals and Champ’s theatrical stadium styled drumming, Eddie And The Getaway is the next generation of energetic genre-bending artists.

Thank you so much for joining us in this series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?

I was born in Michigan but grew up in Arizona. As a kid, I split my time between playing sports and performing in dive bars. My parents always had a great mix of artists playing in the house like Tom Petty, Goo Goo Dolls, Foo Fighters, and Keith Urban. I was always fascinated by the songwriting of Country and the stadium energy that Rock music had.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I believe the reason behind me choosing music as my career was when I saw U2 perform when I was 11 at the Arizona Cardinals Stadium. Bono pulled my sister up on stage during their song “Beautiful Day” and I just remember telling myself that I had to do that one day!

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

The most interesting story that has happened to me since beginning my music career was winning the Arizona State University “Battle of The Bands” as a freshman and then getting to open for Galantis in front of 10,000 students.

Can you share with us an interesting story about living in Nashville?

The most interesting story in Nashville was moving here a month before the pandemic hit. I had an awesome college tour schedule ahead and right as we played our first show at Miami of Ohio in March, we got sent back to Nashville! I feel like it’s been a blessing in disguise because I was able to take the time to get involved in the amazing songwriting community here.

Can you share with us a few of the best parts of living in Nashville? We’d love to hear some specific examples or stories about that.

The best part of living in Nashville is the food, inclusivity, and the outdoors. Being from out west, I never had hot chicken before, and it is now a staple in my diet. Also, the people here are so awesome and are always supporting each other. The reason I also said the outdoors is because I am big into wakeboarding, mountain biking, and longboarding so there is always plenty to do here.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

The funniest mistake I made first starting off was when I was playing down in Mexico when I was 15 and my band and I were greeted with Tequila bottles by the bar owner. We hadn’t ever really had alcohol before so by the time we got on stage for our 3-hour set we realized that it was going to be a LONG night! Moderation is key.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There are so many people I would like to thank for helping me along the way but the one that stands out to me the most are my parents. They have always believed in what I am trying to do and have always encouraged me to keep going.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I just released my third single “Silver Lining” which I co-wrote and co-produced with Lincoln Parish of Cage the Elephant. The music video and song are out everywhere now!

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

1. It is the bumpiest most exciting rollercoaster ever. There are always big ups and downs no matter who you ask.
2. Be patient. I am someone who wants to move 100 miles an hour all the time but sometimes things work out best when we don’t have the pedal down all the time.
3. Meet like-minded people. Music is so much more fun when you do it with people you enjoy.
4. Take the time to craft your sound. The most important advice I ever got.
5. Enjoy the ride. We are only here once so we should enjoy the journey and not only focus on the result.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

Take the time to work on yourself because it’s a marathon, not a sprint to the finish line.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

If I could inspire a movement it would be a movement of freedom in all aspects of life. I think the hardest thing to do sometimes is get out of our own way. Once we can focus on the world and make positive impacts on those around us, we will be way happier.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite quote is from something that a guy in a bar that I was playing 2 years ago said to me. He said, “life is better flying by than dragging on”. It impacted me so much that I actually wrote a song using that line that will be coming out later this year.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

The person I would love to have a meal with more than anyone is Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters. He has such an inspiring energy about him, and I feel like if I had the opportunity to chat for an hour, I would learn so much.

How can our readers follow you online?

You can follow on all social media platforms at “@eddieandthegetaway” or with this link: https://linktr.ee/eddieandthegetaway

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!