Aboard a train and traveling along a slow and patient route, Merrick Winter found himself on a journey. He left behind the chaos of the east coast of the US and discovered the serenity of what lies out west. As a British-American who moved to the UK as a child, he not only had the opportunity to explore his home country but also to take in the exquisite landscapes of America – the sceneries that most of us may miss while on a long road trip.
“I took a train from New York to California as a way of just sort of seeing my home country and wanting to do the journey a little more slowly to take in the sights,” Winter said. “On the East coast, it’s a little bleak, but as you get out west, the landscape just starts to sprawl and reveal itself in ways that you just won’t see that side of America.”
In no rush to get to his destination, what Winter saw and experienced on his slow yet mesmerizing trip was unforgettable. To add to the scenic views, he also met many strangers aboard the train. Each person Winter had encountered were all very different. From diverse backgrounds, each conversation he had experienced gave him a rich and emboldening perspective of how they saw the world around them.
“The thing that I took away from each conversation was the differing perspectives on life and on our shared country. That was the thing that interested me the most because you had rich folks, poor folks, and everyone in between. You even had old white couples, a black single mom with an autistic kid, and Amish folks who were all coexisting in this little microcosm of America,” he said.
With each encounter, time stopped, stories were told and heard, experiences were embraced, and connections were formed. Every experience opened his eyes, staying with Winter forever.
“It was a very peaceful experience. I think what I took from it was that each interaction was far more pure than what I’m used to when I encounter strangers, and it was because there was an investment of time,” he said. “I got these wonderful little stories from people who I would never meet in any other context. You wouldn’t have that kind of conversation with the person sitting next to you on a plane. Modern life is brief and abrupt.”
Because of his conversations with the people aboard the train, it sparked inspiration behind his single “The California Zephyr.” Each story and interaction is incorporated into the song, bringing each experience to life through the tranquil lyrics. Light laughter and excitement filled the room as Winter reminisced on one of the conversations he had with a passenger who had an encounter with a few well known artists in the late sixties.
“There’s a verse in [the song]: Leroy talks of ‘69, of Haight and Ashbury in his prime, of lighting up with Morrison. See everything was hazy then. He says you know the future waits for no one. And every single moment here is stolen.
That came from a conversation with an old fellow who used to live in the Bay Area. He asked me, ‘Do you know the band The Doors? I used to smoke with them! Jim Morrison came on my boat once.’ And that’s probably one of his favorite stories to tell.”
Every moment and conversation remained special for Winter, as if it was a certain piece of treasure that he was trying to find, and valuing it for the rest of life.
“I just love picking up those little things. They feel like nuggets. They feel like that’s my whole purpose in songwriting. I’m like a bit of a magpie when it comes to songwriting – I love collecting little trinkets and stringing them together,” he laughed.
“The California Zephyr” is one of the songs on Winter’s upcoming sophomore EP of the same name that releases on May 9th. Winter references the EP as a travelogue of his experiences and covers themes of longing, growing up, and homesickness.
“I think I’ve always had a deep sense of homesickness and that comes from moving countries when I was 11, learning a whole new culture moving to the UK as a kid. I’ve been away long enough that I sound like an outsider, and to kind of look at my home country both critically and lovingly,” Winter explained. “I feel like I did a lot of growing up in between these songs. It feels like us searching and a process of growing up as well.”
Winter even recorded a live, orchestral version of “The California Zephyr” with the Lockeland Strings, which was a dreamlike experience for him.
“Within a couple of takes, we had it, which was incredibly surreal because everything, all of my pauses have been meticulously notated on a score,” he said. “To hear that and to basically just be able to stand there in the middle of the room, in front of the mic, play how I would play, and have an entire orchestra support what you’re doing is something I will never forget. I hope to do it many more times in my career.”
Winter also spoke about another recently released song that will be included on the EP. “Carry It Forwards” explores a dark time in his life. Change was some of the main themes of the song, giving listeners and himself a chance to reflect on heartbreak and obstacles in life.
“I was going through a lot of changes – going through a breakup and realizing that there were certain people in my life who it was better for me not to be around,” Winter stated. “I think that song in particular is amusing on what happens to you when you hold onto bitterness and resentment. It’s still useful. It’s still useful to me every time I sing it.”
The song serves as a reminder to always keep going, to not let bitterness hold you back, and to change for the better.
“It still feels important to remind myself or whoever that there’s an element to snap out of it. If you need a reason to,” he says, “find one.
If you’re screaming out for meaning, don’t wallow.”
Merrick Winter will be releasing his sophomore EP, The California Zephyr on May 9th! Pre-save his album here, and listen to him on both Apple Music and Spotify.
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