DAVID EUGENE EDWARDS of mainstream acts Wovenhand and 16 Horsepower spoke to hard music fan and pastor Jonathan Hanley

Jonathan: Can you share some of your struggles?

David: There is not any part of what I do that is not a struggle. Not any one part of it. Be it business, music. . . People look at me and say, "Well, you're very successful, you know. You're able to do it and there's good people around you." And all of this is true, but everyone still has a hard time of it. I struggle. The guys that I'm trying to help make a living playing music, they struggle. Then on top of that, there's just everyday life, you know what I mean. And then there's the struggle with relationships, family. I don't live an easy life. I never have, really. I've been doing this forever. I've been doing it since I was a teenager. And I've had people say, you know, "It's time to grow up and get a real job." And I've had many real jobs. All kinds. Janitor. Ditch digger. Dishwasher. Carpenter. All that stuff. I've never been able to get a job really. I never finished school. And I never had much luck at applying for jobs and that kind of thing never really happened for me. I was playing music the whole time anyway, and that was what made me happy, so I just continue to do that, and finally I was able to do it and make money at the same time. So however long that lasts, I'm grateful.

Jonathan: Do you have a word of advice for a young artist starting out?

David: I don't think so, because people don't really listen to advice. And if they do, then they'll be bitter about it eventually. Or maybe they agree many years later. Whatever it is, it's all just clichés anyway. No I don't have any advice. Just know the Lord. Nothing else matters. Music, whatever, nothing else really matters. Know the Lord in whatever you do.