Daily Inspiration: Meet Arbor North

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arbor North.

Hello Arbor North, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
We always say that our meeting was one of a divine appointment – decades in the making – that just happened to occur in the right place at exactly the right time. In February of 2020, we both separately attended the Grassroots Starlight Dinner during CRS (Country Radio Seminar) as part of our own respective musical projects.

At the time, I (Michael Boris) was a member of the former country trio, Lockeland. We had achieved two Top 40 singles on the Music Row Country Breakout Chart (“Til The Cows Come Home” & “Made For Mornings”) and our single, “Keep Us Young” was premiered by Billboard Magazine. As part of Lockeland, I had the opportunity to tour both nationally in the United States and internationally in the United Kingdom. We opened for artists such as Cam, Kip Moore, Josh Turner, LANCO, Morgan Evans, Logan Mize, and Big & Rich on two separate occasions. In years prior to Lockeland, I was a full-time professional drummer – both studio and live – and bandleader based in Nashville.

And also at the time, I (AC Jones) was in the midst of my career as a solo country artist. I had achieved three Top 40 singles (“Buses and Trains”, “Mr. Moon”, and “Castle”) on the Music Row Country Breakout Chart, with two of those singles also achieving Top 60 status on the Billboard Country Indicator Chart.

I toured the United States through the fair and festival circuit; had opened for acts such as Marty Stuart, The Oak Ridge Boys, and The Kentucky Headhunters; and had performed internationally both in Alberta, Canada, and Perth, Scotland. Before deciding to pursue a career in music, I had studied and graduated with a degree in Biochemistry – so my life and path certainly took a turn after graduation.

We just so happened to sit at the same table at dinner that night and had an incredible conversation about music, our passions, and production. Neither of us was looking for love, so we didn’t think anything of it. It was simply a good conversation with a very like-minded person.

A few weeks later, in March 2020, the pandemic hit. Our tours for the upcoming season were canceled, and it felt like the live music industry had come to a halt. It wasn’t until November of 2020 that the two of us reconnected. Over text messages, phone calls, and Facetimes, we began a long-distance relationship which led to an “I do” on a beautiful Sunday in October of 2021. However, it wouldn’t be until almost two years after that first meeting that our musical paths would collide to create Arbor North.

Months after Lockeland dissolved in 2021, we began to toy with the idea of writing together, and when we finally did, the chemistry was evident. After a few writes, we had a small catalog of songs, and in the few times we got to visit each other in person during our long-distance relationship, we’d sing together while doing dishes or other daily tasks. We found we were both compatible not only in our relationship but in our artistry as well.

The idea of forming a duo came naturally, and before we knew it, we were preparing to launch Arbor North. In short, it wasn’t our music that made us fall in love but rather our love that brought our music together

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road of an independent artist is never a smooth one.

We both have had to face our fair share of learning to face rejection with grace without letting it put out our flame. Fortunately, the two of us make a great team and are able to tackle any tough decision as a unified front.

One example would be learning how to re-enter the entertainment world post-Covid (shows, meetings, release strategies, etc.) – especially given the fact that the past two years have changed both the music industry and us greatly.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We are a husband/wife country duo called Arbor North, comprised of Michael Boris and AC Jones.

We both write (or co-write) and self-produce our own music. Our sound is a sonic landscape that combines modern country, rock, soul, and a little bit of funk coupled with lyrical content that is heartfelt and autobiographical. We strive to both create music that is fun, memorable, and nostalgic.

Our aesthetic combines different period-era dress styles, and we plan to give a nod to different styles with each single we release. For this reason, we like to think of ourselves as your friendly, neighborhood time-traveling troubadours.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
We love that you can feel the creative and entrepreneurial energy rushing through the spirit of the city. From the walls of Fort Negley to the steps of the Ryman and the Honky Tonks on Broadway – each brick and floorboard holds a story of the people who came before.

As far as something we don’t like… well, we’re just disappointed that we’ll never be able to try every single coffee shop that this city has to offer!! Haha

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.ArborNorthMusic.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ArborNorthMusic
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArborNorthMusic
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/ArborNorthMusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnFh11LcPoV4uf5WJBuaAw
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7zwTYXV1HKuoJBz4RcRMP2?si=lNSb1y_3Sb-r7O0POjEROA

Image Credits
Victoria Roth, Dallas Dickerson, and Suzuran Photography