Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»audiences know Zachary Stevenson for his Jessie Award-nominated portrayal of Buddy Holly in the Arts Clubs crowd-pleasing Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, which returns to the Stanley this summer and runs until Aug. 26. But the local rock n roller is also a talented singer-songwriter, both as a solo artist and as a member of the band the Human Statues. Stevenson took time from his busy schedule to rave on with the Courier and discuss songwriting, eyeware and his likeness to Cee-lo Green.
1. Where does one find proper Buddy Holly glasses?
eBay! Actually, you know, its really tough to find really authentic Buddy glasses. They have really strong angles, which few modern dark-rimmed hipster glasses do.
2. Having played Buddy Holly and performed his songs so many times, do you feel your performance has evolved or changed?
Absolutely. When I was first cast as Buddy, I was a shaggy-haired, side-burned hippy coming off a production of Hair. I played a decent folk guitar but had never played blues or rock on an electric. I worked really hard to get it off the ground. Every production since has given me another crack to dig a little deeper and get more detailed. Also working with multiple directors and actors contribute a lot to refining the character as well. A couple of summers ago I finally went down to Lubbock, Texas; Clovis, New Mexico; and Clear Lake, Iowa to do some hands-on research and reflection on the trail of Buddy Holly, which deepened my connection with him. Theres a really cool video my sister made of the trip called Searching for Buddy Holly on YouTube.
3. What was it like to actually see in person the towns, recording studios and concert halls portrayed in the production and even perform a song with one of Hollys backup singers?
Unforgettable. I had already logged over 200 performances of the Buddy Holly Story before I finally was able to head down and see some of the locations that we portray onstage. Id spent so many hours visualizing these places that it was really surreal to actually be in the presence. It was quite emotional to actually step into that studio floor. Im not a spiritual person per se. But I could really feel the presence of energy and the vibrations that Buddy and the boys had caused in those walls all those years ago.
4. How has playing Buddy Holly influenced your own songwriting?
Editing. Most of Buddy Hollys songs are not much longer than two minutes. No self-indulgence here. Helps me to edit anything that is extraneous to the song.
5. Your recently released album Smashed Hits consists of covers of Buddy Holly songs and other early rock n roll classics, and the album art looks of that time period. What about that era of music appeals to you?
I love how exciting it was for people to hear new songs on the radio. How there was a lot of mystery about the performers. That people gathered round the record player and listened to music and treated it with more reverence and focus. We consume so much music now on the go and with visuals on the Internet. A lot of pop music has become a little like fast food.
6. Youve played Phil Ochs, Hank Williams, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly on stage. Which one is the hardest to play?
Jerry Lee was. Mostly because Im not a natural Boogie-Woogie player so it took A LOT of practice to give up to a performable level. I think I naturally share more in common, personality-wise, with the other guys, too.
7. What modern day musician do you think youd be best suited to portray?
How bout Cee-lo Green? A lot of people have said I look like Chris Isaac but Id love to be Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie (one of my fav bands).
8. Have you ever suffered any Buddy Holly-related injuries?
Haha. Just last night I sliced up my finger pretty good on a broken string.
9. What kind of music do you listen to when youre at home?
I listen to a lot of different styles. I just bought Hey Oceans latest album. Its really good.
10. I assume there are times when you must get tired of playing the same songs night after night. What is the key to warding off Buddy Holly exhaustion?
The look in an older ladys eyes as she tells me how she couldnt keep still during the performance and how much it meant to her to hear those songs that flooded her with memories of her youth. It reminds me of the power of music and why I love it so much. Though, I may not wake up every morning thinking I cant wait to play Peggy Sue yet again tonight! I do go to bed every night thankful I did.
Twitter: @MidifeMan1
