Pike & Sutton is a partnership, a creative evolution and a promise fulfilled. Equally anchored by the powerhouse vocals of Patrice Pike and the electrifying guitars of Wayne Sutton.
Interview conducted on April 22, 2020
By Dan Locke
Austin-based duo Pike & Sutton will release their full-length debut album Heart Is A Compass on April 3rd. Led by “hometown favorites” (Austin American-Statesman) Patrice Pike and Wayne Sutton, the band has evolved out of the longtime alternative rock band Sister 7
What was your musician upbringing before high school?
Patrice: I grew up in the most developmental years with my very creative and hard-working mom who is a nurse and my step father who was a guitar player and singer-songwriter. Their love of music and people really shaped me.
Wayne: I started out on my Great Grandmother’s piano around the age of four. My earliest memories are how the different notes made me feel. In elementary school, I started playing the saxophone inland. Guitar followed soon after.
How did you get your first guitar and do you still have it?
Patrice: Wayne encourages me to learn rhythm guitar and I borrowed a microloan of $1200 from a friend of ours who owned the first studio we recorded in to buy it. Technically though my parents bought me an acoustic when I was little as I didn’t have an interest then. Tree climbing was my thing lol.
Wayne: I started fooling around with my sister’s guitar around the age of 9, and have kept it ever since. I still play it when I need extra inspiration!
How did you start your partnership?
Wayne: I first saw Patrice closing out a festival in Dallas. through a mutual friend we stayed in touch over the next couple of years. When I moved back to Dallas from Austin, we got together for dinner one night and I played her a couple of songs. We’ve been playing together ever since.
Tell me about Little Sister/Sister 7. Why that name?
Patrice: Little Sister was a nickname some people called me as we were all in a community of musicians and I was one of the youngest in our crew. We also decided we wanted a name that would be impossible to make sense of putting my name as the singer in front of the band name which happened to some bands when they got signed by labels. We changed the name to sister 7 when a cover band from Boston tried to sue us for having the same name about the same time as them. We then found out historically there had been 7 bands named little sister, hence the 7. We were like, “Well, if you are going to threaten us, we will just stick with music, keep our money for touring and come up with a more fitting name. So, see ya!”
How did you start Step Onward Foundation?
Patrice: I became friends with a woman I met on the road who is a huge lover of music and was a childhood prodigy violinist. We also had in common that we left home when we were teenagers, though she left much younger than I did. Her life story and our friendship gave me the courage to talk with a close friend about the hard things she and a lot of at-risk youth go through. He and I had our own unique struggles. From that, we produced a concert and raised 4 times the funding we had intended from the outpouring of support to help young adult survivors of homelessness and poverty as well as kids experiencing a medical health crisis. I’m grateful we have built something that helps a lot of people who are often forgotten.
Tell me about your performance with the Grammy nominated choral group Conspirare?
Patrice: Craig Johnson is the visionary and composer of Conspirare and he invited me as he does a different singer each year to be the featured guest artist on their annual end of year tour. They are absolutely incredible! I grew up singing in ensembles and I really missed it. Craig weaves together arrangements of iconic pop, jazz, world and classical music with a full choir of top-notch singers and accompanies the group with his brilliant piano playing and Tom Burrit on percussion.
You were on CBS Rock Star the year after Marty Casey. It was called RockStar Supernova. How was it to work with Tommy Lee, Jason Newsted and Gilby Clarke?
Patrice: Honestly, those guys are really nice guys. Reality TV is tricky. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, and I’m not an actress but fortunately, I come from a strong background of live performance and they respected my contribution. You didn’t always see or hear that from them due to producers having to edit for length but my actual experience with each of the guys you mentioned was excellent.
How was it to do H.O.R.D.E. with John Popper? For people who don’t know what that was, please give me some details?
Wayne: It was an incredible learning experience getting to see the Allman Brother’s band every night. John and Blues Traveler treated us like family and it was great community of outstanding musicians and beautiful people.
Tell me about working with The Band of Heathens?
Wayne: They recorded one of my songs “No Great Mystery” on their first live record. It is the one song that I sing on this record.
Tell me about some of the highlights in your career?
Wayne: Getting the opportunity to tour with John Fogerty was a highlight. He talked to me about a song I had written almost every day and really encouraged me as a writer. Playing onstage with Blues Traveler and Widespread Panic were both exciting. Any night can be a highlight. that’s why I still love to play.
I see you had a problem with copyright about the band’s name Little Sister. How do you feel that today’s bands should do to protect their band’s name?
It’s great if you make sure no one has the name you want by doing a trademark check and then getting a trademark.
How do you feel about how people are picked for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Patrice: I don’t know how people are picked! Hmmmm….
Wayne: I think it’s great when people I love get in, but it’s not something I think about.
You are about to play Lollapalooza China. That is great. Any chance to play Lollapalooza in Chicago?
We were actually booked for a Lollapalooza Chile, and that has been rescheduled. All touring is rescheduling now so it’s all possible but a big mystery!
After that, you are going to do SXSW. You both have done SXSW before. How has it changed over the years?
We have don’t SXSW many times and hope they survive as a business after the pandemic is over. We wish all our music business friends well. It’s really rough for the industry but so many are suffering in other aspects of life, so we feel fortunate we are healthy and safe right now all things considered. We are really we have a positive record out to share with those who need that.
Your new album comes out April 3rd. Tell me about how it started and a little bit about the final product?
Wayne: We just started writing songs together with no clear plan in mind. Once we decided to make a record, we just brought in dream team of musicians from our past. Jim Watts produced at Frogville Studios in Santa Fe with help from Bill Palmer. They really got great sounds and we recorded the majority of the record in just a few days. You can really feel the vibe of the recording in the final product. It is the first record that Patrice and I have written together in over fifteen years.
Why did you pick “Together” as your feature single from your upcoming album
We love the song Together, but right now one of our very favs Let The Music Get You High, is our current single and being added to radio in many parts of the U.S.
Let The Music Get You High reminds us of the power of music to uplift even the most difficult situations. We wrote this song in the early stages of the new project in the midst of my family and friend’s struggle to support my niece and god daughter through a lifesaving bone marrow transplant. Wayne and I were in my writing studio while I had a brief break from the children’s hospital and I just started playing the drum kit with Wayne on acoustic guitar. The song developed from the place I was at just trying to lift my spirits and use music to light me up while thinking about the bigger picture of so many people’s struggles. The lyrics may seem simple, but actually not having working bone marrow is terrifying, and it was also analogous to the lack we all sometimes feel in what at times is a world full of people and living things struggling to support themselves and those they love.
“Got change in her pockets
But she doesn’t have shoes
She had blood in her veins
But little time left to lose
It was September
Come November
She’s got three jobs and still no home
It’s hard to smile when you’re hungry
So hard to walk when you’re hurting
But play a song that you love
And let it lift you above
And just Let The Music Get You High”
Also, we made a great official video of its fans can watch on our YouTube channel. “
How do you see yourselves in five years?
Patrice: Hopefully making great records, and touring again in a world that has healed from these difficult times. I was going to say maybe being a musical astronaut but that is probably the quarantine talking. 😉
Wayne: Writing together and taking our live show to the next level.
Anything you’d like to say in closing?
This is our first full length vinyl and we’re super excited about it. I’m going to pick them up at the pressing plant tomorrow. Thanks for the interview!
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How did you start Step Onward Foundation?
Patrice: I became friends with a woman I met on the road who is a huge lover of music and was a childhood prodigy violinist. We also had in common that we left home when we were teenagers, though she left much younger than I did. Her life story and our friendship gave me the courage to talk with a close friend about the hard things she and a lot of at-risk youth go through. He and I had our own unique struggles. From that we produced a concert and raised 4 times the funding we had intended from the outpouring of support to help young adult survivors of homelessness and poverty as well as kids experiencing medical health crisis. I’m grateful we have built something that helps a lot of people who are often forgotten.
Tell me about your performance with the Grammy nominated choral group Conspirare?
Patrice: Craig Johnson is the visionary and composer of Conspirare and he invited me as he does a different singer each year to be the featured guest artist on their annual end of year tour. They are absolutely incredible! I grew up singing in ensembles and I really missed it. Craig weaves together arrangements of iconic pop, jazz, world and classical music with a full choir of top-notch singers and accompanies the group with his brilliant piano playing and Tom Burrit on percussion.
You were on CBS Rock Star the year after Marty Casey. It was called RockStar Supernova. How was it to work with Tommy Lee, Jason Newsted and Gilby Clarke?
Patrice Honestly, those guys are really nice guys. Reality TV is tricky. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, and I’m not an actress but fortunately I come from a strong background of live performance and they respected my contribution. You didn’t always see or hear that from them due to producers having to edit for length but my actual experience with each of the guys you mentioned was excellent.
How was it to do H.O.R.D.E. with John Popper? For people who don’t know what that was, please give me some details?
Wayne: It was an incredible learning experience getting to see the Allman Brothers band every night. John and Blues Traveler treated us like family and it was great community of outstanding musicians and beautiful people.
Tell me about working with The Band of Heathens?
Wayne: They recorded one of my songs “No Great Mystery” on their first live record. It is the one song that I sing on this record.
Tell me about some of the highlights in your career?
Wayne: Getting the opportunity to tour with John Fogerty was a highlight. He talked to me about a song I had written almost everyday and really encouraged me as a writer. Playing onstage with Blues Traveler and Widespread Panic were both exciting. Any night can be a highlight. that’s why I still love to play.
I see you had a problem with copyright about the band’s name Little Sister. How do you feel that today’s bands should do to protect their band’s name?
It’s great if you make sure no one has the name you want by doing a trademark check and then getting a trademark.
How do you feel about how people are picked for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Patrice: I don’t know how people are picked! Hmmmm….
Wayne: I think it’s great when people I love get in, but it’s not something I think about.
You are about to play Lollapalooza China. That is great. Any chance to play Lollapalooza in Chicago?
We were actually booked for a Lollapalooza Chile, and that has been rescheduled. All touring is rescheduling now so it’s all possible but a big mystery!
After that, you are going to do SXSW. You both have done SXSW before. How has it changed over the years?
We have don’t sxsw many times and hope they survive as a business after the pandemic is over. We wish all our music business friends well. It’s really rough for the industry but so many are suffering in other aspects of life, so we feel fortunate we are healthy and safe right now all things considered. We are really we have a positive record out to share with those who need that.
Your new album comes out April 3rd. Tell me about how it started and a little bit about the final product?
Wayne: We just started writing songs together with no clear plan in mind. Once we decided to make a record, we just brought in dream team of musicians from our past. Jim Watts produced at Frogville studios in Santa Fe with help from Bill Palmer. They really got great sounds and we recorded the majority of the record in just a few days. You can really feel the vibe of the recording in the final product. It is the first record that Patrice and I have written together in over fifteen years.
Why did you pick “Together” as your feature single from your upcoming album?
We love the song Together, but right now one of our very favs Let The Music Get You High, is our current single and being added to radio in many parts of the U.S.
Let The Music Get You High reminds us of the power of music to uplift even the most difficult situations. We wrote this song in the early stages of the new project in the midst of my family and friend’s struggle to support my niece and god daughter through a lifesaving bone marrow transplant. Wayne and I were in my writing studio while I had a brief break from the children’s hospital and I just started playing the drum kit with Wayne on acoustic guitar. The song developed from the place I was at just trying to lift my spirits and use music to light me up while thinking about the bigger picture of so many people’s struggles. The lyrics may seem simple, but actually not having working bone marrow is terrifying, and it was also analogous to the lack we all sometimes feel in what at times is a world full of people and living things struggling to support themselves and those they love.
“Got change in her pockets
But she doesn’t have shoes
She had blood in her veins
But little time left to lose
It was September
Come November
She’s got three jobs and still no home
It’s hard to smile when you’re hungry
So hard to walk when you’re hurting
But play a song that you love
And let it lift you above
And just Let The Music Get You High”
Also, we made a great official video of its fans can watch on our you tube channel. “
How do you see yourselves in five years?
Patrice: Hopefully making great records, and touring again in a world that has healed from these difficult times. I was going to say maybe being a musical astronaut but that is probably the quarantine talking. 😉
Wayne: Writing together and taking our live show to the next level.
Anything you’d like to say in closing?
This is our first full length vinyl and we’re super excited about it. I’m going to pick them up at the pressing plant tomorrow. Thanks for the interview!
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