Eli Young Band is a country band known for its catchy songs and inspiring lyrics. The band, comprised of Mike Eli, James Young, Jon Jones and Chris Thompson, began performing while they met in college at University of North Texas. Since then, the band has released five albums and has toured all over the country, as well as being nominated for many awards and winning Song of the Year and Breakthrough Artist in 2012. The Bite had the chance to chat with lead vocalist, Mike Eli, before the band’s performance on November 19 at the House of Blues in Orlando.
When did you decide to pursue a music career?
It wasn’t necessarily a day, the four of us in the band always wanted to be musicians but it doesn’t always really happen for everyone. We were in college in North Texas and we just started a band and used that as an outlet. We were getting our degrees, and we did end up getting our degrees, but the band was actually getting money so we kept touring and kept playing in this band and then eventually it got bigger and bigger and then Nashville noticed and we signed to Universal Records, and 15 years later we are here.
Did family and friends encourage this decision or did you ever have anyone tell you were crazy for trying to make it in such a cut throat business?
My parents were supportive but they also wanted me to get my degree. But you have a combination of both of those folks and you need a combination of those folks. You need reality in your life and you also need the fantasy, you need to feel like something bigger is around the corner. You need to feel like you can accomplish something, whether it’s the bigger gig or whatever. You have to have one foot in reality and one foot out.
Where do you get your inspiration to write your music?
Everywhere, as a songwriter you have to be constantly taking everything in. Sometimes in a parking lot I’ll see a sign and there will just be something there, you have to really be ready to take in that inspiration at any moment.
What’s been your favorite song to write and why?
Guinevere is probably my favorite that I’ve ever written mainly because I was really proud of the song and the way we wrote it because we didn’t have to sit here and dumb it down. We didn’t have to say okay is that going to make sense to the listener. We were going to let the listener explain it themselves and figure it out, that’s what the beauty of music is.. That song didn’t get a bunch of airplay and wasn’t on the radio a lot but it’s one of the most popular songs that we play. It feels good to know we didn’t write a song that became popular because of being shoved down everyone’s throats by the radio.
What are some goals you have for later albums?
At this point we just want to continue being us. Instead of trying to push some kind of evolution in the band, we want to let it naturally take it’s course.
What has been your favorite memory from being on tour?
There are a lot of good ones. For the last fifteen years I’ve been touring around the country with three of my best friends as long as I’m with our tour manager, guitar techs and stage manager who have been with us for years. I would say that’s my favorite. It’s tough to be on the road and be away from your family, but at least I get to be with these guys who I’ve spent half my life with.
Describe your sound in three words.
Glorified garage band.
