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With his fifth release in six years, 1972 , singer/songwriter Josh Rouse is establishing himself as a timeless wonder. The latest record from this Nebraska-born and Nashville-based artist is tinged with flavors of music associated with the 1970s, from swirling guitars, funky bass, aggressive flute parts and a smooth soft-rock voice that shows Rouse is not only flexible but a bit of a throwback himself. The beauty of it is that it could have found a home on radio 30 years ago, and is doing so right now at the AAA level.

Along with the scope of airplay, Rouse continues to draw fans everywhere, literally. When asked about the success to date of 1972, he says, “I’m getting to tour overseas in parts of the world like Spain, England and Australia, which is really cool.” He also claims that his fan base is about the same size in those countries as it is here in the States. On home turf his favorite cities to play are New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Nashville.

Like most touring artists, a typical day on the road is not nearly as glamorous as the perceived truth. According to Rouse, it’s just like the average person working a day job. “I get up,” he says, “eat bad food, do a few interviews, go sound check, play the show, have a late night and don’t get much sleep. It’s actually pretty tiring.” However, he adds that the two or so hours on stage are really what it’s all about.

As might be expected, Rouse has a long list of musical influences, ranging widely “from Neil Young to Tom Waits to R.E.M.” And currently in his I-Pod, he’s listening to the latest from Paul McCartney, not ironically an artist whose solo career took off with the break up of the Beatles in, yes, the ‘70s.

When he’s not touring or recording, Rouse enjoys activities that might not be typically associated with rock stars. “I like cooking and playing tennis,” he says. “And I love sports, especially Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball and football.” But fans of his music will be glad to hear that he’s very content with his day job. Ten years from now, Rouse says that he’d like to continue writing and making records like he is now, and in addition to his Nashville residence he’d like to have houses in New York City and Spain. Not all of us get to live that kind of dream, but we sure get to love the music.


Send any questions or comments to mfarley@bullz-eye.com.