By Brent Thompson

Many artists boast about being in touch with their fans, but David Wilcox has always taken it to the next level. In nearly a 40-year span of recording and touring, the vocalist/guitarist/songwriter has built a loyal fan base like few others. In addition, Wilcox started his “Custom Built Songs” concept several years ago which – as the title implies – finds him writing personalized songs for his fans. In August, he released his latest album, The Way I Tell The Story, on Freshly Baked Records. On Saturday, November 22, Wilcox will perform at the Woodlawn Theatre. Recently, he spoke with us by phone from his Asheville, N.C. home.

Southern Stages: David, thanks for your time. We are really enjoying The Way I Tell The Story. How did the album take shape?

David Wilcox: There’s a lot of new ones and there are about three that are a couple of years old. I love how it came together – it was such a fun project. I listen to a lot of singer/songwriters and every once in a while somebody will come out with a record that’s so good and I’ll think, “Oh man, they must have been through some shit”[laughs]. I listen to my new record and I realize that, “Oh, yeah – it’s my turn.” Life gets tough and music gets good.

Southern Stages: Over what time period was the album recorded?

Wilcox: Probably a year and a half.

Southern Stages: If you will, tell us about the recording process.

Wilcox: I have figured out the best way for me is to play it live and I usually start with that. I record my tracks, sometimes with a drummer. On this record, we recorded some with a little band – some of my favorite players on bass, guitar and drums and that was really fun – the energy was so inspiring.

Southern Stages: Where was the album recorded?

Wilcox: It was recorded here in Asheville at a lovely studio that’s unfortunately closing. It was a great place.

Southern Stages: How would you describe your songwriting process?

Wilcox: I love to start with a conversation. I love to be talking about something with a friend and realize that I don’t have a lot of clarity. To me, the process of writing a song is the process of getting clarity – it’s the process of knowing my heart. It usually starts with an interesting conversation with a friend and I’ll get asked my opinion and think, “I don’t know – let’s see.” I realize that it needs some further discovery.

Southern Stages: If you will, tell us about “Custom Built Songs.”

Wilcox: These custom songs that I’ve been doing for a while are really satisfying to me. A song will come with a need to hold them accountable to something they’ve decided or maybe it’s a healing song about something that happened. When I write the song, I’m listening to their heart and I’m using the skills that I have to try and clarify and maybe see the issue in a different light. It’s given me this window into other people’s lives and it’s very fun.

Southern Stages: When you write a custom song, do you ever get tempted to hold a song back for your own catalog?

Wilcox: There’s one that I’ve recorded so far, but there are probably 60 custom songs – maybe more my now – and I think it would be a great thing to have them on the website with the stories behind them. They’re very different from the usual kind of songs because they are written for one person specifically, so you don’t have to tell the whole story because they kn0w the story. You just have to get to the heart of it.

Southern Stages: How many years has this concept been around?

Wilcox: I think the custom songs have been around for six or seven years.

Southern Stages: Some artists tell me that – given modern outlets such as YouTube, Spotify and satellite radio – this is a great time to be in your position as listeners can access and purchase your music immediately. Other artists say, for those same reasons, it can be a challenging time to be found among the saturation. How do you feel about the current industry climate?

Wilcox: I got really lucky with the timing that I got my record deal. I kind of got the best of both worlds – I have the ability to get that nice ride on the company and get good promotion from A&M (Records) and then, when my career naturally slides downhill [laughs], I have the ability to be in community with the people who found my music and they want to stay in touch and it’s easy for me to stay in touch.

Southern Stages: As a guitarist, are you a “gearhead” that combs music stores while on tour?

Wilcox: I have a real love of getting a fantastic guitar sound and it’s an endless quest. Every time there’s a new thing, I’ll test it out and see if it’s for me. I really love the challenge and practice of finding the best tone I can.

Southern Stages: Even though you recently released an album, do you continue to lay down song ideas?

Wilcox: Definitely. The voice message is the real key for songwriting for me these days. It’s always a steady process. I love the process of writing even more than finishing. I would love to be in the middle of a song rather than having just finished it because the longer I’m working on it, the longer it’s working on me and I love how songs change me.

On Saturday, November 22, David Wilcox will perform at the Woodlawn Theatre. Advance tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $30 and can be purchased at www.woodlawntheatrebham.com.