Americana artist Alan Getto is a musician and songwriter based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Getto's music pairs rustic soundscapes with classic Americana storytelling to profoundly explore the complexities of the human condition. To date, Getto has released three albums, toured the East Coast, showcased at Folk Alliance and with Sofar Sounds, and shared stages with the likes of Twisted Pine and Damn Tall Buildings. His forthcoming EP, Songs from a Farmhouse, is a collection of discerning folk songs inspired by life in the rural Rust Belt.
How did you find your way to music?
I started playing bass and harmonica in high school so that I could play along with some buddies. I wanted to write songs and sing, though, so I picked up guitar. Within a month or two I started writing songs. So-horrible-they’re-cute songs.
Previous musical projects?
None! Always been just me.
First concert that you ever went to?
Bruce Springsteen at Gillette Stadium when I was 10. I like smaller concerts now, but that was still pretty rad.
What's your writing process like?
It’s hard to talk about this without sounding pretentious, but I wait until something feels unique. I write when I need to. That might not be very often, and it makes my writing a little rough around the edges, but the song just comes out. The editing process is the hard part.
Even though the lyrics are more my thing, the music often comes first. Nice to have a guiding force for the words. Whichever comes first (and both have at different times), making them match is one of my favorite things in this world.
What other artists or songs inspire your music?
The songs and artists I included in my playlist inspire me to be my authentic self—in music and in general. The depth of feeling, empathy, and humor in those songs is incredible. Makes life feel real.
You’ll see some masters of poignant humor, like John Prine and Loudon Wainwright, but also some artists who are unafraid to lay bare their hearts, like Big Thief, Twain, and Hank Williams. The combination of these elements is everything I can aspire to be.
What's the live experience like and your philosophy on playing live? Do you think the music live should be identical to the recorded version or should it be its own thing?
It depends on the song, the night, and the ensemble. I play solo a lot. When I do, I play my songs a little differently, based more on how I’m feeling. You find new aspects that way, and it feels more honest.
When playing with a band, you have to follow a form, but you can still find how the song fits the ensemble. And if you’ve got more energy that night, play it faster or louder. I’m of the Bob Dylan school of thought—find out how different a song can be and still be the same song.
Have you toured? What has the touring experience been? Best shows? Worst shows?
I’ve gone on two little solo tours around the East Coast. It’s very weird, and it’s great. Not knowing anyone in a place you’ve never been, not knowing where to go or what to do when you’re not playing is uncanny. But it’s also maybe the best way to see the world and get to know people.
Best shows, whether big or small, are when people are listening. Small shows are great for that reason, but I opened recently for a band named Company Townes in Warren, PA. There were about two hundred people each night. Everyone was there, engaged, and listening. Best shows in recent memory.
Worst shows are, obviously, the opposite of that.
What's up next for you and your music?
Releasing my EP Songs from a Farmhouse on June 23, the release show on June 24, and then getting back out there on little tours to play my new songs for people! Can’t wait.
Socials:
Instagram: @alangettomusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2bktn0YyXEMljCEH2OD0du?si=Ti8LYFHUQjKmUF8I3Bg6xA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alangettomusic
Website: www.alangetto.com