Interview with Deeanne Dexeter
Dexeter have gone from strength to strength in 2016, starting with standout performances at C2C, before the release of their new EP “Waiting For a Lifetime” and a nationwide UK tour. Last week we caught with Deeanne Dexeter and asked her all about the year and what the future holds for the band.
Hi Guys! Last week we featured your brilliant new single “Nashville, You and Me”, a collaboration with Ben Earle which was part of a simultaneous release by 4 UK Country acts. How did this come about?
Ben actually contacted us a few months ago to say that he’d had a listen to our EP ‘Waiting for a Lifetime’ and asked if we would be interested in doing a collaboration with him. Of course we jumped at the opportunity. Ben is a great song writer and it was a real honor to record with him and producer Dan McDougall.
On release day social media was buzzing at the success of both the four singles on the UK iTunes chart and the fact that Ward Thomas had hit number one on the album chart. How exciting was this to be part of?
It was hugely exciting! We kept checking the progress all throughout the day! I think we reached number 5 in the end. We were in great company.
It’s been quite an amazing year for Dexeter, which seemed to really kick off after your appearance at C2C festival. I was lucky enough to see one of your performances and it was certainly one of my highlights. How pleased have you been by the reaction?
C2C was definitely a highlight for us. We were scheduled to play twice over the weekend, however, we received such a great reception that we were asked to play an extra set. Bob even gave us a shout out in the main arena! I think playing the Town Square Stage on the Saturday afternoon was my favourite gig to date. The atmosphere was incredible. Or maybe it had something to do with meeting Charles Esten right before we went on stage! What a surreal weekend…
Soon after C2C you went on a UK tour and released your EP “Waiting for a Lifetime”. It must have been quite a whirlwind at the time?
Haha! It sure was. This whole process is one crazy roller coaster ride for us. One minute we’re playing to sold out venues and the next we’re back at our day jobs!
You seem to have a big fan in Bob Harris! What has his support meant to you?
We can’t thank Bob and his family enough for their support. To know that a legend like Bob Harris enjoys our music enough to invite us to record a session with him at Radio 2 is something we could only dream about 18 months ago. We class him as a friend now and like to call him Uncle Bob. Ha!
At Belles and Gals we’re huge supporters of the UK country music scene (well, the female half anyway!) and you’re one of the acts leading the way. How far do you think can we go in the UK?
All the way! Acts like Ward Thomas and The Shires are proving that. I heard Ward Thomas on Radio 1 the other day… I didn’t think I’d ever see the day that Country music would be played on Radio 1 but it’s happening! And there’s plenty of room for the rest of us 🙂
How did you get started in music and which musicians have influenced you over the years?
Dexeter is the first and only band I’ve ever been a part of. I’ve always loved to sing but I’ve struggled with confidence for many years so singing would usually be confined to my bedroom! I decided to apply for the band around 5 years ago and that’s when Gareth and I met. The rest is history! We have many influences, and not necessarily in the Country genre. I grew up listening to a lot of R&B and soul music. Anyone with an impressive vocal range gets me hooked. The Whitney’s, Mariah’s and Celine’s. I love a diva!
I’m always interested to know about the songwriting process. How do you go about penning a new song?
Gareth is the brains behind our song writing. He likes to write stories…. My disastrous love life has been known to help with that in the past! Sometimes he’ll write the music first but sometimes it will all just stem from a title. He’s a bit of a genius really… Don’t tell him I said that though.
We don’t really have an ideal gig. Whether it’s 10 people or 10,000 people, we want everyone to leave our shows having had a great time as part of the overall Dexeter experience. If they leave singing, well that’s ideal!
….Or maybe Glastonbury… 😉
To finish, tell us about your plans for the rest of 2016 and let us know how readers can grab hold of a copy of your new single?
Well as festival season is over, things are starting to wind down on the gigging front. We only have 3 more shows coming up this year so we’re mainly concentrating on new material. We’re hoping to have a new EP ready for your listening pleasure by Spring 2017! Because, you know, who needs sleep anyway…?
