Today I’m so excited to bring everyone an early listen to the newest single from Americana singer-songwriter Michael Haney called “Shooting My Shot.” On this great-sounding track, Haney showcases why he’s one of the quickest rising stars in the Americana scene today. I was able to catch up with Michael for a brief interview below, and if you’re enjoying the premiere, please consider pre-saving the single via Rock Ridge Music here.
What is the story behind the song? What does it mean to you and what inspired you to release it as a single?
I wrote this song with my good friend, Zoe Cummins, in the spring of ’24. She brought in the title idea and that infectious melodic groove. I think we initially wanted to write a fun, straightforward drinking song, then we turned it on how taking a shot of alcohol mirrors the nerves/anxiousness of taking a chance on something, in this particular vignette, asking a cute stranger to dance. I think we succeeded with it. Because it doesn’t really sound like anything I’ve released, I wanted the opportunity to record it and show a different side of my personality.
What do you hope that listeners take away from hearing this song? What kind of feedback have you gotten from folks who have heard it? Have you ever played it live?
I just hope listeners have fun with it. It’s a fun groove with a little message to just go for it, and even if you don’t get the thing you ask for, it’ll still be ok. I’ve played this song out regularly since writing it, and it always goes over well. I get asked where it can be found to listen to often. Well, now you can!
Do you have any particular memories about recording this song specifically? What was it like to work on this song in the studio?
I remember not long after writing it, the whistle melody came to me. It added even more of an ear-worm quality to an already excellent groove, so getting to literally whistle while I worked was fun, ha. I also changed lyrics in the bridge while in the studio because I felt there needed to be more tension, and I tend to lean toward melancholy. Originally, it was,“Sometimes you never know/you just gotta go with the flow,” and I changed it to, “I turned my head, where did she go?/Oh well, guess I’ll just go with the flow.” The more I played the song, the more I realized it had a slight spirit of “I Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You” to it, and that bridge lyric is my little wink and nod to Tom Waits.
What kind of a vibe were you going for with this song? Did it end up sounding like you thought it would before you went into the studio, or did it go in a different direction?
Making sure we paid proper homage to the Motown vibe this groove was inspired from was really important, and we didn’t want it to feel “cheesy.” I feel Ben Jackson, my producer, and all the players nailed it. The song is certainly tongue-in-cheek to a degree but we didn’t want to be overly silly. I couldn’t have asked for a better result from where we started writing the song in ’24 to where it ended up as a master track. Very proud of it, and, based on live reactions to the tune, I hope more people will enjoy it as well.