Ginger Perry welcomed singer-songwriter David Wilcox to the KGNU studio for a live performance and in-depth conversation about his new album, The Way I Tell the Story. Wilcox discussed how music helps him process personal hardship, transform sorrow into growth, and explore themes of resilience, acceptance, and hope. The interview also highlighted his collaborative recording approach, custom songwriting projects, and upcoming Colorado performances at Swallow Hill, eTown, and The Armory in Fort Collins.
(Air Date 2/12/2026)
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Transcript:
Ginger Perry: I’m happy to say I’m here with a very special guest this evening, David Wilcox. Hi, David.
David Wilcox: Hi. Thanks for having me.
Ginger Perry: Good to see you. You’ve got a new album out and you’re playing a few shows around here. You’ll be at Swallow Hill tomorrow night at 8:00 in Denver, at eTown on Valentine’s Day at 7:00, and Sunday at 7:00 at The Armory in Fort Collins.
Your new album, The Way I Tell the Story, came out in October. You’re going to play some songs from it, and we’ll talk a bit. Shall we start with a song?
David Wilcox: Yes. This is the title track, “The Way I Tell the Story.” It uses the image of a small plane crash as a metaphor for growing up and realizing I could survive the wreckage of my family.
David Wilcox: (performance)
Ginger Perry: That’s the title track from your new release. It’s very personal and emotional. I take it you draw from your own experience?
David Wilcox: I do. Music has been a way to metabolize sorrow—not to stuff it away, but to turn it into compassion, vision, and energy. It’s been a gift to have music walk me through difficult times.
Ginger Perry: I notice themes of resilience and acceptance on this album. It reminds me of your song “Eye of the Hurricane.” There’s a calmness in the storm, a reframing of hardship. This album feels like it’s written from that place.
David Wilcox: Thank you. I appreciate that you hear it that way.
Ginger Perry: I’d love to hear “I Wish You Enough.”
David Wilcox: This is a song about wishing someone not an easy life, but a meaningful one.
David Wilcox: (performance)
Ginger Perry: Beautiful. On this new album, you also created a guided version where you introduce each song.
David Wilcox: Yes. There’s the regular record and a “guided tour” version on Spotify where I talk about each song.
Ginger Perry: You’ve got wonderful collaborators on this album—Ellis Paul, Jeff Pevar, even horns. How does that affect your live shows?
David Wilcox: In the studio, I explore what each song needs. Live, I distill it back down. Songs keep evolving—even years later, I’ll find better lines. That keeps it fresh.
Ginger Perry: What’s next?
David Wilcox: Here’s a song about trying to banish the inner critic.
David Wilcox: (performance)
Ginger Perry: What’s that called?
David Wilcox: “Worst Enemy.”
Ginger Perry: You’ve made around 20 albums. When did you start?
David Wilcox: Around 1987. I’ve always thought of albums as invitations to a concert. They helped me find my tribe—people who resonate with what I’m saying.
Ginger Perry: Do fans ever feel overly familiar because your songs are so personal?
David Wilcox: Not really. The music has a humble quality. People tend to treat me with respect.
Ginger Perry: Another song?
David Wilcox: This one is about being successful enough to make a living, but not so famous that I lose perspective.
David Wilcox: (performance)
Ginger Perry: Do you have a writing routine?
David Wilcox: I write at four in the morning. The house is quiet. I journal, and sometimes a strong emotion turns into a song. I love being in the middle of writing because as long as I’m working on the song, the song is working on me.
Ginger Perry: What inspires you most?
David Wilcox: Conversations. I also write custom songs for people. I’ve written more than 60. It’s meaningful to use songwriting in service of someone else’s story.
Ginger Perry: Let’s hear “The Beautiful.”
David Wilcox: It’s about how beauty keeps us afloat when the world feels overwhelming.
David Wilcox: (performance)
Ginger Perry: You referenced troubling events in that song. Are you influenced by what’s happening politically?
David Wilcox: Yes. Here’s a song imagining the Statue of Liberty taken down.
David Wilcox: (performance)
Ginger Perry: That’s powerful. Do you read much on the road?
David Wilcox: I listen to audiobooks while driving. I recently enjoyed Sun House by David James Duncan. It’s a long, immersive story about healing and empowerment.
Ginger Perry: Another song?
David Wilcox: Here’s one about perseverance in hard times.
David Wilcox: (performance)
Ginger Perry: You’ll be at Swallow Hill tomorrow, eTown on Valentine’s Day, and The Armory in Fort Collins Sunday. Any Valentine’s surprises?
David Wilcox: I may add a few special songs.
Ginger Perry: I’d love to hear “Love That Binds Us.”
David Wilcox: This song keeps showing up when we need it.
David Wilcox: (performance)
Ginger Perry: That message feels timely. What about “Rusty Old American Dream”?
David Wilcox: I was also born in 1958, like the car in the song. It’s about aging and about America.
David Wilcox: (performance)
Ginger Perry: Do audiences ever change how you perform a song?
David Wilcox: Yes. If someone tells me why a song matters to them, I can sing it with their perspective. It becomes new again.
Ginger Perry: I have one request—“Eye of the Hurricane.”
David Wilcox: That song changed my life. It helped me find my audience and brought me here.
David Wilcox: (performance)
Ginger Perry: David Wilcox here in the studio with me. He’ll be at Swallow Hill tomorrow night at 8:00, eTown on Valentine’s Day at 7:00, and The Armory in Fort Collins Sunday night.
You’re listening to KGNU FM 88.5 Boulder, KGNU 1390 Denver, and streaming worldwide at KGNU.org. Thanks for joining us.
