Elijah and Michael Waide, In Their Own Words

Elijah and Michael Waide

In keeping with the "In Their Own Words" series, this week I want to focus on two guys real close to me, my children Elijah and Michael Waide. Elijah (17) has played numerous shows with the Project on drums and has been playing since the age of 12. He began learning guitar at the age of 14. Michael (13) has been playing guitar since age 8 and drums since 11. Michael has also written a number of songs, one of which will be included on the Project's new album, "Booze, Bluez, & BBQ: Live In Tupelo." The questions asked were the same, so here it is, Elijah and Michael Waide, in their own words.

What motivated you to play music, and, more specifically, the blues?

Michael: Really, my dad, Kevin. He’s been playing the blues since I was very young. It’s not like I have the blues (yet) but more like I was born into the “creed.”

Elijah: I've always wanted to play music. My parents are/were both musicians (my mom played saxophone and you know about my dad), and they raised me to have an appreciation for music. My dad, Kevin, is a Blues guitarist, and for a while I lived in the Mississippi Delta, so both of those factored into my musical preferences.

How old were you when you started playing music?

Michael: The first time I picked up a guitar with the intention of making music was when I was maybe four or five.  Dad was playing guitar and I said, “Dad, I want to play.” So he gave me a 20-fret acoustic and told me to do the pick scratches in “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” I was atrocious.

Elijah: According to my family, since birth. The story they tell is that I would crawl behind the drummer’s kit every time they took a break and would “play.” Apparently, I impressed everyone, being a three-year-old keeping time as well as I did. I “officially” began playing drums at twelve and guitar at fourteen.

Who are your biggest influences?

Michael: That’s a very broad question.I’d have to think very long and hard to specify which bands, so I’ll just say Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. But that leaves out the Kings (Albert, Freddie, and B.B.). And The Who. And Van Halen… Why must you do this to me?

Elijah: Hendrix, the Kings, Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, and Stevie Ray Vaughan are the people I credit as influences. If something catches my ear, I’ll try it out and put my own spin on it. I’m influenced by all I've ever heard, truthfully.