By Gracey Murphy
Small-town Iowa seems to be underestimated in various categories. The stereotypical belief about the region nestled right in the middle of the “flyover” states is that all Iowa can produce properly is cornstalks and plump pigs.
While we do know how to shuck our corn and raise a mean hog, there is far more to the state than might first meet the eye. Iowa-based singer-songwriter Christopher Ford is deadest on defying those odds.
Ford, who goes by the stage name of Christopher the Conquered, will perform on Saturday at the Englert Theater, 221 E. Washington St.
Music has been a part of Ford’s life from a young age, when he started playing the trumpet in elementary school. In a town of 1,300, music served as the primary source of entertainment for Ford, whose father was a jazz musician.
Though skilled at playing the drums, guitar, and trumpet, Ford today focuses primarily on the piano.
He recently released the album I’m Giving Up on Rock ’n’ Roll, his first full-length LP.
He said the album’s name is derived from the façade people in rock ’n’ roll develop as they become more and more involved with the genre. Ford believes that too many musicians act like two entirely different people on and off the stage, and he didn’t appreciate that.
“I was really struggling,” he said, “I didn’t really know what I was doing, and I didn’t like what I was doing.
“I don’t really develop characters on a whim. Everything I write comes from experience. I write songs in an emotional response to my experiences.”
One song Ford feels most connected to in this album is “On My Final Day.”
“I really feel like [‘On My Final Day’] came from a satirical place and turned into a meaningful reflection of how I respond over time to what I do,” he said.
He feels a strong attachment to his music, as he experienced most of these situations and hopes to transfer that to his audiences.
“I just want people feeling more joyful and reflective than when they came in,” he said.
He works diligently with his band members to make his music. The process of recording an album is different each time, he said, and it takes a lot of effort.
On I’m Giving Up on Rock ’n’ Roll, Ford and the band worked together meticulously. He developed and changed songs until they were where he wanted them, before bringing in the band members so they could decipher how to make songs better. Finally, they sat down in his home and recorded it together before bringing it to the studio.
Now that it’s finished, Ford is excited to share this album with audiences, including his fans in Iowa City. The location at which he will be performing, too, has played a special role in his musical development.
“I’ve gotten to play on the Englert Stage maybe three times,” he said. “I’ve seen some of my favorite musicians at the Englert, so I’m really excited to play there.”
MUSIC
Where: Englert, 221 E. Washington
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Cost: $10-$12
