Walker Price: student by day, indie-folk musician by night

Walker Price: student by day, indie-folk musician by night

Shirah Lister, Managing Editor

Who would’ve thought a picture taken in their backyard and some scribbles made on Thanksgiving would turn into the cover art for their first EP? Walker Price sure didn’t.

Some say their music career began when they started taking guitar lessons around six years ago. However, for Price, the lessons were originally considered a chore.

Price would, instead, say their music career began when they started developing their own music taste, around freshman and sophomore year. That development turned into a realization: “I could actually learn how to play these songs.”

Making music wasn’t a recent hope, as they’ve always dreamt of creating their own “sweet indie folk” songs. Not necessarily as a job, because “the idea of making a career out of art is unappealing to me, it would feel like a responsibility.”

As junior year hit, Price got to work. They began writing music and making tunes, even learning the banjo after many trips to Middle C. After school shutdown, they had ample time to create, releasing their first EP on March 15 of this year, titled “night 3.” 

Published under the name towhead, a self-proclaimed “big time rush tribute band,” “night 3” is a look into Price’s brain. Although Price has stated that the most popular track is “springtime in the valley of the wind,” they wish “deep blue” would get more love.

And for good reason too; this track demonstrates Price’s moving lyricism. They even admitted it themself, “there are a couple of lines that are like, ‘holy sh*t.’ It surprises me how much I love that song.”

When asked what makes their music unique, Price responded with, “the writing” before admitting, “I have no idea.”

Price and their music would not be the same without their influences. They gather inspiration from many artists including Field Medic and The Mountain Goats. 

Behind many great artists is a creative process that usually has taken years to perfect. Not for Price, though. They described their system as essentially nonexistent: first playing around on the guitar, figuring out a vocal line, followed by writing out a song. It doesn’t end there: the song then sits for a while, until they are played through and Price decides what should be altered. “Most stay true to their original form.”

Want to be more like the amazing student-musician Price? Here’s how you can start: listen to “good music.” To Price, that means anything from metal core to hyper pop, as long as the lyrics are meaningful.

If that’s not specific enough, Price is currently listening to the new hey, ily EP, “Internet Breath,” as well as the new Derek Ted EP, “KEEP TRYING.” Or of course you could stream “night 3,” which is out on Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, Youtube Music, Tidal, and Bandcamp. 

For those already waiting for Price’s next release, you’ll have to wait till June, when four songs are scheduled to come out.