Dylan Rockoff holds himself to high standards in all aspects of his life – he feels it's important for people to know that no matter where he is, he's constantly trying to get better. "I'll always want to be a more versatile musician," he says. "To write better songs and to play better guitar parts."
Rockoff uses his smooth voice and melodic technique to create a fresh take on classic folk, and it's not going unnoticed. His 2015 single "Feeling Fine" landed him on The Today Show, an appearance he followed with an EP – These Old Streets – over 2 million streams on Spotify, and a performance ahead of Bon Jovi at Madison Square Garden. Rockoff is dressed for success. But that doesn't mean he'll stop growing. "I want each and every release to be better (and different) than the last. The artists that I admire are all well-versed in multiple styles of music. That’s something that I’ve always valued."
While Rockoff has been focusing on building momentum, and a national profile, he's no stranger to the local music scene. He appreciates its diversity, and is proud to be contributing to that.
Boston is such a diverse city with so many different kinds of people and music. It's eclectic and unpredictable.
Rockoff's first local show was at The Middle East in Cambridge. "It was on a Sunday afternoon and I played solo to a small group of people," he says. "It wasn’t much – I didn’t have many of my own songs back then." But the opportunity manifested into a solid stream of bookings, which then led him to writing more of his own material.
Nowadays Rockoff values the process of creating songs, and focuses on his integrity when writing. "I like to make sure I have solid ideas before I bring them to a producer," he tells us. And since moving to Nashville, he's been co-writing a lot, which has only helped elevate his work. "Collaboration often brings ideas to the next level."
Collaboration isn't the only joint effort for Rockoff, who is also partial to working with a producer when releasing his albums through SunPop Music. "Together, we create plans for everything from record production, to distribution, to marketing and roll out."
The Boston Music Awards recently selected Dylan Rockoff to be a part of the 617Sessions, a program that recognizes Boston-based artists who are making great contributions to the local scene, and rewards them with a day of studio recording.
Visit 617Sessions.com to learn more.
