Josh Clutter

A lot of thoughts go through my head. So many thoughts that it’s always been hard to explain what I’m thinking clearly. I believe that’s why I have turned to songwriting. Crafting a song lyrically gets what is in my head out. I think that having a melody and emotion behind my words helps everyone understand me more.

In the fall of 2013 I was sitting in my car alone. I had recently broken up with my girlfriend and I was feeling alone. I was also planning on leaving Minnesota for a very long time. It was then in my car that I jotted down the words to my song “How Long.” I was about to embark on a 3 month journey away from my friends and my normal life. I was thinking about the dark road ahead of me that I couldn’t see beyond and began wondering if I would be happy at the end.

That day alone in my car led me to craft the idea behind the title of my latest album, I’ll Make it on My Own. I decided that I was going to stop counting on those around me and hoping that I would find my happiness. I decided that I would no longer mope around in my misery, but I would take hold the reins of my life and become something of my own. I am learning that happiness is how you perceive the life around you. I am learning to be myself again.

I sing about a various amount of life experiences on this new record. While I dub “How Long” as my personal anthem of going out and following my dreams, songs like “Stand in the Rain” or “Nowhere Else” reflect on the love interests that I’ve dealt with along the way. I wanted this record to be honest, and those lyrics were true feelings that I once had toward others. I look at the words and remember the times and the places. There is a little quirkiness on the record. “Greyhound” touches on my experience of traveling the country on a public bus transport and all of the craziness that went along with it.

The song closest to my heart on this record is “Something Beautiful.” I wrote it for a girl that I know who is the most gorgeous and outstanding woman I have ever met. The problem with her is that she never truly believed in herself so I hope that my words and music can uplift her and help her reveal her true beauty. She may even be reading this, and I hope she is smiling right now.

I, along with my producer, engineer and fellow songwriter Aaron Giese are extremely proud of this record. We both worked very hard and put a lot of time and energy into it. Whether I’ll Make it on My Own sells 100 units or 1,000,000, we know that it’s honest, from the heart and to the best quality that we could possibly put forth. I hope that it finds a place in your heart and that you can apply some of the lyrics to your own life. I believe that I’ve experienced these times in my life for a reason, that I could share some stories and maybe help a person in need. If you have purchased the album, I want to thank you tremendously for your support and I hope that I see you someday at a show.

-Josh Clutter