Austin Skalecki, a Wisconsin-based folk and blues musician, makes his Steve’s Guitars debut on April 5. He is looking forward to performing his original songs in the intimate space and sharing the stories which inspired them.
Skalecki was inspired to pursue music after growing up listening to artists like Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson. His lyrics speak to the simple pleasures of life and the connections people make. These themes are prevalent in his newest single, “Simple Things.”
“My new single is about taking a step back from life for a moment and finding ways to smile through all of the little instances in everyday life,” Skalecki told The Sopris Sun. “One of the lyrics in it says, ‘I got a mango in my bag for lunch; it does the job even though it ain’t that much.’ … It’s about finding happiness within the simple things of life.”
As a traveling musician, he said that much of his recent content comes from new experiences and the people he has met along the way.
“In the last three years, I’ve started using music to travel. I have enjoyed sharing songs and going to new places … Colorado was one of the first states I started playing shows outside of the Midwest,” he shared. “I like to go rambling and I have met many people. I get a lot of stories from that.”
He described his writing process as therapeutic.
“I get this almost high from writing a song — where everything disappears momentarily,” he said. “That’s what I love about songwriting. It’s almost like a therapeutic tool, like a medicine. That’s how I like to look at it.”
Skalecki said that he appreciates Steve’s for its listening-room-esque setting, so he can share stories in between tracks. He prefers an intimate crowd and the opportunity to get up close and personal.
“I was looking for venues to contact. Seeing all the pictures and the artists [Steve’s] was bringing in, it felt like it would fit the mood I was going for,” he stated.
During this tour of Colorado, he continues to work on new music and seek out those experiences that inspire him. Specifically, he values the state’s abundance of nature and has considered even doing some recording outdoors.
“I have a lot of stuff already recorded and am focusing on getting the promotional work done. I would like to continue to do albums out in the middle of nature, somewhere that I connect deeply with” he concluded. “I’ll set up the mic and do raw and organic takes. I think that’s the direction I want to go in next.”
It sounds like he came to the right place.
To get tickets for Skalecki’s show at Steve’s Guitars, visit www.stevesguitars.net. To keep up with the artist, follow him on Spotify and Instagram at @austinskaleckimusic or visit austinskaleckimusic.com