Whether country singer Odiss Kohn is crooning about growing up or getting the audience dancing honky tonk-style, his music provides more than a good beat for listeners. His lyrics tell stories of the past, present and future.
“Everybody likes hearing a story, and we have all grown up with those memories of family telling us stories,” the Greenwood singer said. “When I was a kid, my grandmother was the one who used to tell me stories.”
Now the roles are reversed, and Kohn is getting his chance to share some memories of his own through music. Although he doesn’t consider himself a songwriter, he wants to tell a story for everybody and anybody.
He enjoys writing about certain experiences and times with his dad, who helped fuel his love of music by constantly exposing Kohn to great musicians. Growing up in the Delta, Kohn hails from a land of musical diversity, most notably jazz, blues and gospel. But as Kohn’s appearance suggests with his Wranglers, boots and a cowboy hat, he is country through and through.
Kohn cites Randy Travis as one of his greatest musical influences.
“I want to say something that has meaning,” he said. “More than a song about a girl leaving.”
Since he never knows when inspiration for the next song will strike, Kohn, like many artists, keeps a pen, some paper and a recorder with him at all times.
His song “The Next Time I Leave,” took almost two years to write, but he is very proud of the way it turned out.
“I just had this melody stuck in my head,” he said. “It probably stayed like that for three to four months until I was able to get the right words.”
The song tells the story of a man who find himself in a motel room regretting the way he had treated his wife, and the next time he leaves her it will be for good because they will be carrying him away to bury him.
“The next time I leave,
I won’t be back.
I’ll ride away in a long Cadillac.
Hymns and some friends,
Songs from leather-bound books...”
Although songwriting is a new venture for Kohn, music has always been a part of his life. He grew up singing in his church, Sycamore Street Church of Christ. In the church, he sang gospel-style music, but Kohn quickly fell in love with country music.
He made his way to Nashville, Tenn., in 2002 to pursue a career in music and by 2007 he had played alongside country music stars, including Jo Dee Messina and Sammy Kershaw,, and had played in many of the popular music venues around the city.
He even signed with a record label, but the label would later go under.
“I gave it everything,” Kohn said. “If I never had the opportunity again, with all I’ve done, I wouldn’t frown or be upset.”
Kohn keeps chasing his dreams and remembering the words of advice Kershaw gave him during a concert one night.
“He told me, ‘I am a 21-year overnight success. It took me 21 years to get to this point,’” Kohn said. “‘No matter what you have to do to make it, keep striving, and if I can make it in 21 years, you can probably make it in less.’”
Kohn has a camp of people in Nashville whom he talks to each week, and he has been told that some of his songs have become popular in Europe. His songs can be heard on YouTube as well.
“I’m keeping myself out there,” he said.
He will be playing Saturday night with his band, Odiss Kohn and the Last Rodeo, at the Tabernacle in Carrollton as part of the Carrollton Pilgrimage. He will also perform Oct. 9 in Winona at Crossroads and Nov. 11 at the Bologna Performing Arts Center in Cleveland.
• Contact Andrea Hall at ahall@gwcommonwealth.com.
