Dee Jay Silver on Touring, Humbleness, and the Evolving Face of Country Music
It's been a pretty exciting few years for an unsuspecting asset in country music - RCA Nashville
artist Dee Jay Silver, whom started his dj-ing career as a means to make a few bucks while attending Williams Baptist College in Arkansas, has been filling stadiums, parties, and airwaves with his diverse mix on spinning country music. Recruited to tour with some of the biggest acts in the genre, Silver is changing the game in bringing the most in entertainment.
Currently hyping the crowds on Jason Aldean's acclaimed Burnin' It Down Tour with fellow openers Cole Swindell and Tyler Farr, Silver has built a diverse fan base with his unorthodox contribution to country music - having opened for Brad Paisley, Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan, and heavyweight legends such as Hank Williams, Jr., the Austin, Texas native is still humbled by the reception he receives from both fans and artists alike - "this weekend Sam Hunt and I did an after party in Washington and Sam, what a superstar, playing every festival in the world, we're doing a little late night stage of 4 to 5 thousand people and power kept going in and out and he's like 'I'm so nervous.' I looked over and said 'You're nervous? Are you kidding me?' He's like 'Yea man, I've never been to a Dee Jay Silver show.' I just found that funny for someone like Sam to be nervous, I mean he just headlined 25,000 people just a few minutes ago."
This moment of touching surprise is one that Silver has not felt on the other side - with such a diverse portfolio of shows beneath his belt, he confesses that even his nerves can be jostled before heading out on stage: " We'll be out with Jason (Aldean) or Florida Georgia Line or Luke (Bryan)and perform to a younger audience and you know they're going to get what I do - keep the party going, they're party people. But I remember a couple of years ago we were doing a show in Alabama and Hank Jr. was the headliner - I thought "Oh God, these people are going to slaughter me. When you walk out and you're a little out of your element, I've got Lynyrd Skynyrd or somebody I'm not so familiar with(audience wise), I just hope I can relate to those crowds and do my best to do it every night."
It's that type of humility and deep concern for the audience's enjoyment that is building Dee Jay
Silver into a staple both in and outside of the industry - with a syndicated radio show Country Club on 60 markets and a residency at the infamous Rehab pool party in Las Vegas (alongside notorious dj's such as Paris Hilton and DJ Pauly D.), Silver enjoys a level of intimacy with fans that is rare for most performers - on most days he will arrive to a performance several hours early, taking in the vibe of the atmosphere, appreciating the artists before him and mingling with attendees: " I like walking in through the crowds, having drinks with people and I think that's what makes me relatable. My favorite part of the day is walking through and getting a vibe of the atmosphere we're in so I can do the best that I can do. The way I feel about it is, if someone takes time to tweet me or pay a ticket to come to see a Dee Jay Silver show, it's the least I can do - I mean I wouldn't be anywhere without somebody paying a $5 or $20 ticket."
Performing alongside other artists has also enforced the fundamentals of any craft - practice, practice, practice. Although the biggest name in country music DJ's, Silver knows that there is a new generation of talented individuals mixing tracks and building names - he proudly stated that during a recent weekend, four country music festivals were held in which three of them had DJ's, showcasing the growing appeal for the skill. He spends the greater portion of his off-time practicing, learning new techniques, experimenting with new technologies and rarely refusing any opportunity to get in front of a crowd. In addition, Silver thoroughly practices a common life essential - faith. And I tell everyone I'm not the best DJ in the world but I promise you're going to have trouble finding anyone working harder than I do. You've got to believe in yourself, believe in your craft and believe in what you do."
Silver showcases this faith outside of the confides of his own craft, fully supporting tour mates and genuinely gifted artists. With debates over the evolving face of the country music genre, it would be naive to say that he has not contributed to the exposure and growth of the industry through his diversity. "I play country music for people that wouldn't give country a chance, to make country their favorite genre. Country music has a stigma to those that don't like country - they think it's bad, full of lonely people and it's really not. My dog didn't run away, he's sitting right next to me. It's about a party, it's about a good time and I love where country's at - it's a young audience, it's a genre that's going to have a die-hard fan base for the next 15 years because of the Jason Aldean's and Florida Georgia Line's and Luke Bryan's of the world. They're good looking dudes, it's good music and it's fun music. It's stuff you want to turn up in your car and sing as loud as you can while riding down the highway."
Maintaining his realistic concepts, Silver also understands that there are is a population of fans
within the genre whom are very hesitant, even downright unwilling, to give the newer sounds of country a chance: "It's not for everybody. I mean if all you want to listen to is Waylon and Willie, then go listen. God bless them, I listen to them. Willie is my hero, he's from Austin, TX. But I feel sorry for these people that don't give it a chance. There's so many people coming up like the Michael Ray's of the world, Cole Swindell and Tyler Farr - they're great people, creative people, amazing artists. I promise if you give Jason Aldean a shot, you're going to love his music. You're going to love Eric Church, Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt, you're going to love them all. You've just got to give them a chance."
Putting that faith into himself and others, along with an incredible work ethic, is taking Dee Jay Silver to a level he never imagined while spinning songs in college - having performed at venues such as Madison Square Garden, or hyping up the hundreds of thousands whom attend the annual CMAfest festivities, Silver still has more within his career he's hoping to obtain. Touring is a given, having recently announced his presence on Kip Moore's highly-anticipated Wild Ones Tour, and working hard to grace the stages of major festivals such as Coachella, Stage Coach, and his hometown favorite, Austin City Limits: "I'm from Austin and I've never played Austin City Limits). I remember living in Austin and paying to see Zac Brown Band back when "Chicken Fried" had just come out: it was the afternoon and I was just like "wow, this is amazing". They're good buddies of mine and it's so cool to see.... I believe you've got to set your goals high."
Wanting to bring the Country Club to over 100 markets, contemplating the idea of bringing his craft to the small screen, and receiving the green light to release his original album of music through Sony, it's safe to say the Dee Jay Silver is going to continue to grace us with his eclectic spin on country music for many years to come. Head on over to his website to see when he's coming to a city near you while sampling what he brings to the country music table.
