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Long-form interviews and conversations from Mason County, Washington. Host Jeff Slakey sits down with local leaders, legislators, small business owners, and community voices for unhurried conversations about what's shaping the Hood Canal region — government, education, healthcare, the outdoors, and the people making a difference.
New episodes drop throughout the week. For daily local headlines, subscribe to KMAS Morning News with Jeff Slakey.
[Speaker 2]
Well folks, it is just about time and I am super excited for our new concert series that is going to start off this Thursday at the Fjord Oyster Bank in Hoodsport, Washington. It is going to be a great time because not only are we going to have live performers in concert there at the bank, but also we're going to air it on the radio, AM, FM, and on our streaming platforms, plus on our social media, so you'll get a chance to see this and re-watch this. On the line with me now is our first performer right out the gate, Adam Thorne.
He is from Kitsap County and it's a great opportunity to get to talk with him. Adam, how are you doing?
[Speaker 1]
Doing great, Jeff. Thanks for having me.
[Speaker 2]
You're welcome, and I love it and I am very excited to have you on the radio with us and have you on this concert stage as we kick this thing off. So you're up in Kitsap, tell me a little bit about yourself.
[Speaker 1]
Well, I'm in the Navy. I've been in the Navy for about 15 or 16 years. I've been playing guitar for 30 years, writing songs for about 20, and writing songs that are any good and worth playing for other people for about 10.
It's something that I love doing. Sturgill Simpson gives me a 40. So who knows, maybe I retire and I get to be a regionally well-thought-of musician.
[Speaker 2]
That's great. I can see that on a business card, I think.
[Speaker 1]
Regionally well-thought-of.
[Speaker 2]
Awesome.
[Speaker 1]
I won't specify the size of the region. It can be three counties. It's all good.
[Speaker 2]
That's still pretty good reach. It's still pretty good. Who are some of your influences?
What do you like to listen to?
[Speaker 1]
Oh, lately I've been listening to a lot of... I've been on this Black Keys kick. Jack White's got a new album out that's really been getting a lot of rotation on my playlist.
My kind of musical tastes are pretty eclectic. I run the gambit from solid gold country back in the 60s and 70s all the way to black metal and everything in between. One of my big influences was Dwight Yoakum.
He was a pretty big influence on me for songwriting. Growing up in the 90s, I keep thinking I'm writing cool chord progressions and I'll play it slightly different. It's just 90s pop punk.
I'm musically and referentially all over the place, but it ends up sounding like me, so I'm digging it.
[Speaker 2]
I like that. That's kind of where KMAS is these days. We'll go anywhere from early country up to the Black Keys, throw some offspring in there, and maybe we'll round it out with a little Lucille from Kenny Rogers.
We just play it all. Sounds about perfect. Just good music is kind of what we're all about here.
I am super excited about this. You're in the Navy, but you still tour around and play places?
[Speaker 1]
Yeah, as often as I can.
[Speaker 2]
So first off, I failed to mention where people can find you. You're on Instagram at Adam Thorne Music. I'll put the links to it in the show notes.
Roundmusic.com, you can look for Adam Thorne and it'll pop up there as well. Tell me a little bit about some of the places you like to play, where you go play.
[Speaker 1]
Well, I'm able to get some gigs whenever I have some time off of work. I play a lot around Paulsbo and the breweries and stuff up in Paulsbo. The folks at Valhall Brewing and Bushel & Barrel and Western Red, they've been real sweet to me and I get to play there a lot.
Pretty heavy in North Kitsap, so Paulsbo, Kingston, up at Downpour Brewing, stuff like that. I'm starting to branch out a little bit, try to play some... Honestly, if I'm in town and available, I'll pretty much play anywhere.
If you're throwing a kegger in your backyard, hit me up.
[Speaker 2]
Make you a good price. Kind of go with me on this one. Are you booked now for folks to come see Adam Thorne, or are you booked now as the Friday night musical act while people are playing cornhole or drinking beer?
[Speaker 1]
Yeah, for sure. In general, I am background music. I've had a couple of opportunities to be...
Folks are coming to see Adam Thorne. I played a round music through an artist showcase and that was really cool. There's been a couple of other times.
I had a band last year. We played at the Pirate Festival in Kingston. A little mix of everything.
I'm happy being background music. I'm happy being featured. I'm really looking forward to Thursday.
[Speaker 2]
I'm pretty stoked. Yeah, it's all you for an hour and a half. We'll have some conversation just like this so the audience both at the bank and on the radio and online can kind of get a chance to know you better.
What do you do in the Navy?
[Speaker 1]
I am a communications specialist for submarines.
[Speaker 2]
Oh, very cool. Yeah. Very cool.
One of our state senators here in the 35th, Drew McEwen, was a submariner and I talk with him often and he always brings that kind of stuff up. That's very cool. Excellent.
Tell me a little bit more about just you in general and kind of your vibe when it comes to... I mean, I get the sense even from this short time we're talking to each other you're kind of a fun-loving guy and so I'm sure these shows are a lot of fun.
[Speaker 1]
Yeah, I try to bring a lot of positive energy. Every now and again you'll get a song that's a downer but you know what? Sad songs are good songs too.
I try to keep everything kind of upbeat. Nothing's serious until it's serious and if it's serious, you know, somebody will tell you. So I'm just trying to have a good time, play some good music.
The songs that I'm bringing for Thursday kind of reflect on almost the last 20 years of me and I think I'm starting to get better at writing songs that are approachable and accessible to people. So I'm still writing things that are personal but they're more accessible for an audience. So I'll have themes that are love and good times and not so much longing.
I'm not sure what the right word is but I get a lot of opportunity to write when I'm actually at sea. Some of my songs are kind of reflective, others are just about trying to have a good life and what it means to kind of a human being.
[Speaker 2]
Oh my gosh, I love it. I'm excited. You said before we started that you were going to have someone else with you and give them a shout out or something like that.
[Speaker 1]
Oh yeah, my good friend Carlos Santos is going to join me for a couple of songs. I've been releasing kind of almost like studio demos of some of my stuff. You can find that on any streaming platform if you just search Adam Thorne.
Hopefully this month I've got a full band kind of EP coming out of three songs that I'm pretty stoked about. So these songs that I've got out on streaming, I've put together some kind of lead guitar parts. So my buddy Carlos Santos, who I think is on Instagram at Guitarlos, he's going to come with me and he's going to help me out with some rhythm guitar so I can play some lead, which is great because I get to bring a buddy out.
It's also good because I haven't been able to, you know those dudes that use the looper pedals?
[Speaker 2]
Yeah.
[Speaker 1]
I have not been able to make a looper pedal work for me like at all ever. I don't know what it is. I can count to four pretty reliably and I can play rhythm pretty well, but it's something about hitting a foot switch.
[Speaker 2]
Hitting it again.
[Speaker 1]
Yeah, I don't know. I guess I can't walk and chew bubblegum at the same time just yet.
[Speaker 2]
Well, maybe we'll all get a chance to see you try that too, I guess, on Thursday.
[Speaker 1]
Oh, no can do. It gets clunky, but Carlos is gonna be up there with me for a few songs. He's also a phenomenal musician to check out if you're ever around Kitsap.
He plays around in a lot of the same sort of venues as I do and he's got a voice like honey and it's pretty cool to watch.
[Speaker 2]
That's super awesome. Well, Adam, I really am happy that you decided to take a flyer on us here with this new series, the Shuck and Strum. It's this Thursday night, select Thursdays over the course of the summer.
We'll have it on the radio here on KMAS, also on our streaming social media channels, and then it'll just be a really fun evening in Hood Sport. We're going to start the show at six, go to about 7 30 or so and give you a good chance to talk to the crowd afterwards. The bank is a very popular venue these days.
Lots of folks come in for the food and lots of folks come in to stick around and hear what's going on, so I think we should have a pretty good crowd for you for that Thursday night at Adam Thorne Music, roundmusic.com. You can search for Adam Thorne there as well. I'll put the links to the show notes and I am really looking forward to seeing you in person on Thursday for the concert.
Me too. It's going to be awesome. Thanks, Jeff.
Thank you.