LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Musician Owen Walsh was born in Honesdale, PA, and spent his entire childhood through young adulthood in the area. He began playing the violin at age three, mainly because it was the only instrument that would fit in his hands at the time. 

Years later, at age 12, Walsh found his father’s old guitar stashed away in a closet and used his knowledge of the violin to teach himself how to play. He hasn’t stopped playing since. 

In middle school he started writing his own songs and melodies, but it wasn’t until his junior year of high school that he performed at his school’s annual talent show. After receiving countless positive reviews from friends, family, and classmates, Walsh realized that he wanted to pursue music as a career. 

At age 16, Walsh was offered a job at a local resort in the housekeeping department. In a last-ditch effort to keep playing while in school, he convinced his parents to let him book gigs around town to make money. “I feel like I have ever since been trying to avoid getting a ‘real job’ by playing as much music as I can,” he said with a laugh. “It’s worked out so far.” 

Walsh is now 27 years old. He graduated from Ithaca College in 2019 after studying music and journalism. Then he worked as a journalist for the River Reporter while also doing music. About 18 months ago Walsh and his fiance, Mollie Semler, moved south to Asheville, NC so Walsh could further his music career. 

I had the opportunity to speak with Walsh and ask him a few questions about himself and his music. First, I wanted to know how, if at all, growing up in Honesdale influenced his music.

He paused for a moment, searching for the right words, before he continued.

“Honesdale is a small town with a lot of history, and growing up there I constantly saw and heard a lot about the past. The relics of the American railroad, the once-thriving coal-mining industry, the D&H Canal, all of these sort of bygone symbols of a different kind of American life,” he started. 

“For me, the influence is more subtle. The tropes and images and stories that tend to come up in my songs feel like they’re trying to capture the vibe of an era different from the one I’m currently living through. There’s this classic Americana sound I’m always chasing, and classic Americana, in general, is something Wayne County oozes… There’s something just more romantic and intoxicating about the aesthetics of a bygone time.”

Next, I asked Walsh what gave him the courage to move south and pursue his music career even further. He explained that in 2021 he and Semler moved to New York City for Semler to finish out her graduate degree. 

“We spent a year in the city. It was a cool experience, but luckily we were both in agreement that New York City was not our vibe. Growing up in Honesdale, it’s a very stark contrast… We both love our hometown, but I had just played music there for so long that I felt like I was ready to find a new environment to try and get my music in front of more people.”

When asked why he decided to move to Asheville specifically, he said that it was a city always in the back of his mind. “Whenever people would hear my music, they would bring up Asheville. I’m sure people would talk to me about other cities as well with music, and obviously there are bigger music cities—but for some reason, Asheville was calling to me even though I didn’t know much about it. I took a chance and we’ve been really happy since we’ve moved.”

Finally, I wanted to know how Walsh was feeling coming back and performing in his hometown. “Well, September is always a fun time to come back to Honesdale,” he said. 

He has a few shows booked for his trip back home. First, on September 14, he and his former Pennsylvania band O & Co. performed at the Fall Music Festival, held at the Dorflinger Amphitheater. “We’ve always been a part [of the festival],” he explained, “Everyone is just really happy to be out and supporting local music, and all the proceeds go to a bunch of great local charities—plus,  it’s a good excuse to see the old bandmates again.” 

On Saturday, September 21 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Walsh will be playing the Arts Nest at the Delaware Valley Opera Center in Lake Huntington. He mentioned that he felt excited, while also feeling a twinge of anxiety. “With coming back to my hometown, I guess there is a self-inflicted pressure… you just hope that your hometown people are gonna come out and make it something memorable.”

When asked if there was anything he would like to add, he said, “Last year I put out an album with a bunch of musicians. Actually, one of the last things I did musically in PA before moving to Asheville was finish this album with a bunch of my friends. It’s called ‘On My Way.’ 

“It was just a cool experience. I do this music thing totally on my own so there’s no budget or anything except what I can afford, so it was just me and my talented musical friends who were willing to record this big project with me just for the sake of doing something cool together.”

If you are interested in learning more about Walsh’s music or would like to see him live, visit his website at www.owenwalshmusic.com.