Hello everyone, it’s your host Faithfulness, and today I have with me Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard from the Dutch Delta, Netherlands. Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard are here to share more insight into their musical journey while diving into their latest single, “Travelin’ Heart,” an Americana-infused indie pop release arriving on May 8, 2026. Built around acoustic guitar, mandolin, pedal steel, and a full-band arrangement, the song captures the feeling of movement, freedom, and emotional rediscovery. Inspired by experiences gathered during an East Coast road trip, “Travelin’ Heart” explores travel not only as a physical escape but also as an inner journey toward clarity, healing, and perspective. With its blend of intimate verses and expansive melodic choruses, the song invites listeners to leave behind old burdens and embrace the possibilities that lie ahead. What does it mean to keep moving when life feels uncertain? Can the road itself become a source of renewal and understanding? Let’s find out.
Welcome, Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard. Before we begin our interview, here is what you need to know about this remarkable project. Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard is an indie/alternative collective built on an acoustic guitar foundation, thoughtful songwriting, and a clear emotional vision. Writing from the Dutch Delta, Turner crafts songs that balance vulnerability with adventure, blending indie folk, Americana, and singer-songwriter influences into a sound that feels both timeless and contemporary. Drawing inspiration from legendary storytellers such as Willie Nelson and John Denver while embracing a modern indie sensibility, Turner creates music filled with atmosphere, movement, and authenticity. Alongside a rotating cast of collaborators known as The Dudes of Hazard, the project delivers songs that feel like long drives into the unknown, where every mile reveals a new perspective.
At the center of “Travelin’ Heart” is Joseph Turner himself, a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who even learned mandolin specifically for this release to bring an added layer of organic warmth and character to the music. Joined by close friends Petey and Gigi on backing vocals, alongside contributions from pedal steel player Keenan Schuck and drummer Nicky-Boy Brown, the song reflects a collaborative spirit that mirrors its theme of connection through movement. The track began as simple recordings captured on a phone during a road trip before evolving through home-studio sessions, remote collaborations, and final mastering in Nashville by renowned engineer Sam Moses. Much like the song’s narrative, its creation became a journey of its own. Through “Travelin’ Heart,” Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard invite listeners to embrace change, carry their stories forward, and discover the freedom that can be found somewhere between the road behind and the horizon ahead.
Having this brief Introduction, I’m sure new and current fans must be excited about our Interview today.
INTERVIEW
Faithfulness: Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard carries such a vivid, cinematic identity. Looking back, what first pushed you toward building a project rooted in storytelling and movement like this?
Joseph Turner: Thank you kindly. It really started at a party with a buddy of mine, just talking about the American music scene and Nashville especially. Somewhere along the way we said, “Man, we oughta start a band and head to America.” That was almost five years ago now. A whole lot’s happened since then, writing songs, learning new instruments, and eventually recording the first album.
Faithfulness: Your songs feel like they’re always in motion, almost like they were written on the road itself. How did that sense of travel become such a core part of your artistic language?
Joseph Turner: It may sound a little cliché, but I’ve always seen life as one big adventure. You never really know what’s around the corner. A lot of my writing comes from looking back on those travels and experiences, trying to make sense of things, heal a little, and understand where I’ve been.
Faithfulness: The Dutch Delta seems to sit quietly in the background of your writing. In what ways has that environment shaped the emotional tone of your music?
Joseph Turner: That’s hard for me to pinpoint exactly. I think a lot of the writing comes more from imagination, dreams, and experiences I’ve had traveling elsewhere. But I’m sure the Dutch delta found its way in there somehow too, even if it’s more subtle.
Faithfulness: There’s a strong acoustic foundation in everything you create, yet it expands into something much wider. How did you develop that balance between intimacy and expansiveness in your sound?
Joseph Turner: Somebody once told me, “If a song works with just an acoustic guitar, you’ve got something real.” That stuck with me. Most songs start on acoustic guitar or piano for me, and then later on I’ll add layers if the song calls for it.
Faithfulness: The Dudes of Hazard are described as a rotating group of collaborators and close companions. How does that shifting creative energy influence the identity of the project?
Joseph Turner: It’s a beautiful thing having friends and musicians around you that bring new ideas into the mix. Music changes once you start playing together. Folks hear things differently, and sometimes that fresh perspective is exactly what pushes a song where it needs to go.
Faithfulness: “Travelin’ Heart” began with ideas captured on a phone during an East Coast road trip. Can you walk us through that moment and what you first felt you were capturing?
Joseph Turner: Yeah, we were camping somewhere down South, one of those warm nights. I was sitting outside the RV just picking around on the guitar when something finally clicked. At the time it didn’t feel like running away from anything, it felt more like running toward freedom. Just celebrating all the good things travel can bring into your life.
Faithfulness: The track blends acoustic guitar, mandolin, pedal steel, and live drums across different recording locations. How did working across these spaces shape the emotional texture of the song?
Joseph Turner: First off, having a great mixing engineer helps a whole lot. Yannick Bovens really brought everything together beautifully. I recorded a demo and invite everybody involved to my world. Once folks understood the emotional direction of it, everything started falling into place naturally.
Faithfulness: You even learned mandolin specifically for this release. What did stepping into that new instrument unlock creatively for you?
Joseph Turner: When you’ve played an instrument for years, it’s easy to fall into familiar patterns. Learning mandolin kind of forced me to trust my instincts again. It took a while to get the parts sounding the way I heard ’em in my head, but I’m glad I stuck with it.
Faithfulness: The song moves between intimate verses and expansive, full-band choruses. How intentional was that dynamic shift in reflecting the emotional journey of travel?
Joseph Turner: That was absolutely clear from the beginning. I could already hear that big open chorus in my head early on. The quieter verses, especially with Keenan’s pedal steel work, really help build toward that release when the chorus finally opens up.
Faithfulness: The lyric “take your time to find another light on the road, redefine the way you’re gonna carry the load” feels especially grounding. What does that line represent within the heart of the song?
Joseph Turner: It basically was some kind of advice I was giving myself. Sometimes I need to slow down or put things in reverse before I can really move on. So it was kind of a reminder to take things easy, traveling (physically or mentally) has always helped me clear my head and carry things a little lighter.
Faithfulness: With contributions from Petey, Gigi, Keenan Schuck, and recordings spanning multiple locations, how did you keep the track feeling unified despite its “collaborative distance” creation?
Joseph Turner: A lot of it just came down to everybody understanding the feeling of the song. Even though parts were recorded in different places, everybody involved really respected the same emotional direction. And again, Yannick did an incredible job tying it all together.
Faithfulness: The production was eventually mastered in Nashville by Sam Moses, tying the journey together. What did that final step represent for you personally in completing the song?
Joseph Turner: Man, that was really special. I bought my little Martin guitar in Nashville, and a lot of these songs were written on that guitar. So having the final master done there too, by such a legend, just felt full circle somehow. It really tied the room together!
Faithfulness: Fans of artists like Noah Kahan, Zach Top, and Riley Green may find familiarity here, yet the sound remains distinctly yours. How do you navigate honoring influences while still carving your own space?
Joseph Turner: That’s actually a tough one to explain. I don’t necessarily think we sound exactly like those artists, but there might be a shared emotional thread there. At the end of the day, I’m always trying to serve the song first instead of chasing one particular sound.
Faithfulness: The song explores travel as both escape and emotional reset. When you listen back now, what part of that journey feels most present to you?
Joseph Turner: What sticks with me most is that feeling of freedom and clarity. Life feels simpler out on the road or sitting around a campsite somewhere. But there’s definitely some reflection in there too, trying to process a few curveballs life’s thrown my way.
Faithfulness: If “Travelin’ Heart” had to be described as a single emotional moment on the road, what moment would it be?
Joseph Turner: Windows down, singing to your favourite song with your loved ones when riding towards a sunset!
Faithfulness: Looking ahead, what kind of new territory do you feel this release is opening up for you and The Dudes of Hazard?
Joseph Turner: I just hope more folks connect with the music and find a little piece of themselves in it. There’s a lot more coming, and a lot of it deals with that same push and pull in life, light and dark, movement and stillness, all of it.
CHECK OUT THE RELEASE OF ‘Travelin’ Heart’
HAVING LISTENED TO ‘Travelin’ Heart’, HERE ARE MY HONEST THOUGHTS
“Travelin’ Heart” by Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard is a beautifully crafted Americana-infused anthem that transforms travel into a powerful metaphor for healing and self-discovery. The song’s arrangement unfolds with remarkable patience, beginning in a reflective space before expanding into a rich, cinematic soundscape filled with emotional momentum. Acoustic guitar and mandolin form its rustic backbone, while Keenan Schuck’s expressive pedal steel adds layers of longing and nostalgia. Live drums from Nicky-Boy Brown provide a steady pulse that mirrors the rhythm of an endless highway. Joseph Turner’s vocal performance is deeply authentic, balancing vulnerability with quiet determination. His weathered delivery gives weight to every lyric, while harmonies from Petey and Gigi add warmth and emotional depth. The production is elevated further by field recordings captured during an East Coast road trip, creating an immersive sense of place and movement. Lyrically, the song shines through its thoughtful exploration of growth, encouraging listeners to release burdens and embrace new perspectives. With its heartfelt storytelling, expansive instrumentation, and uplifting message, “Travelin’ Heart” stands as an inspiring and memorable musical journey
~ Faithfulness (Dulaxi Team)
Finally to our audience, I urge to listen to “Travelin’ Heart“, add it to your playlist and be Inspired by it and on behalf of Dulaxi I like to appreciate you all by saying thank you everyone, See you on our next interview.
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