Things We Carry: Weston Perry
By Mattea Overstreet
An indie-folk artist’s collection of work is likely strewn full of stories, like a well-traveled suitcase. With Chattanooga roots, Memphis ties, and a Central Valley soul, Weston Perry’s songs carry the wrinkles and footprints of that journey.
If you open Weston’s creative bag, you’ll first find the tangible tools, kept in the quiet garage that has become “a place where time can stand still for a bit.”
“I inherited several of my late grandfathers’ guitars, which is bittersweet, kinda spiritual vibes.” Mementos from Tennessee rest alongside keepsakes from Modesto performances, and their sentiment carries memories into the present to guide new ideas and shape them into songs.
“My favorite people are those who make me feel like time slows down, and my space has to feel like I want to invite those friends there. Also, I hate fluorescent lights… so none of that,” he adds.
Beyond his garage workshop, Weston’s creative process collects fragments of everyday life as a girl-dad. “Usually, it starts with a voice memo on my phone,” he says. “Sometimes I’ll jot words on a napkin or a piece of paper my daughters were doodling on.” He mentions that his children are like “magical, unicorn fairies,” offering him creative ideas just by being themselves. “When my kids go to bed and I have fewer distractions, I work up my ideas into some magical potions like a witch, adding guitars, keys, drums, and vocals. That’s my bubbly cauldron.”
The things we carry into songwriting are also the intrinsic essentials. For Weston, “ideas come best when I’m open to whatever emotion comes.” Having the honesty to be vulnerable – crafting sights, sounds, and experiences into stories- takes confidence. Not the loud kind, but the confidence that comes from, as Weston puts it, “not giving a ____.” “Sometimes I just start picking my nose, then things start to make sense again.”
Local listeners are thankful that this Southern storyteller carried his endearing weirdness “East to West” to Modesto. His suitcase may be disheveled, but the scuffs and patches make us eager to see what’s inside. Weston’s music feels familiar, like doodles on a folded napkin that listeners can tuck into their pocket. Songs that remind you of where you’ve been and keep you company for the road ahead. Hinting at a new album, Weston Perry continues to unpack, making room for the next stop on the journey.
