Megan and The Wheelman – A Woman of Many Hats
Megan and The Wheelmen – A Woman of Many Hats
Interview by Gina Tutko-Usalis
Written by Gerry Ulicny
PA Music Scene.com
Megan Donley wears so many hats… Certified Yoga Instructor, Reiki/Energy Practitioner, Musician and Artist… but ‘musician’ is the title we are most concerned with and the one that all the band mates undoubtedly share -Megan and The Wheelmen. Megan Donley sings, plays guitar and write songs. Andrew Naylor is the bassist. Clem Foust is the pedal steel guitarist. They play with various drummers including Todd Reid and Louis Woodyard.
The woman is made up of all the parts she claims and it all comes through in her music. This singer-songwriter-and-many-other-things has a lot to offer but a band that also has a lot going on complements her.
Their music is a mixture – she says it is Folk and Jazz. Megan has been musically inclined since infancy. “I remember singing when I was very little and always loving to sing along to songs on the radio or my parents’ records or CDs. I sang in chorus in middle/high school and took singing lessons,” Megan said. “I started playing guitar at 14 and writing songs then. I’ve been playing in bands since college.” The Wheelmen, on the other hand, came to music a little later.
Andrew was given a bass at the age of 14 or so by his parents and took lessons, while Clem (pedal steel) says he always loved music but did not start playing until he was ‘around 30.’ Todd is unspecific about his history, saying only that he has played drums “for a long time” and “used to play in punk bands.”
Songwriting is her true love even though the muse is fickle and unpredictable. More than a message, she feels that the goal of a song is to release the things inside her and others through music. “Sometimes my own spirituality or spiritual experiences influence things but I try to keep from making political or religious statements, or rather, it just
doesn’t happen that way,” Megan said, adding that “I guess I’ve sung a couple anti-war songs cause they were meaningful to me and some songs about Jesus for fun.”
Songwriting can be cathartic or excruciating, or both, she said. “It all depends. I can work on songs for weeks or months and they will not go anywhere. Then all of a sudden a song will come in 5 minutes or less,” she said. Her inspiration comes from “feelings, mostly.” “I start with a feeling or moods then sing a melody that expresses it then comes lyrics. I put it to music on the guitar or Andrew and the guys help,” Megan said. “Inspiration comes from everything – life around me, relationships, art, other music, et cetera.”
The music that most influences the band and pleases them in their spare time is that of the classic jazz and the revolutionary 1960’s folk/blues/rock artists. “I love old time 1930s, 40s, and 50s female jazz vocalists,” Megan said. “Billie Holiday is an idol of mine. I love folk music.” She says that Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and “even Gordon Lightfoot” have influenced the band.
“We are all influenced a lot by jazz. My influences are mostly the vocalists and the different ways they use their voices.” Clem admits to being heavily influenced by country music but also listens to ‘tons of old jazz, flamenco, and south American music, too.’ Andrew is a jazz buff who clarifies that by saying “But we all listen to everything really, from old standards to 60s and 70s music and modern stuff.” Alternative country, too, like Neko Case, Wilco, and Gram Parsons are high on their list of loves.
The number-one influence cited by all of the band members, however, turns out to be each other. While they are quick to credit all of their inspirations, their sound is original and uniquely their own. “We play original music and it is a labor of love which we enjoying sharing with our audiences,” Megan said.
They say they are lucky in that they have an easy way of ‘connecting as band mates’ and that they share the goal of improving their sound and musical skills. That shows through on both their covers and in the heartfelt and still-evolving sounds of their original songs such as “Oh, My Sweetest Love.”
The immediate goal is “to write more songs, better songs and make a really good album that we feel good about and can get out there for people to hear,” Megan said. “To play better shows and venues – build up a little following maybe.” Another goal for the band is to find a permanent drummer.
Megan sings and plays the guitar, piano and she loves the tambourine. Andrew plays bass, keyboards, guitar and drums. Clem plays pedal steel and “a little guitar.” However “finding a regular drummer has been hard,” Megan said.
They also want to play more festivals and a larger variety of venues in general. They are, in fact, opening up for national act Hoots and Hellmouth this fall at the Capitol Theatre in York. They are also working on their first album and hope to have at least an LP out this fall.
“It’d be fun to play the World Cafe Live because I think as musicians local to Philly we would get great exposure and go over well there,” Megan said.
No matter what, they will keep chasing their goals and baring their souls. “The (most important lesson) we have learned so far is, don’t take stuff too personally in the music world,” Megan said. Keep working on opening up, sharing your gifts and letting the music come out of you as though you were a clear and empty channel.”
Websites:
For bookings:
Call Megan at 717.424.2273
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