Key to the Highway: Vince Herman

Americana Highways’ Key to the Highway series

Fans always clamor to learn more about their favorite, most beloved musicians and those who travel with them. There’s such an allure to the road, with its serendipity, inevitable surprises, and sometimes unexpected discomforts. This interview series is a set of questions we are asking some of our favorite roots rock Americana artists to get to know more about them and what they’ve learned and experienced on the road. We are sure they have key insights to share and stories to tell. Here’s one from Vince Herman.

Americana Highways: How do you like your coffee or other morning wake-up beverage?

Vince Herman: I’m pretty much a water guy in the morning before grabbing eggs from the henhouse. I just wish I could plant some bacon out in the garden.

AH: What’s the most interesting or strangest motel/hotel or place you have stayed (while on the road for music?)

VH: I really enjoy staying in the horse stalls at the High Sierra festival. Shady all day for us late nighters. They kinda remind me of the old horse stalls at the galax festival. Each stall had a different string band camped out in them. Paradise with the best music you could ever imagine.

AH: If one CD is stuck in the player in the van for the entire tour, what do you hope it is? And why?

VH: If I had one cd stuck in my cars player for a tour I’m hoping it would be Aaron Ratiere’s Single Wide Dreamer. It’s funny, sarcastic, biting and a whole lot of just plain joy. Aaron packs a lot into his writing and the production is great. It would make my car just like home because I can’t get it off the turntable at my house. Check out “Time Will Fly” to see what I’m talking about.

AH: What’s one personal item you must have with you on your road trip?

VH: As far as one personal item I’d need on a road trip I guess a toothbrush would do, everything else I’d need seems to appear when necessary.

AH: What is your relationship with food? How do you handle this on the road for music, and what’s your favorite dish on the road, (or restaurant, and what do you order there)?

VH: For a devoted cook such as myself, being on the road can be tough. I’ve had way to many meals from the Conoco lounge in my time. When you get up and drive a long time between gigs there aren’t many fast options. On the good days the club has a creative kitchen feeding us in house when we get there.

AH: If you could pause your life for a few weeks and spend some time living in a place you only have passed through, which would you choose, and why?

VH: I would sure love to spend a couple weeks of free time in New Orleans. So many great players, venues and friends there I’d be up to my neck in music. Where else would a musician want to go for some time off? Not to mention the food and the art!

AH: What quote or piece of advice have you gotten from someone on the road that has really stuck with you?

VH: My old friend Charles Sawtelle once advised me to never eat anything bigger than my head and don’t eat blue food. Can’t argue with that kind of advice.

Find all things Vince Herman here: https://www.vinceherman.com

Enjoy our previous interviews here: Interview: Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon

and here: Interview: Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon “We just keep showing up”

See other Key to the Highway interviews here: https://americanahighways.org/category/interviews/key-to-the-highway-series/ (click here for: Jimmy Smith Ben Nichols Bruce Cockburn Charlie Musselwhite Nicki Bluhm Jim White Danny Barnes Patterson Hood Jerry Joseph BJ Barham Rodney Crowell Todd Snider Elizabeth Cook Tommy Womack Eric Ambel, Dan Baird, Robbie Fulks, Malcolm Holcombe Jon Langford Steve Poltz, Lilly Hiatt Sarah Shook & the Disarmers Sadler Vaden )