During a recent band hiatus, Marc Higgins traveled to Nashville to perform at the singer/songwriter haven Bluebird Cafe. Members of the Marc Higgins Band include drummer Michelle Lee, bassist Mark Cantrell and backup vocalist Courtney Johnson. When Marc Higgins writes songs, he often wears a harmonica harness—think Neil Young's “Heart of Gold”—allowing him to strum acoustic and blow harp simultaneously. “It started out as a way for me to have a sense of the melody before I bring it to the band,” Higgins, 36, says. “I always thought the harmonica was a really good tool. They give a lot of ideas.”
The Spartanburg-based Marc Higgins Band's 2007 album “Slow Moving Train” garnered regional airplay. Standout tracks include the forlorn “Sweet Carolina” and Laurel Canyon-style title track. “Signal” is a tapestry-folk gem. New songs, including “Chemicals,” are being recorded for a forthcoming EP, “Songs From the County Fair.” “It's got some new textures on there, like pedal steel,” Higgins says.
When it comes to electric guitars, he favors a '74 Gibson SG, a model made famous by players ranging from Mick Taylor to Angus Young. Yet, Higgins still pines for the vintage Gibson L6 he sold for $350. “I don't know what the hell I was thinking. Later, I actually heard that guitar being played by the person I sold it to and thought, ‘That's the sound I would've rather had the whole time.' ”
Marc Higgins Band plays The Showroom in Spartanburg at 9 p.m. Nov. 13. Tickets are $5.
For more informaiton on the Marc Higgins Band, check out www.myspace.com/marchigginsband.
