SALEM, Ore. — Droves of musicians unable to finish career-defining albums due to the distractions of modern life have begun their annual migration north to seek inspiration in remote cabins, multiple musician gazing groups confirmed.
“It’s the cornerstone of my writing process,” said Benjamin Lawrence, a Charleston-based folk artist. “Life can be so hectic. You try to sit down and write your magnum opus, but your phone is buzzing, your PlayStation 5 is humming, and the faded Polaroid of a woman you once loved so many summers ago sits on your desk, haunting you. I just need to disappear from my life and find solace. I throw all of my snuggly flannels and jackets in a duffle, tell my roommates I won’t be able to pay rent for three months, and head towards my late grandfather’s log cabin home. I do it every year. At this point I don’t even use Google Maps, I’m just drawn to it.”
Blaine Pascoe Walcot, a local middle-school teacher, was out for a walk along River Road when he spotted a flock of rare Barn Daniels that just happened to be migrating through the area.
“I’ve heard about it for years but never seen it myself, until now. I was out on a stroll when suddenly an entire swarm of Subarus, packed to the brim with guitar cases and Moleskin notebooks, fluttered by me in a rush,” said Walcot as he wrapped his long toes over the front of his Birkenstocks. “It was wild. It was as if I was seeing double or triple. These soft-handed lumberjacks were everywhere.”
Lachlan Tory Applebot, biologist and author of ‘Field Guide to Singer/Songwriters of North America’, has been studying these patterns for years.
“Ah yes, the Northwestern Bearded Samuel, the Southeastern Flannelated Nathaniel, they tend to prefer their full scientific name, these are all subsets of this folksy bunch. The most common reason for bird migration tends to be a change in a food source, but for this group, it is often due to inspiration sources,” said Applebot. “A successful fall writing season is crucial for a good winter release and a solid summer touring schedule.”
This current migration closely follows the Goth migration season, who trek toward nordic climates during hot weather to avoid heatstroke or outfit changes.