First off, what are you up to now – what new projects should we be looking for?
I’ve been doing this for a minute now – I lost count of the number of records and songs I’ve done. I just finished my third covers album – I never thought I’d be doing those when I started. But I reached a point where I didn’t feel like I had much more to write about. When I started I wasn’t thinking about writing songs – the Beatles already existed. But when I do the covers I like being ironic and doing pop songs in my style.
A lot of your music is very personal – as a mental health therapist, is this really therapy for you and maybe you kind of hit that cathartic moment and don’t need to write now?
That’s a great question. Catharsis always played a role – I love talking stuff out. That’s what drew me to therapy. My current wife – If I told her I wanted to sit and talk about my feelings she’d rather have her toenails pulled out!
Especially early on, I had a lot of pent up stuff that built up – normal stuff like issues with my parents’ divorce and the fact they both had disabilities. Being a kid who was singled out a lot for having parents with those issues – that took time to process. Music still offers the same thing now – my songs are still personal – but just on different things. I more focused on things like love and death now – the Thanatos and Libido. Nothing else made sense for me to write on now.
I was raised a Fundamentalist Christian and went to a Fundamentalist Christian college. Adapting to new ideas – moving away from a lot of that – that always gives you plenty to write about. I guess I moved on from that emo stuff more to facing death and finding joy in life.
How did the city of Pittsburgh influence you as a person and musician?
I grew up in Sewickley- near the river. I wouldn’t say Pittsburgh had much of an influence on me musically. WDVE was my lifeblood – mom and dad played old folk records – Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins. But when I got to high school I started listening to the Guess Who, Beatles, Led Zeppelin….that stuff.
Pittsburgh wasn’t like Portland or Austin – not that big kind of music culture. I’m not sure how I got into playing sad, indie folk music. I would have thought given what I listened to I would have picked up a Stratocaster and played Led Zeppelin!
I try to explain Pittsburgh to people now. It’s not a Midwestern city and it’s not East Coast – but it’s usually lumped into one of those. My parents being disabled, I didn’t get out as much. My influence was my mother’s family – they were hearty, fun-loving blue-collar people. Hard-working people.
You had an incredible upbringing – the youngest of two blind parents who were also talented musically. How did they influence you as a musician in terms of style and lyrically? And is it true you had a hand-built pipe organ built by your father in your home? How was that possible to build?
They were both born in Pittsburgh in the 50s with hypnoxia in incubation. Mom is completely blind – my dad had some sight. He had a device that would magnify things a great deal – so he could do things like pay the bills. That enabled him to do some stuff.
The pipe organ thing was awesome. But he didn’t let us play it – that was lame! It had a roll down cover like a roll-top desk and he locked it. But he would play it when he got home from work – the neighbors did not like it!
Sound becomes the primary sense when you lose your vision – and what sound is better than music? So there was always music in the house – whether it was my mother playing the piano or my dad on the organ. So playing instruments was normal for me and my brother. It was the same for me playing music as if you were the kid of a family who owned a restaurant and you washed dishes in the restaurant.
Do you feel your music is almost like a contract with your fanbase – a promise to share in order to make that connection real and deep?
That’s an awesome question. Yes, I feel that way when I step outside of that contract. I have amazing fans – if you like this kind of music you are probably emotionally mature and comfortable exploring your feelings. They don’t want you to change much though. Sufjan Stephens is an indie folk God and my musical hero. He went through the same thing – his records were emotional and vulnerable – then to avoid being pigeonholed his next record used hyper-processed vocals and zero guitars.
I don’t mind the contract because I default to emotionally deeper things, but I have started working more with synthesizers and drum machines. You just can’t read the YouTube comments as a performer!
Any mentors along the way?
I was lucky enough to fall in with really decent folks. I had started working with a licensing agency early – when I was in grad school. They would link artists up with shows and commercials that wanted to use your music. I talked to her about a year into me playing music. She told me I had two feet – one in music and one in counseling – and that it felt like a disservice to both. The music could go away if didn’t water it and give it more sunlight. So I decided to commit to it more and tour more and pour myself into it. I think she was right – you have to choose your master.
I know your “main” instrument is the guitar – but you also play the trombone, piano, banjo, ukulele and mandolin. If you had to choose just one – any preference? And why?
The piano is the greatest instrument – if I were on a dessert island and had to choose one it would be the piano. I’m not as good at it but it’s a full orchestra in an instrument. It’s insane. It always reminds me of my mom who still plays on her 1920 Kimball piano in her living room.
When I do play the piano more that pisses off some fans who want me exclusively on vocals and the guitar. But I’m writing more on the piano now.
What does it mean for you to have your music used for TV shows like Brothers & Sisters, Private Practice, One Tree Hill, Blue Bloods, Army Wives, and Burn Notice. And now did that come about?
It definitely helps pay the bills and get my music way out to people who would never have heard it.
It’s also some measure of validation. If it made it on a TV show it must not suck! You have to be careful of that as a metric of success though. When people stop using your music what does that mean then? That’s not the metric I go by. The joy I get writing and singing songs matters more. It’s fucking awesome to be on TV but if I can’t connect it to joy then it’s a bad rollercoaster to be on.
Disappointment is also integral in part to being an artist. I got lucky early with the positives that happened. Then you start hearing “No.” and places you played at a year ago aren’t as full the following year. So you have to be able to weather those storms.
What interests do you have that have nothing to do with music?
I’m a certified heavy machine operator! That has little to do with music! And you’d be shocked to learn that warehouse employees don’t all love William Fitzsimmons’ music! I have a good buddy that works here. I had to choose between continuing to pound the pavement with my music and miss the last years of my girls’ growing up, or tour more than ever – because you have to do that more now to sell records. I chose to do something that let me be with my family and swallowed my pride. But it also made music mean more to me now as I know it’s not unlimited.
Are you a big sports fan? Any good sports or other Pittsburgh experiences to share if so?
I’m a huge Steelers fan! In my family if you didn’t like the Steelers you needed to find another place to live.
A funny story – sort of – about the ’96 Super Bowl against Dallas. I was at my friend’s house in Edgewood and was so pissed off we were losing that I said “If Dallas makes this kick, I’ll shave my head!” I had long hair at the time. Well, of course Dallas made the kick. I told my friends I was just kidding but they all grabbed me, held me down and shaved my head! And we still lost!
Watching games with my uncles when I was like nine years old – they were so passionate. I felt like I was in a cool, inclusive club I watched games with. I still connect the Steelers to being with my family.