I’ve not run across many people that better embody the spirit of country music or the American Dream quite like Adam Chaffins.
Born and raised in a double-wide trailer in Louisa, Ky. not far from the revered US 23 Country Music Highway that has spawned stars like Tyler Childers, Patty Loveless and The Judds; Chaffins has risen from those circumstances (similar to Loretta out of nearby Butcher Hollow) to become a frequently called upon collaborator around Nashville where he now resides — from the writer’s room to the studio, stage and beyond.
That journey is well traced on the singer’s five-song Trailer Trash EP out Friday (May 16: pre-save here). His first cohesive project in five years, the EP brings together Chaffins deep, classic country vocals with arrangements ranging from Appalachian funk "(“Living ‘Till My Dying Day” to cosmic southern R&B (“Little Bit At A Time”) and adult contemporary (“Trailer Trash”) that prove that you can never judge a book by it’s cover.
“Whether a person grew up in a double-wide, a shack or a project, they don’t deserve to be defined by some pre-conceived notion of who they are,” says Chaffins. “Every person has worth, and I hope [the] song [‘Living Till My Dying Day’] is an encouragement — or even an anthem — to encourage them to be confident in who they are and what they want to accomplish in life.”
The new tunes are just the latest of many milestones under Chaffins’ belt, which also include a stint playing bass for Asheville, NC country band Town Mountain during the mid-2010s (which is where I first saw him), signing a publishing deal with Spirit Music in 2022, earning a SESAC songwriting achievement award for his work co-writing GRAMMY-winning group The Infamous Stringdusters’ “I’ll Get Away,” being inducted into the Lawrence County High School Music Hall of Fame, and — just last week — when he shared the stage with Lainey Wilson, Brooks & Dunn, his wife (and fellow Kentuckian) Brit Taylor, and others in Texas during the ACM’s “Play Something Country” gala honoring the iconic honky tonk tag team.
On this special bonus episode of Wick’s Picks — a Substack exclusive — I chat with Chaffins about his path to a career in music, adjusting to life outside Eastern Kentucky, how his new EP came to life, lessons learned in pursuit of his country music dream, and more.
Conversational Timestamps
(0:00) David and Theresa Prine’s influence?
(5:00) Musical roots?
(9:22) First John Prine experience?
(12:11) Life after Louisa?
(19:36) Playing with Town Mountain?
(27:41) Sideman lessons you can apply to your solo work?
(30:41) 2020 album Some Things Won’t Last?
(38:20) Publishing deal with Spirit Music?
(41:45) New songs “Living ‘Till My Dying Day” and “Kentucky Girl?”
(49:50) What has music taught you about yourself?
Share this post