5 Minutes with Lead Singer Eric Middleton of Midnight River Choir -

TTL sat down with Eric Middleton at this years Lone Star Jam, to find a little more about this amazing country rock band.

TTL: The name Midnight River Choir makes you think of church. Did you all meet in church?

MRC: The name is not necessarily tied to church but we all have religious backgrounds. The night we all decided to start the band we were partying on the river in new New Braunfels and we were on a midnight float. Floating and singing songs, there was probably 20 of us just floating and singing. Four of us realized we had a really good harmony together an decided to form the band. The next morning we were at our usual spot having breakfast at The Lone Star Float House. A guy came in and said” Man I was having such a good night and the damnedest thing, and 2 AM I was shook from my tent by a Midnight River Choir” So that’s how we were formed and got our name.

TTL: You mentioned South By South West, have you ever played it before?

MRC: The past 4 years we have. We have done the KVET or Koke FM series it changes. At Peckerheads on Sixth st. That is a big showcase they do every year. This year and last year we played for KDRP 100.1 Sun radio at El Mercado and that was a great, great lineup they bring in some really cool talent. I love playing South By. I like seeing the weird stuff aside from playing to.

TTL: South By South West is said to drive creativity and with creativity comes new things. Are you looking forward to starting anything new this year?

MRC: I am…have hopes of starting a new record this year. We are trying to decide if we want to do a full length album or cut a couple songs for radio. Doing a lot of writing with our producer Monty Byron. Adam Hood and Myself are writing a tune right now. I have a little more then half a record finished as far as the writing goes.

TTL: Here at the Lone Star Jam festival are you anticipating anything, maybe jam with Eli Young?

MRC: I don’t know those guys very well, we played with them when they still lived around here five years ago at the river road ice house. They don’t like to close festivals so they asked us to close the final slot for the show.

TTL: What are you looking forward to in upcoming future?

MRC: I’m really looking forward to the two tours we have coming up. One up to Idaho and the other to Minneapolis. I always look forward to going out of state. Not to discredit Texas fans by any means. By going out of state going to towns that are to used to having bands every day, so when they here bands from Texas are coming around they make it point and put in there calendar weeks in advance and is highly anticipated for them. The emotions go for us. Illinois is actually something I am really most excited about. We play central Illinois as much as we can. We have as big following there as we do here.

TTL: Favorite food when touring?

MRC: When in Texas any hole in the wall authentic Mexican food. When outside of Texas home style cooking. Ones that make you feel like your home when your there.

TTL: Thank you so much for speaking with us.

MRC: Thank you, Its time to do some work!

Interview and photos by: Jason Bollenbacher