Let’s Go Back To Your Place: An interview with country music duo Native Run

Highlights from our house party with Rachel Beauregard and Bryan Dawley of Native Run.

Earlier this summer we were fortunate enough to host Rachel Beauregard and Bryan Dawley of Native Run at our home for a very special acoustic performance as part of their Let’s Go Back To Your Place house party tour.

We transformed our living room into an intimate music space. NASH FM 94.7’s Jesse Addy, who was in attendance and introduced the band, said that it felt like he’d stepped on to a set straight out of The Gilmore Girls.

The duo performed a 90 minute unplugged set. Two amazing voices and one guitar filled our home with some of the most incredible harmonies I’ve ever heard. Their set included tracks off their latest EP, When I’m Taken, as well as their prior release, Good On You. Between songs, Rachel and Bryan really connected with everyone in the room, telling stories and answering questions.

After our friends and neighbors left, we stayed up late chatting with Rachel and Bryan over beer, wine, and lots of bagel bites.

Let’s Go Back To Your Place Tour

The house party concept isn’t new, but surprisingly pretty uncommon among country music artists. While the travel and prep can be exhausting, the benefits seem overwhelming. The artists are able to connect with people in a way that just isn’t possible playing traditional venues. “People feel truly invested in not only our career, but our lives because we become friends,” said Rachel. Bryan wholeheartedly agreed, “The thing we love about playing in the house-concert venue is the idea of making friends not fans…I can say without a doubt that some of the people on the Let’s Go Back To Your Place tour will be friends for life.”

Balance

Rachel and Bryan both grew up in Northern Virginia and met after college when the two were in the same church. Recently they’ve each started new chapters in their personal lives. Bryan is still a newlywed, and Rachel got engaged earlier this year. Along with the happiness that brings, it also carries the challenge of finding that ever elusive work / life balance. Bryan said, “We’ve both had to learn to make time for our partners when we’re on the road, so that they feel a part of our day and the shows even if they can’t be out on tour with us.” Rachel added, “We are so beyond grateful that we’ve found the loves of our lives and that they support us so much. They are so patient and loving, and now we don’t know how we could keep going without them.”

“It’s like you’ve won the lottery, and I know I feel that way with Bryan.”  – Rachel Beauregard

Chemistry

When you see this duo perform, you quickly realize they have a very special bond – a chemistry that life partners would be fortunate to have, let alone music partners. “When the strengths and weaknesses balance, the harmonies blend, and the personalities fit it’s like you’ve won the lottery, and I know I feel that way with Bryan,” said Rachel. Bryan added, “We both know that not a lot of people get to do this, much less with their best friends, so we feel incredibly blessed.”

Writing

While criss-crossing the country allows for plenty of time to digest podcasts (the duo cites Lore as one of their faves), it can be difficult to find the time to write. “The house show tour requires so much travel that we don’t have time or energy on the road to write like we might on a bus or something,” said Rachel. But once they’re back home in Nashville the duo loves to hang out on Bryan’s front porch with “fancy water” (aka La Croix) and write new material.

Touring with Superstars

Touring with the likes of Lady Antebellum, David Nail, and Sam Hunt has given the pair some amazing memories. “We learned so much from all of them,” said Rachel. She continued, “Lady A could teach everyone how to create a goosebump-filled show. They really create a beautiful set from the first note to last. David is the most consistent performer/vocalist I’ve ever seen. Sam, well, he’s nearly perfect! We learned a lot about ourselves on that tour. We felt like we found our audience, and it felt good.” Bryan added, “More than anything, I learned that no matter how big you get, or how much success you have, being good people is all that really matters at the end of the day. How you treat people is what everyone remembers, and Rachel and I both have always held each other and our band to that standard.”

“No matter how big you get, or how much success you have, being good people is all that really matters at the end of the day.”  – Bryan Dawley

On the Radio

Hearing your music on the radio for the first time is a moment that every artist holds dear. Bryan was on the way to meet the band at their bus when he heard it on BIG98 in Nashville. “I went about 85mph and blasted it for everyone in the parking lot,” he said. Rachel added, “It was surreal. I stared at the words, Good On You, and listened to the drum kick in and thought ‘this is not real!’ I am praying to have that moment again!”

In the Circle

Experiences like that have created plenty of bucket list moments for the duo. But the one that they both cite as the biggest? “We’ve been so fortunate to play the Grand Ol’ Opry,” said Bryan. “The feeling you get standing in that circle where so many greats have been is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. When I look back on all we’ve been able to do thus far in our career, I’m the proudest of that!”

New Music

Looking ahead, we can expect more of what Native Run does best. “New music!,” said Bryan.  “We’re going to be writing our asses off to keep putting music out there.” Rachel added, “Once we get it to where we want it, we’ll start shopping again for a label/mgmt/publishing partner. It feels like being on a roller coaster that’s cresting the top of a big hill, you can’t see where you’re going yet, but in your gut you know it’s going to be fun as hell.”

We can’t wait to go along for the ride. Rachel and Bryan, you two can come back to our place anytime.

Media from the show:

Check out our gallery of pics from the house concert.

And to make it feel like you were right there with us, here are some video clips from Native Run’s performance: