Erik Koskinen’s life is a journey—both literally and figuratively. The American singer-songwriter is constantly on the move, and when I caught up with him, he was just about to hit the road for a gig in Rochester at the Thesis Beer Project. It’s a new venue for Erik, but he’s no stranger to new places. This year alone, his tour will take him through Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Montana, Colorado, California, Washington, Michigan, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
Next up, Erik will be performing at the Music in the Park concert series in Silver Bay on Friday, August 16th. The series, produced by Rocky Wall Productions, is free to the public. Erik and his band will stay in town an extra night to perform at a Benefit House Concert. At the time of this writing, tickets are still available for Saturday’s show, with proceeds supporting Rocky Wall Productions’ mission to bring quality live music to Silver Bay.
Constant travel seems to be in Erik’s DNA. By the 5th grade, he had already lived in seven different houses, and by the time he graduated, that number had more than doubled, and spanned over four different states. Now, his home base is in southern Minnesota.
“I get a little anxious if I stay in the same place for too long,” Erik laughed, expressing his gratitude for a career that keeps him traveling the country.
Erik’s work ethic was evident early on, starting with a paper route in elementary school. Over the years, he’s held jobs in restaurants, construction, and roofing, working through his teens and into his early 30s. But music always called him back.
When asked if he’d always dreamed of being a musician, Erik responded, “I never really thought about it like that. I just did it. It is what happened. I am that. It’s almost like it was chosen for me before I had the time to make a decision about it. I never really made a decision, it just happened.”
Erik taught himself to play guitar around the age of 12 or 13, and by 15, he was playing gigs. Eventually, he began writing his own songs to find his own voice.
“I just kind of wasn’t very good at doing other people’s music, so I just decided I would write my own. It’s a slow uphill climb, but it’s working out, I think.”
While some sources label Erik as a country singer-songwriter, his music defies easy categorization. He doesn’t like to stick to genres, preferring to perform what he calls American roots music.
“American roots music is basically all very similar music stemming from different parts of the country and different time periods,” Erik explained, adding that the sound draws from the entire American continent and surrounding islands. “It all really comes from the same place. It’s all American Roots music.”
Rocky Wall Productions President Nelson French echoed this sentiment, stating in a press release, “Erik Koskinen is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, whose music is not categorized by sub-genres. Koskinen has reverently entered the anthology of uniquely crafted wry songs with the likes of Woody Guthrie and Ry Cooder while speaking as plainly as your neighbor.”
When asked who he’d love to collaborate with, Erik mentioned Woody Guthrie and J.J. Cale as top candidates.
“It would’ve been really fun to be on the stage with that guy and watch him play music. I’m a big fan of his,” Erik said.
Erik himself is a joy to watch on stage. His YouTube videos show a band that plays with ease, shifting sets, tempos, and keys to create unique performances for each audience.
“It’s beautiful when people come out and really enjoy what’s happening and can have that emotional connection,” Erik said. “It’s one of the primary reasons I play music live. I do not take it for granted whatsoever. When that connection sort of happens between the audience and the performer, it’s a remarkable experience that is hard to describe.”
Erik has fond memories of his last performance in Silver Bay and is happy to be returning.
“The weather was good and the sound was really good,” he recalled. “When those two things come together, then it’s easier to play. The people came out and listened and responded. Those are some of the things that help make an experience playing music good.”
If you catch this issue soon enough, head to City Center Park in Silver Bay on Friday, August 16th, to see Erik perform at 7:30 PM, or check to see if there are still tickets for the Saturday Benefit House Concert at rockywallproductions.org. For more information about Erik Koskinen, visit erikkoskinen.com. He can also be found on other major media platforms.
