-- MTV News staff report
This story was originally published on 03.30.2002
How do you catch the ear of buzz bin faves like Nelly Furtado, the Roots and the Strokes?
If you're up-and-comer Cody Chesnutt, it takes a little '60s rock and soul, a bit of dirty South hip-hop, a hint of British new wave and a whole lot of talent. The 32-year-old Atlanta native blends those sounds on his debut album, The Headphone Masterpiece, which finds him writing, producing and playing every instrument on the LP.
Chesnutt been mastering his skill set for years and started playing live back in 1983, when at the age of 13 he began opening shows for bands managed by his father. Some 15 years later, he landed a record deal of his own with his band, Crosswalk. Instead of being the beginning of something wonderful, the deal almost proved to be the end, as chesnutt almost hung it up two years ago.
"You got all these dreams you've built up just for those two words: 'record deal.' All of the sudden, you go to the record company and without hesitation, they pull out the rug."
Dropped by his label, and ultimately his band, Chesnutt withdrew to what he calls his "sonic promised land" — his souped-up bedroom studio. He emerged two years later with his ambitious 36-song, two-disc debut, which hits stores on April 30.
"I designed it specifically for these headphones," Chesnutt explained of his work on The Headphone Masterpiece. "My music is everything ... the gerber daisies that you see in somebody's garden, the poverty-stricken gutter projects ... everything."
While his debut has yet to hit stores, the multifaceted musician is already earning a number of high-profile fans, including the Roots (who have recorded with him), the Strokes (who feature him in their new video) and Nelly Furtado (who recently gave him a shout-out on MTV's "TRL").
Despite the attention, Chesnutt is remaining focused and insists that his musical journey is far from over.
"I just don't want to get distracted, you know. The painting is not finished yet."
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