In March, 22-year-old Mike Dunbar, frontman of the Portsmouth-based band Black Agnes, was awarded a grant from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., to travel across the country on a musical pilgrimage. He and bandmate Collin Garcia hit the road on Sunday, May 24, and have stops planned in music meccas such as New Orleans, Memphis, Chicago, and San Francisco. During their journey, they’ll busk, collaborate with local musicians, blog about their stops, and develop material for a new album they plan to release in July. Before the trip got underway, The Sound caught up with Dunbar about traveling historic highways, the benefits of impromptu shows, and his plans for a meeting at Robert Johnson’s grave.
What inspired you to set out on this trip?
I have always been a lover of history, especially music history. Last October, I got a chance to drive up historic Highway 61 in the Mississippi Delta. It’s an important route in the history of the blues, as it was taken by Delta blues artists on their way north toward Chicago. Bob Dylan’s album “Highway 61, Revisited” also alludes to this famous road. When I left, I knew I had to go back, and to travel further. As a songwriter, I wanted to take part in the long tradition of traveling musicians and make a collection of songs about the experience.
Do you have shows set up or are you looking to do more impromptu performances?
This is not a tour. We will be performing on the street, at open mics, and sitting in with musicians where we can. I chose not to make this a tour because it will allow us to really experience the places we go, rather than simply worrying about getting to the next gig. It will also give us a chance to share my original music with people in the cities and towns we visit, rather than having to play mostly covers.
“I am thrilled to go stand where my musical ancestors stood.” — Mike Dunbar
Is the route completely planned, or are you figuring it out as you go along?
The route is largely planned, due to time and money constraints. Of course, I would have loved to really “ramble,” but the budget is pretty tight. That said, I think there is something to be said for the discipline we will have. We will have many eight-hour driving days. We will eat light, sleep in campsites and hostels. In this way, we really will be music pilgrims with clear destinations in mind, and I think this will be vital to the experience.
What made you choose the specific cities you want to hit? Are you modeling the trip after any others?
The cities we have chosen are places that have helped define the course of American music. New Orleans, Memphis, Chicago, etc. I have also attempted to trace out some important historical migration patterns. The first is the movement from the Mississippi Delta to Chicago. The second is the movement from the Midwest to California via Route 66. This isn’t simply about going and taking pictures in tourist traps. This trip will bring us into close contact with American history, with historic places themselves, and in doing so, provide rich material for artistic expression.
Will you be seeking collaborations along the way?
I want to perform with as many musicians as possible this summer. That said, one exciting collaboration is already in the works. New England Music Award-winning producer of the year Brian Coombes will be meeting Collin and I in Greenwood, Miss. at the site of blues legend Robert Johnson’s grave. There, Brian will record my original songs with a mobile recording unit.
Collin Garcia (left) and Mike Dunbar (photo by Nick Zottos)
How do you think this trip will affect your songwriting?
I can already tell this trip will help my songwriting grow and mature. Songwriters are always on the lookout for the little ironies in life, hoping to tease out truth from human experience. This trip will give me an excellent opportunity to do just that.
Assuming you come home with new songs, writing, and video footage, are you planning on some sort of presentation for folks back home when you return?
The music will be presented on the blog and, I hope, in a physical CD. There will be a great deal of photos, videos, and stories on (the blog) that people can enjoy as we go along. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to collaborate with a filmmaker to work these materials together into some sort of documentary down the road.
What are you most excited about? What are you most afraid of?
I am thrilled to go stand where my musical ancestors stood. I’m excited to spend long hours on the road, to eat lots of peanut butter and jelly, to miss home, to finally see the ocean again in San Francisco, and to learn things I didn’t know about myself and others. And sure, there are scary parts about being on the open road. That’s what makes it an adventure.
Any tips for eating well on the road and staying healthy and sane?
Eating healthy and eating economically might prove difficult. Still, we will make eating and staying healthy a priority. Devi Lockwood, an environmental advocate who bikes around the world, stressed this to me. As for sanity, I think we’ll just have to take it a day at a time!
Follow Dunbar and Garcia’s progress online at suitcaseandguitar.com.
Top of page: Mike Dunbar in the studio (photo by Nick Zottos)