The Sound

By Michael Swanger scenescribe@mchsi.com

Blue-eyed soul singer Broussard does everything straight from the heart

Marc Broussard performs Thursday, Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. at People's Court. Scars on 45 and Sarah and Christian Dugas open the show. Tickets are $15 at Midwestix.

With so much hype veiling thin story lines in the marketing of popular musicians today it is refreshing to talk to one whose "news angle" is as heartfelt and straightforward as his music. Such is the case with 29-year-old Marc Broussard, the blue-eyed soul singer from Louisiana with a distinguished voice and a grounded outlook that belies his age when he so eloquently states that the only goal for his new self-titled album is to deliver strong music.

"That's all I've ever wanted to do, man. You go to the studio with well written songs and hope people respond," said Broussard last week on the telephone before a concert in Philadelphia.

Listeners who appreciate well crafted, honest music delivered with emotion have responded to Broussard's records since he made a big splash with his debut 2002 solo album, "Momentary Setback," which spawned the hit tune "The Wanderer." His mix of old-school R&B, blues, funk, rock, pop and gospel — which can be summed up as "bayou soul" — is a reflection of his birthplace, a state known for its musical and cultural gumbo.

"Growing up here I got to see some amazing singers... blue-eyed soul singers specifically, that were singing black music. It taught me a lot about performing. I owe a lot to those guys back in the day," said Broussard, who founded the "Momentary Setback Fund" to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita and has donated money earned from his 2005 album, "Bootleg to Benefit the Victims of Hurricane Katrina," to help rebuild a portion of Louisiana.

His father, Ted, a respected jazz guitarist and member of the Louisiana Hall of Fame, used to take him to nightclubs to perform starting at the tender age of five, Broussard said.

"They passed state laws for little guys like me to be able to go inside the club. I'm not saying it's the best environment for a child, but I never felt unsafe or neglected by my father. I'd sit right beside the stage before it was my time to go on. I learned a lot by watching the musicians and the hours they were putting into their gig," he said. "At home, my father led by example in terms of the level of musicianship that was on display for me as a child. He still practices almost every day and has put in the hours to not only become proficient at his instrument, but someone who truly understands what he's doing. He's at a level very few people reach."

Broussard said that he also learned important lessons from his father about not succumbing to the temptations and subsequent pitfalls of abusing alcohol and drugs.

"He really understood how dangerous they could be for a musician, so he tried to focus on that stuff for me when I was coming up. He would show me examples of guys who were extremely talented but were going to die very poor people or they missed opportunities because of their inability to stay away from drugs and alcohol," said the singer-guitarist. "I definitely paid attention to that advice, and I've never had any problems as a result."

From his father, to his wife and their four young children, family has played an important role in Broussard's music and life. He also credits his oldest child for inspiring "Eye On the Prize," a song on his new album.

"Fatherhood shapes who I am as a man and, in turn, what I write about. It's inseparable from me as an artist because I try to be open and honest with my fans when I write songs," he said.

That kind of honest approach, Broussard adds, also prevents him from becoming sedentary in his approach to making music.

"The new album is a reminder that we're always going to be bringing something new to the table when it comes to making records and that there will be some songs on them that will relate to situations in life," he said. CV