Knight moves

Local folk musician Josiah Knight’s favorite interview question: If you weren’t doing this with your life, what would you be doing? When the 32-year-old singer/songwriter first moved to Reno three years ago, it took him a moment to regain his footing in music and start performing again. The activity that consumed his time and attention involved not a guitar and pick, but a needle and thread.

“When I first moved here, I got into knitting instead for a while,” Knight says. “I was just knitting scarves for months.”

The break in habit might seem strange for someone who has been writing songs since childhood and performing in front of people since his early 20s—but Knight is a man of many travels—tales of which commonly appear in his music—and he’s used to taking some down time in between relocations.

“It always kind of happens that way when I move somewhere different because performing is part of what makes me want to keep writing songs, so if I don’t have places that I’m familiar with [to perform], then I’m not as into playing.”

What got Knight back in touch with his musical side, after moving to the Reno area via Portland to be closer to his family, was listening to the records of his inspirations.

“Listening to my favorite music is what brings me back to it every time. I listen to a lot of bluegrass like the Earl Brothers, and other folky stuff like Father John Misty and Shakey Graves.”

So after a little dose of musical TLC, Knight regained his stage legs and ventured out with his guitar, and occasionally ukulele, in hand—performing at open mics such as Java Jungle and Jub Jub’s. Open mics are nothing new to Knight. He not only performs at them, but he hosted a weekly one at a bar out in Portland, a venture he says he’s not likely to undertake again any time soon.

From there, he began asking around town for solo-artist friendly venues—and his stages eventually grew to include a couple different local festivals. As a one-man band, Knight has played at the Americana Festival in Virginia City and Wildstock, the weekend long benefit show for Wildflower Village.

Another surprise Knight has up his sleeve is a recurring theme in many of his storytelling songs. Aside from the occasional melody about drug mules in the ’70s, as told in his single “King of the Mountain”—Knight regularly writes melancholy songs. Something the mild mannered musician, who also dedicates part of his time to working with people with disabilities, hides well behind his friendly, bushy beard.

“There’s a lot of death,” Knight says. “Not to be morbid but it does tend to pop up. A lot of my songs are kind of morose, and I’m not really sure why. It’s just what comes out.”

Despite his fascination with gloom, Knight is a sentimental guy. He not only keeps in touch with the various characters he has met along the path of his travels, but he also holds a connection with his three 10-year-old dreadlocks. Those few strands have hung on, despite many haircuts.

“I’ve gotten so attached to them that it’s like cutting off fingers at this point,” Knight says. “There’s a lot of history.” But if they ever do meet death upon the sharp points of a pair of scissors, rest assured, there will be a dark song to sing.