Life, family, and music.
It wasn’t what I expected. What I expected was a recording studio you’d see in the movies or in Rolling Stone magazine. Huge rooms with vaulted ceilings and sliding glass doors. A sound engineer smoking cigarettes over a mixing console.
At least once a year I read a book by my favorite author Jon Hassler. I’m always trying to write songs like Jon Hassler wrote books. Seemingly ordinary, small-town characters living in northern Minnesota. But once you get to know them, they tug at your heart and stick with you.
Before songwriting was my full-time job, I used to tune pianos. One of the most common questions I still get asked from friends and family is “What do you think of this piano?” Usually the question is in an email or text along with a link to the piano on Craigslist. The problem is you …
Jim was my coworker. He and I worked together at Taco Bell. I was in high school. He was probably in his early 40s, a single dad of three kids. Serving late night burritos was just one of many jobs he had.
I don’t often post videos of me performing because I don’t really love seeing myself on camera. I’ve got issues, ok? I know. But for the sake of leaning into my fears, here’s a video of me performing “Beyond the Sun.” Love, Aaron LYRICS: BEYOND THE SUN CLAIRE GUERRESO/AARON ESPE I WONDER WHAT …
Imagine you work construction, framing houses. But what you really want to do is play guitar and sing songs for people. You’ve just recorded your first album and are releasing it in two months. Of course you know your fingers are important, so you’re as careful as you can be around dangerous tools like, um, …
I’m sitting in the living room watching TV when my phone starts buzzing. It’s YouTube notifications, comments on a video I had posted more than a year ago. Almost all are from viewers in Sweden who have just watched a Swedish TV documentary featuring a homeless singer.
I wanted to form a choir to sing on my upcoming album, but I didn’t know how. Then it occurred to me that I could just ask my fanbase if they wanted to sing. And it actually worked. People signed up and I sent them the music and instructions. They recorded themselves in their own …
After I’ve taken Silas to school, after I’ve talked with Heidi about the day, while August is still sleeping and Lorentz is eating, I walk to my studio in the backyard. Come walk with me (and see if I spill the coffee)….
Inspiration seems to hit at the worst times. You’re sitting there minding your own business, but then you have a thought and a feeling, and a moment to react before continuing to, let’s say, brush your teeth. For the past several years I’ve made a habit of at least trying to grab inspiration by its …