With the onset of many talented artists presenting genuine new sounds, it can be an exciting opportunity to share some time and deeper conversation with an outstanding artist and character of a soul. G. Love, Garrett Dutton, band leader of G. Love & Special Sauce is one of those artists.

G. Love is a leader with outstanding disposition, great storyline and steadfast commitment to good vibes through a wide-range of musical influences incorporating hip-hop, funk, psychedelica, blues, and soul. With Jeffrey Clemens on drums and Jim Prescott on bass, G. Love & Special Sauce are fast moving into new realms of relational music that draw from that alternatively unique R&B vibe, twanging a “sloppy”, and “laid back” classic blues sound.

Many in the G. Love fan base know the history and the Philadelphia origins of the band. Dutton in 1993, was performing at a Boston bar, The Tam O’Shanter, where he met drummer Jeffrey Clemens. Dutton and Clemens began working as a duo, and were joined a few months later by bassist Jim Prescott. They became the house band at The Plough and Stars in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1994, they released their self-titled debut album on Okeh Records. With the single “Cold Beverage” nearly going gold after being in rotation on MTV, the band capitalized on the success of the album and began touring heavily, eventually landing a spot on the H.O.R.D.E. tour. 

Setting the tone for an expanding label management role. In summer 2005, the band was featured in an advertisement for the launch of Coca Cola Zero, featuring the group’s own unique version of the noted Coca Cola advertising song “I’d like to Teach the World to Sing”. After a series of life challenges and band developmental issues, opportunity grows and begins opening doors with several new collaborations.

L4LM: So what’s new with G.LOVE?!

G.Love: Well, we have a few really great things going on.  We released Sweet n’ Blues, June 15th.  It came with a little extra sugar. The EP is a limited edition vinyl. We’re also excited to release finished mixes Oct 23rd for “Love Saves the Day!”  I believe Love is a powerful force for changing lives. Why we are all here to love each other!  Too move the world into a much better place. With some Rock n’ Roll.  Don’t let the title fool yah “Loves Saves the Day” is one of the more heavier sounds we’ve come to playing.  It’s got a darker edge that leads out to light.

L4LM: So what have you been doing over this last year? 

G.Love: All of July and August I just did acoustic sets on the east coast, but we stay pretty busy.  Then when there’s not shows, there’s gonna be recording.  It keeps going on and on. It’s like a circle.  Playing yearly shows while remaining relevant.  Staying on the radar. In either case the music is first for us.  Then to bring the people in, in the realist way possible.

L4LM:  Hey, that’s a strong position of character! It sounds like you’ve had a lot of support and encouragement becoming who you are today?

G.Love: My mom was a strong support.  I was 8yrs old in the back of a station wagon; drumming with my hands on the seat. Lol, I was lousy at it. Musically, at about the age of 13 I broke thru!  I was getting the hang of it instrumentally.  So I began writing songs about being a young person. All to express myself.  As I started writing I had the knee jerk reaction to play live and record.  I moved to Boston as a street musician. Met the band and nine months later we got a record deal.  We’ve been going since. My parents are my biggest fan.  I’m a father too. I’ve got a 14yrr old.  My Dad say’s, “Sometimes I give you talk… to motivate.”  My dad did it for me and he still does. Bringing things into check he’ll say “I see your back in Cali, Show up! Or Keep it up and your Day will come!

L4LM: What an encouragement!

G.Love: Part of being a travelling musician, for us, is that sometimes I feel badly, because I’m not always there for my kid.  I miss a lot of stuff.  As I get older I realize all the love my dad and mom put into me was the spring board we’ve had for success today.  In every moment between our work I try to give my kid the same as my parents gave me.  I know what it’s gonna do to advance him.

L4LM: You’ve had a strong foundation of love and support.  It seems like that continued with Jack Johnson?

G.Love: “Yeah we helped launch Jack’s career by putting him on Philadephonic.  Philadelphonic launched Jack in 1999. It was big year.  We put everything we had into it. Then He became so huge!  Now we are on Jacks label Brushfire records and into our 7th record there. We have a close friendship and musical relationship.  We only get to see each other every now and then, seeing each other on the road.  He lives in Hawaii. Although we have had great honor to play with some amazing artists. Special guests have included joining Lucinda Williams, Ozomatli, DJ logic, Members of the Jack Johnson band and David Hidalgo from Los Lobos.”

L4LM: What do you attribute sum of your success?

G.Love: Sometimes it’s the style, connecting with the world at the time.  It also has something to do with when you make a record that is true to what you are and what you’re feeling at that point.  We try not to chase fads or trends. You’ve got to really be yourself.  With that you can have longevity.  Sometimes you gotta face the game or go back to the dug-out!

L4LM: So how’s travel going?

G.LOVE: Great! With recent shows in San Diego, Saratoga Winery and Oregon we’re enjoying ourselves and our friends are coming around!

L4LM: Through all the songs and different times of life, I’m sure your listener base has grown and evolved. Tell us about your audience demographic today.

G.Love: It seems we have kind of like a cult following and we are definitely friends of the jam band scene. We are on the fringe of the Jam. Widespread Panic, moe… a lot of these guys are my friends. Many of our friendships spurned from our first Jam Cruise and Big Head Todd-Tour. This year we’re doing the big winter tour, January to March. Then we have a couple shows here and there while working on new material and recording.

L4LM: So how is the new album different or more exotic?

G.LOVE: It gears up into darker notes, but the love presses through to show the way. It’s our 18th release and the reward is the work. On the journey we have experienced so many different moments. The travel can weigh you down, but you get to see things in every town you arrive in. Once we get there our job is to make people laugh. We put a lot of weight into that responsibility. I’ve always felt like that. Not trying to take things to seriously. Going out there musically; proving to yourself, to the band and to crowd. Then you break thru musically into joy. A kind of emotional and spiritually place.  It could be treated like that when the band is in sync and as lyrics hit from the heart. A lot of our tunes are about simple things in life and personal struggles.  Personal relationships and relationship with the greater world!

L4LM: Do you consider this and your music to have a message toward spirituality and healing?

G.Love: There’s a lot of messages to bring about in music. It’s not something I talk about often.  The spiritual side and the healing property.  They do exist and work together though. To help people sometimes on a deeper, heavier level. Somebody losses somebody. Some things happen in the community and some things are just gonna happen. Our music can help with the trials of life.

Don’t miss G. Love & Special sauce when they hit the NYCB Theatre at Westbury on August 13th, with JJ Grey & Mofro and Big Head Todd & The Monsters! Tickets are available here!

Interview / Words by: Greg Panos (aka. Michigan Hick)

Photography by:  Emmett Malloy