Get to know... Jeff Lane

I first met songwriter Jeff Lane when he was running the Kingsport Grocery Company and booking live music in downtown Kingsport. I was able to have a few conversations with him and realized he had good taste in music - he hoped to help bring some great regional and national artists to East Tennessee and I was on board. I didn't know he played.Then, one night we were booked at his venue and after the show he asked to see my guitar. He picked a bit and it was evident he had a great feel for melody and rhythm - and the next thing you know, I started seeing his name playing gigs, writing songs and starting bands. It seemed he was playing everywhere in a short period of time and he was constantly writing and producing new music. And it wasn't just middling nonsense, he was writing good songs - I started to realize this guy's been doing this for a while and I'm just catching on.Those bands he started were Hundred Acres and Real Life Heavies, bands that drew well and built a following pretty quickly. He played with them on the weekends and traveled with his songs to play solo shows through the week. He stayed busy (and still does), writing constantly and jamming with some of Kingsport's favorite players. He managed to play through the shutdowns and keep himself busy and his music came full circle with his latest outfit, Buffalo Down, producing good tunes with good people.But you don't need me to give you his history, let him do it. Take a few moments and get to know Jeff Lane.When did you decide music was going to be a big part of your life, and how did you first get involved?"When I was in high school I was really working hard on learning rock guitar and had a 'band' of buddies that mostly jammed in basements where every time you put your lips to a microphone, you'd get zapped! I really loved the way it felt becoming a musical brother… it was just different from normal friends. Fast forward through lots of life (20+ years), I found myself in a real mess during the Great Recession of the 2007-08. I was a small business owner with literally zero income and couldn't make the payments on my mortgage. I guess that's where music saved me. I had almost forgotten about music but during those times with the urging of my great friend Matthew Oakes, music became what I looked forward to. That led to literally everything I've done since."Is this current project the first, or have you been involved in other things?"My first real project came from the story I just told, Hundred Acres. Never quite a 'band', but more of a 'herd' of great musical folks that came in and out of this project to bring me out of my songwriting shell. It all started with Matthew Oakes and myself. After many open mics, we were approached by my first mentor, Quentin Horton about recording. I was very reluctant because I knew I couldn't afford that. Finally, the 3rd time Quentin called me, I told him I just didn't have any money and he replied 'did I say I was gonna charge you?' We released our first record on my 40th birthday with Horton on lead guitar, then followed up with a second record. After that, Quentin urged me to do what he did in his early musical journey and 'go out there and see who you are,' meaning to explore the music scene, open mics, etc. and see what you do differently than other people. He also taught me the greatest piece of advice I've ever had about playing with others: 'Know when not to play.' IYKYK. So, after a couple of years of regional open mics and songwriter showcases, following more Horton advice ('If you want to be a better guitar player, start a 3-piece!'), I did just that and pulled my longtime rhythm section, Johnny Rasar and Brian Seiler from Hundred Acres back together. I wrote a bunch of new material completely different that anything I'd ever written before. and we spent an entire year in my garage putting together the Real Life Heavies. We did a little traveling, but that was difficult with full time jobs and life at our age. At that time, we were still doing occasional Hundred Acres shows as well and when the pandemic hit in 2019 everything was cancelled. At that point we all kind of hung up our suits. I migrated into solo acoustic shows mostly on patios at that time, as everyone was keeping their distance but businesses were trying to keep afloat. Over the next few years, I had a wide range of covers learned and was playing a lot of gigs solo, but really missed the guys. Johnny, Brian and I had briefly discussed bringing the Real Life Heavies back, but decided to move more towards what I was already doing with the acoustic cover shows. Buffalo Down was born as an acoustic rock trio at that time."What is it about music that makes you want to perform or be involved?"I can't say for sure, but I'm drawn to it. I love the camaraderie and I love seeing people smile and sing along to songs they love. I also feel like music was something God gave me for a reason and every time I go to play a gig, I pray for everyone on my way there, and that the music given to me will help someone who needs it that day. I can say for sure that I've seen numerous times of that gift working in real time. Recently I had just randomly decided to play 'Copperhead Road,' which I hadn't played in a long time. I just suddenly had it pop into my head. As I started the song an older gentleman and his wife were leaving the restaurant I was playing at and I noticed that she seemed to have forgotten something and went back inside while he waited on the patio where I was playing. When I got to the part about Vietnam I felt something. I turned to look and that man waiting on his wife was deeply focused on me and then I saw his Vietnam Veteran hat and I realized that was the song of the night. As his wife came back out, I thanked him and he smiled and nodded at me on his way out. Oftentimes, kids draw me pictures and write notes and drop them in my tip jar. Those are priceless to me."How would you describe your music/band/project?"Buffalo Down is the culmination of decades of live music experience in the most relaxed live setting you'll see. We basically recreate the feeling of band rehearsals in Brian's cave, just in a live setting. We keep it 'electrified acoustic,' with me on acoustic guitar, Johnny on bass, and Brian on a vintage Rogers cocktail kit with brushes. And with that we're Lionel Richie to Chaka Khan, to the Foo Fighters! Our goal is for you to say, 'Whoa! I wasn't expecting that from an acoustic act!' We're all kicked back on studio stools and have a blast with our audience. We love to communicate with the people and we love audience singers and tambourine players!"Is this something you see yourself doing as a career?"No, this is pretty much fun now, but I do still have some aspirations on the songwriter side of my music. I still write and do some recording. I write frequently with my mentors Quentin Horton and Benny Wilson. I actually had several co-writes on their last album."What are your other interests? Do you have any surprise talents or hobbies?"I love driving on random road adventures with my wife Dana, especially in the mountains! I also love to fish which I get from my dad, who is the best bass fisherman I know! I don't get to do that enough because of a busy life but I really need to make more time for that, especially with my dad."Who are your influences/favorites (worldwide and local)?"I can't really break that down, but I was a wooden stereo cabinet kid from the 70's and that influenced my first loves of music, Eagles, Seger, Croce, Elton John, and the list goes on. In the 80's I started learning guitar listening to Van Halen, Ozzy, Night Ranger and other hair bands so I picked up a muffled picking style from all that which even now influences my acoustic style as a percussive player. As I progressed, I started really loving bluesy rock like ZZ Top and Stevie Ray Vaughn. On a local level, we are blessed with a huge array of talent. I've been impressed so many times by local musicians that it would be hard to pinpoint. I will say though that Quentin Horton is my very first mentor both as a guitar player and a vocalist. He taught me how to 'drive the band,' so to speak, like a car! Benny Wilson was unknowingly another early mentor. Benny is the best front man I know and an incredible vocalist that I've studied over the years, who, even during his peak of regional fame, has always been humble and super helpful to aspiring musicians that have looked up to him."If you could tell people one thing they should know about you, what would it be?"Although I don't look like it, I have deep country roots which has deeply influenced my songwriting and work ethic. I'm a Christian, I love Jesus and my family more than anything, and if you're a real friend of mine then most likely you are extended family to me as well and can count on me. That's what's truly important in life."How can people contact you about booking and information?"The best way is either through my website jefflanemusic.com or find me on Facebook."