Dustin Dale Gaspard
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Dustin Dale Gaspard

Kaplan, Louisiana, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | SELF

Kaplan, Louisiana, United States | SELF
Established on Jan, 2013
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"Dustin Dale Gaspard"

Nick Pitman of the Independent:

Dustin Dale Gaspard

There’s a million and one musicians trying their hands at the singer songwriter game. But when that one is Dustin Dale Gaspard, it is cause to take notice.
Gaspard is looking to stand out and not get lost in the crowd of the ever-growing music scene of Lafayette, Louisiana. Venturing out in two different forms – as a solo singer/songwriter armed with only his guitar or backed by his band The Freetown Sound – Gaspard is causing music fans in Lafayette to take notice of his arresting, well-worn but strong, smoky and simple voice as it belts out his poetic life story. Even with The Freetown Sound, Gaspard keeps things simple, employing a small drum kit, saxophone, harmonica and rootsy picking that yields a toe tapping Americana Soul meets Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy feel.
Playing solo, he scales down pop to barebones fixtures, pairing it with earthy textures and lyrical expressions, all expressed with the honesty of folk and singer songwriter intentions. His original compositions are designed to both draw the listener in and take them on a journey to the pits of his soul. “In My Veins” brings Gaspard close to the edge as he teeters over, peering into the abyss of “…when I could not control the chaos in my viens.” This feeling also comes through with his earnest expression and honesty in his original studio recording "Same C."
“I'm trying to get you to hang on every word,” says Gaspard. “I’d hope that you listen to every phrase and breath, then question why I said each thing. I want to share a part of me so deep that I have to put song behind it and give it to someone else. I want the choruses to be sung along to and for the listener to feel like it’s their song more than mine.”
Gaspard’s current material is the last step in an evolution that took him from coffee shop pop songwriter to folk pop songs to contemporary folk songs to what he calls “some kind of cryptic rootsy folk soul.”
These catchy toe-tapping cuts challenge the listener as Gaspard takes them down his lyrical pathway. It’s all the end result of years of dedication and hard work to improve upon the artist that he is. Humbly, Gaspard calls it relentless trial and error, but his work does not contain many errors.
“I’d become so lost in my singing and what I thought I was doing that I’d end up not achieving the best of my ability,” says Gaspard. “It was an ignorant innocence that I performed with, but that wasn’t going to help me in the long run, so I paid more attention to each song and performance and searched out criticism. Everything I listened to was affecting my writing constantly on a minute-to-minute basis and I had no idea. I began deepening my thoughts on the bigger picture of being a singer/songwriter and started listening to an extended range of artists.”
While exposed to music his entire life – be it by his jitterbugging grandfather’s affinity for Fats Domino, Bobby Day, Sam Cooke or the Swamp Pop, Cajun and Zydeco sounds of life in southern Vermilion Parish – Gaspard is not so much defined by his background as he is by his reaction to it. In his teens, he bounced around sounds with his friends and, despite their inclinations towards alt. rock, he branched out (or inwards) to singer/songwriter introspection. Still, before Gaspard became a performer, he still hadn’t sorted out his direction in music.
“It wasn't until I grabbed my great uncle’s old Kay guitar that I really started paying attention to music and going out of my way to listen to artists that I was inspired to be like,” says Gaspard. “My ear took a huge left turn and I followed artists like John Mayer, Amos Lee, and Ray Lamontagne, who were intimate-setting songwriters that you kind of have to really listen to.”
He continues to evolve as any artist should, owing much of what he is now to where he is now: Lafayette, Louisiana. The artistic, cultural and political center of southwest Louisiana – a rural area deeply rooted in French heritage. Not only is it a testing ground for many young musicians of the area, but it is where Gaspard would blossom.
“I came to Lafayette searching for an audience that would at least give me a second of their time instead of writing me off before hearing me strum,” says Gaspard. “Lafayette was an ocean of differences compared to back home and it placed me in a revolving door of new experiences, ideas, people, and music. It’s close enough to family to not miss them, it’s far enough away to feel separation. It’s where I’ve learned the most about myself and grown so much in every aspect of my life. I’d have to say it deserves to be called my true home.”
This new home is the setting for his life, which is the setting for his songs, as they are his life – painful as it may be. For example, “Hail Lucy (Gin’s Hectic),” tells the tale of when he was so overcome with the cultural milieu of his new hometown he tried to rush the stage –“Watch me jump right over the fence,” he sings – at its largest festival (Festival International) and sing with The Wailers. It didn’t work out well. Busted – literally and figuratively – Gaspard finished the show in handcuffs. Undeterred, Gaspard wove it into song, all the way down to the end of the unfortunate event.
“My eyes became flooded by tears of joy when I heard ‘Every Little Thing's Gonna Be Alright’ roar at a thunderous volume to the heavens, as if being sung to me in honor of my brave attempt,” laughs Gaspard.
At this stage, Gaspard is still on his way, simultaneously in the process of re-imagining himself and looking for where to place his next step. There’s a long road ahead of him and he isn’t sure where he is going but he knows how to get there – constant improvement, introspection and never staying still or settling. He’s off to a good start – sharing gigs with Roddie Romero & The Hub City All Stars (one of the biggest local roots outfits), Ray Boudreaux and Mackenzie Bourg (locals who also appeared on “The Voice” and “American Idol,” respectively).
Gaspard has his sights set on building his base and recording an album to help show he is a million-in-one artist. In the coming year, expect The Reader The Lover, his first album and a testament to his craft.
“I never plan much further than that,” says Gaspard. “Life changes to quickly, so I try and absorb every second of the now.“



Performed with:
Roddie Romero & The Hub City All Stars
Ray Boudreaux, “The Voice”
Mackenzie Bourg, “American Idol” - Nick Pittman


"New Years Eve Show"

Dustin Gaspard & the Freetown Sound, singer-songwriter/ alternative folk/ contemporary folk

Dustin Gaspard has prided himself on conviction of live performance, strengthening though cryptic lyricism and an always evolving singer songwriting style because of dueling solo and backing band projects. His original songs stream reveal a variety of range. From the howling vocal ambiance of solo tunes like "Same C" reminiscent of his simple folk roots, to other jams that liven the listener by holding an upbeat rock and soul vibe, similar today's Nathaniel Rateliffe and the Nightsweats. Drawing influence from Kings of Leon, Rateliffe and solo artist Ben Howard, Gaspard bridges the gap between songwriter and rock performer to deliver another direction for all music. With new age roots on the rise Dustin looks to pronounce a prominent musical impact for all who care to share this vision. - Downtown Lafayette


Discography

as Dustin Dale Gaspard
Twas The Night- Live at Artmosphere (December 2015)
"Same C" Single- ( Freetown Studios May-Aug 2015)
"Running Like A Gun" Single- (Freetown Studios March 2016)
Porcelain Prayer Tapes EP- (January 2019)




Photos

Bio

Singer Songwriter/ Performer/ Cajun Boy



Based
in Lafayette, Dustin Dale Gaspard is both Alt. Folk Songwriter and
front man/ vocalist for Rock N Soul group DG and The Freetown Sound. He
has prided himself on conviction of live performance, clever cryptic
lyricism and an always evolving songwriting style. His original songs
reveal a variety of range. From the howling vocal ambiance of solo tunes
like "Same C", reminiscent of his simple folk roots, to other vintage
R&B jams  such as "With The Tide" that livens the listener by
holding an upbeat rock and soul vibe, similar today's Nathaniel
Rateliffe and the Nightsweats. Drawing influence from Kings of Leon,
Rateliffe and solo artist Ben Howard, Gaspard bridges the gap between
songwriter and rock performer to deliver another direction for all
music. With new age roots on the rise Gaspard looks to make his mark for
any listener willing to dance to his vision.



Band Members