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Florida gent infuses North Dakota life into music

Joey Anderson to perform at Souris River Brewing Co.

Submitted Photo Singer, songwriter and guitarist Joey Anderson will perform at Souris River Brewing Co. Saturday at 7 p.m. The emerging country star infuses his Florida roots into his Minot sound.

According to singer, songwriter and guitarist Joey Anderson, a person’s strength is found in their word.

Heartfelt vocals alongside authentic lyrics accentuate the guitaring of the emerging country star.

This Saturday at Souris River Brewing Co., audiences will be entertained by a Southern gentleman from St. Augustine, Fla., who infuses North Dakota life into his music.

“There is beauty in things that are simple,” said Anderson, an active member of the Air Force.

When Anderson takes the stage, audiences bear witness to a man sharing his soul by way of vivid storytelling, compelling vocals and the strumming of his guitar.

For Anderson, simplicity is more than a musical signature, it’s a personal creed.

“I’ve always tried to capture moments in my songs,” Anderson said. “I believe the best approach is to keep things simple and understandable.”

In the original song titled “Fields,” Anderson along with his daughter Genesis Anderson, composed a story about the everlasting connection experienced by family.

“My daughter has always been into music,” Anderson said. “So, I asked her to help me write a song about growing old and being with the person you love the most. So, we started with a little melody that led to a line that says, ‘We got no treasure, only children.’ The song touches on the generational passing down of names and values. It’s about being there for each other until the end.”

As a native of St. Augustine, Anderson expresses an affinity for history and an appreciation for his coastal roots.      “It’s the oldest city in the United States. What’s cool about (St. Augustine) is a place called St. George Street. It has old cobblestone roads from the mid-1500’s. As the oldest city in the nation, a lot of time has produced different cultures. The music there is influenced by the Spanish. Moving towards modern times, bands like Lynrd Skynrd and The Allman Brothers come from the Jacksonville and St. Augustine area. The influence of Southern rock is really big and you can hear the Spanish acoustic sound in it as well.”

Along with the influence of Southern rock, St. Augustine introduced Anderson to the sound of country and Southern gospel.

“Growing up, Southern gospel was huge,” Anderson said. “I grew up in a Southern home, spent a lot of time in a Southern church and listened to all the different harmonies of Southern gospel music.”

During his years in elementary school, Anderson met Roland Fleming, a teacher of music and a pivotal influence in Anderson’s life.

“Roland was a pretty neat guy,” Anderson said. “In the ’60’s, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came through St. Augustine. Roland would walk the streets and protest with Dr. King. During this time, Roland was leading songs at the protests.”

Inspired by Fleming’s love and understanding of music, Anderson sought every opportunity to develop his voice.

From singing in the school choir to the church choir, music became a source of joy for the former Floridian.

“All the way through elementary school, our eyes were always opened,” Anderson said. “We sang all kinds of music. Individually, I would say that Roland was the biggest influence on my singing.”

When Anderson isn’t writing songs, the Minot country performer is singing the praises of local artists and businesses.

As a veteran of the Minot’s music scene, Anderson believes it’s important to support both the upcoming artists and citywide venues.

“Minot has many talented artists in the area along with a variety of venues to perform” Anderson said. “Everybody is starting to come together and work together. On Facbook, Minot artists are bouncing lyrics and songs off one another and it’s pretty neat to see this happen. I think Minot is going in the right direction.”

To learn more about Joey Anderson, visit www.facebook.com/andersja2014Music/

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