Jedd Hughes talks about his new album ‘Night Shades,’ and summer tour with Vince Gill

Jedd Hughes. Photo Courtesy of Jedd Hughes.

Singer-songwriter Jedd Hughes chatted about his new album “Night Shades,” which will be released on May 2nd on Guy Clark’s Truly Handmade Records, and his future plans.

Song selection process for his new album

On the song selection approach for “Night Shades,” Hughes said, “It sort of started me writing things during COVID by myself. I was in a little song club where we were each accountable for writing one song by ourselves every week that we would share with a group online.”

“People from all over the world would chime in, and it was a really good way to keep the creative wheels turning and be accountable for writing something every week,” he said.

“I started to pile up some songs, and I was talking to Rodney Crowell on the phone, and I was telling him I was writing a lot, and I asked him if he would be willing to produce a record for me and with me,” Hughes explained.

“Rodney has been a longtime collaborator and friend of mine. So, I started sending him songs and he helped me compile what ended being the 10 songs on the record,” he added.

Hughes listed “Day After Day” as his personal favorite song on the album.

The digital age

On being an artist in the digital age, he said with a sweet laugh, “I don’t like it.”

“I mean, it’s okay,” he clarified. “The problem I have is that I have to spend so much time other than creating, which pulls me out of the place I want to be, but that’s just the way it is, and that’s okay. I’ve made peace with that,” he explained.

Future plans

Regarding his future plans, he remarked, “I have another record that I am working on, and I am writing for because I have been inspired recently, and I wrote a new batch of songs. So, I am going to start working on that this year. It is going to be more of an acoustic record.”

“I am also working on writing for a record, which is an instrumental album, with my friends. We have a trio that we are working on called The Guitar Party until we come up with a better name,” he said.

“I am always writing, and I have been producing a record for the Randy Rogers Band, the Texas group. Their first single came out and we’ve cut half their record already, and we will finish the second half in the fall,” he said.

“Things have been busy. I am designing a guitar with a German company that I am excited about,” he added.

Touring with Vince Gill this summer

“This summer, I am going to tour with Vince Gill. I will go out on the road and bounce around with him over the summer,” he said.

Stage of his life

On the title of the current chapter of his life, Hughes revealed, “Life is Messy.”

“We have three small children and my wife works full-time as well, so it’s pretty crazy in our house right now,” he said.

Superpower of choice

When asked about his superpower of choice, he said, “Healing power would be my superpower.”

Dream female duet choices

Hughes listed Patty Loveless, Suzanne Cox, and Sarah Jarosz as his dream female duet choices in music.

He revealed that he just worked with country star Lee Ann Womack last week.

Success

Hughes defined the word success simply as “general happiness.”

“There are so many distractions in our world, and there is so much pulling everybody out of the present moment,” he said. “I want to keep a roof over our heads and a happy marriage; that’s good stuff.”

Closing thoughts on the new album

For fans and listeners, Hughes expressed, “Creating a whole record of new music, I would hope that somebody can disappear into the record and be able to plan a jump with me through the songs, and turn off the rest of the world for 30 minutes.”

His new single “Stay, Don’t Be Cruel,” featuring Sarah Buxton, is available on digital service providers by clicking here.

To learn more about singer-songwriter Jedd Hughes, check out his official website and follow him on Instagram and Facebook.