Tim Dillinger has just recently collaborated with Kloud9 on a compilation released on Ralph-T's, Expansion Records. His debut album 'Love Is On My Mind', sounds like a gospel/soulful modern day George Michael. This is how the interview went.

Matthew: Welcome to Just Soul. How is the new album going?
Tim Dillinger: Very, very good. We’re almost finished mixing it…I did the photo shoot this past weekend…so next comes the new website and getting the packaging done…so we’re nearing completion.

Matthew: Do you find the whole album making stressful? Which parts do you enjoy the most about making a CD?
Tim Dillinger: I love the creative process...For me, this album in particular was about much more than just making an album. This was a life journey. I love the process from beginning to end...because it's never, ever the same. The songs come to me differently each time, how I envision the music is different...Of course, there are stresses...especially as an independent artist...Budget restraints, deadlines, concerns over whether the finished product will truly be what I envisioned...but this is how I chose to do it...so in the big picture, it's all apart of the package...and at the end of the day, I do what I love.

Matthew: What are your favourite tracks from ‘Love Is On My Mind’?
Tim Dillinger: I have two personal favourites, and they’re the most spiritual cuts, ‘The Day You Held Me’, and ‘In Your Arms’. Both of those tunes are close to my heart…I remember writing them, I remember cutting them…and I remember for what I knew at that point, It was my vision in fruition. "The Day You Held Me'" was inspired by a play that I had seen while performing in Louisiana back in 2003...I went back to the hotel after the play and the lyric came in one stream...I drove back to Nashville and sat down with my producer and sang it to him...he picked up his guitar and found the chords that I heard...the break beat was my idea. We cut the vocal in one shot as well...It was like a fire bolt of inspiration for me... "In Your Arms" was a more difficult song to write. My co-writer, Patrick Dixon, had given me the instrumental track with just the keyboard parts...and I swear I wrote five versions of the song and threw them all away...because it just wasn't what the music wanted. I went to the studio because we were slated to record the song...and when I got there, again, it came in a flash flood...It is one of my most favourite songs to do live...I never know what's gonna happen when we do it...because it brings out the church in me.

Matthew: Who were your influences?
Tim Dillinger: Andrae Crouch, The Hawkins Family, Reba Rambo, Marvin Gaye, Rick James, and of course Earth, Wind & Fire.

Matthew: Well, I have to say there's no place like home. Nashville has been really good to me...so getting to do shows here is always a natural high. But, I've been given the opportunity to perform all over the world and each place is different...so I also enjoy those opportunities.
Tim Dillinger: Nashville has been really good to me...so getting to do shows here is always a natural high. But, I've been given the opportunity to perform all over the world and each place is different...so I also enjoy those opportunities.

Matthew: What’s the music scene like in Nashville?
Tim Dillinger: Very different. Nashville is primarily known for country and gospel, but there's a burgeoning R&B/hip-hop scene. There are some awesome artists coming up...and what's really nice is, we're all so distinctly different...We're all forging our own paths...and appreciate each other in the interim.

Matthew: You've recently released records on Expansion Records, tell us about that?
Tim Dillinger: Well, I did a track for the Vibe Room compilation. Kendall Duffie, of Kloud 9, lives here in Nashville...so we connected and did a collaboration and they were kind enough to include it on the project. The track is called "Ooh Baby I"...From what I hear, it's getting good response.

Matthew: My favourite track from the debut is 'Suddenly'. It's very interesting sounding with soulful vocals. What was the inspiration for that song?
Tim Dillinger: Another song was the inspiration! One of my mentors as a writer was a gospel artist named Reba Rambo (If you look on the liners, I dedicated the song to her)...She wrote a song back in the 70s called "I Have to Smile" and I had listened to that song and wanted to write something in a similar vein...Something that celebrated not just physical love, but nature, spirituality, the realization that love is all around us all the time if we're just willing to notice. The vocal was influenced by my gospel heroes.

Matthew: When do you plan to visit the UK?
Tim Dillinger: I'm not sure yet. I'm waiting to see what distribution situation I land in with the new album. But I do plan on coming.

Matthew: Which new soul artists do you play?
Tim Dillinger: Anam Owili-Eger, Jason Eskridge, Donnie, Frank McComb.

Matthew: What do you do in your spare time?
Tim Dillinger: I love to find a good book...Finding old music...Going to hear friends perform.

Matthew: Oooo, are they soulfully famous friends?
Tim Dillinger: Well, not to the world, but to me they are...lol...Jason Eskridge is a singer/ songwriter based here and he describes his music as "rustic soul"...and it's very organic...Another good friend, Nacole Rice, destroys wherever she sings...She's incredible...I love to support great talent...and if I can show up and feel something, I'm sold.

Matthew: Thank you for the interview.