Quality Americana

“It’s coming to take away our father’s sin,” TJ Wicks sings amid the imagery of dark clouds on the Oklahoma prairie. “This storm is rollin’ in.”

We hear a heavy guitar rhythm throughout Wicks’ latest release that creates an eerie feeling at times. It perfectly captures the emotions one goes through when faced with the certain doom of a distant tornado, and takes you on a journey from the fierce, devastating winds to the peaceful eye of the storm. 

We caught up with Wicks on his trip back home to Tahlequah from Poteau, Oklahoma, where he regularly performs for friends and family. 

“It’s not Arkansas, but you can throw a rock and hit Arkansas from there,” Wicks said with a laugh. In the past year, Wicks has grown his name as a songwriter and guitar slinger in the Red Dirt region and performed over a hundred dates across the Southwest. 

Wicks spent several years working to break into the Texas Hill Country music scene and has found a loyal audience that spans from South Texas into his native state. Wicks was raised in Chickasha, Oklahoma where he was surrounded by a pool of talented pickers to learn from.

“I grew up in a place that’s full of musicians,” Wicks said, “but nowhere to play.” 

Wicks said that a lot of retired musicians settled down in Chickasha, and the back porch sessions were the perfect place to observe and take in the years of experience and knowledge at hand.

“I was really blessed to be just surrounded by music professionals,” Wicks said. “It was kind of like this weird melting pot with nowhere to play but garages.” 

Now just an hour outside of Tulsa, Wicks said you could throw a stone and hit a songwriter. The vibrant music scene in Oklahoma, anchored by the Turnpike Troubadours, has seen an explosion in the past decade. Tulsa recently made headlines for offering grants to relocate to their city, and the arts have really found a place to flourish. 

“We all build off of each other,” Wick said. He also finds inspiration in the beauty of the Ozarks and the family life that’s found in the region.

Tornado Alley, USA

“The Storm” takes influence from classic rock, blues and country. We hear nods to Stevie Ray Vaighan and Jim Morrison as the song builds. Wicks wrote the song while watching a thunderstorm form on the banks of Lake Eufaula.

Wicks grew up in Tornado Alley, where the land is “literally scared from the amount of tornadic activity.” Some of the largest tornadoes ever recorded were in this region, and Wicks’ father worked on the volunteer response team.

Wicks recalled the time he was working with a rancher after school when some of the largest tornadoes hit. “He would look up at the sky, and we would always take bets on where the tornado would hit and how strong it would be.” They would also notice the changes in color in the sky as a warning for these events, and that moment on the banks of the Eufaula brought back memories of those times.

More information about TJ Wicks can be found here.

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