Devon Gilfillian: Q&A 2026

Since Devon Gilfillian made his first appearance at WFUV's Studio A back in 2019, the Nashville-based musician has been an essential artist on this radio station — and why it's meaningful that he's headlining "An Evening with Devon Gilfillian, SNACKTIME, and special guest Danielle Ponder," the station's benefit concert, on November 11 at Sony Hall. (Get your tix here.)

The timing couldn't be more fortuitous. Gilfillian and his fellow hometown Philadelphia-area pals of the funk-rock collective SNACKTIME — were on tour together this summer as Gilfillian supported his new album, Time Will Tell. That third album of original songs (Gilfillian also released a song-by-song cover album of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On in 2021) bookmarks a dramatic period of Gilfillian's life, and the songs that spun from his reckoning with love, mortality, and his own life's purpose.

In a new FUV Q&A, Gilfillian digs into the themes of Time Will Tell, working in a storied Nashville studio, and his deeper dive into the rebellious side of country music. Devon also adds his culinary two cents to SNACKTIME's "Five Essential Philly Snacks" with his own picks of Philly noshes! 

It's fair to say that the catalyst for Time Will Tell was prompted by an unsettling time for you — your dad's health scare led to a remarkable song on this new album, "Glad to Be Here." What did your parents say about the song when they finally heard it — and how is your dad doing now? 

My Dad having a heart attack was definitely a huge catalyst for the depth of gratitude that is on this album, especially in "Glad to Be Here." My Dad loves the song and was really excited when I asked him to cameo at the end of the tune. It was a full circle moment, having the man who inspired me to become a musician on a song that was so heavily influenced by him being alive to do so. My dad is in great shape now, hitting the gym at least four days a week and tending to 15 acres of land on the regular. I'm really grateful it was just a scare. 

In turn, how was "Glad to Be Here" the catalyst for the path that this new album takes? How did the concept of time and mortality shape-shift for you during your songwriting process for the entire record?

When I wrote "Glad to Be Here," I knew that I was writing from a new perspective on life. My Dad's heart attack made me realize how short the time is that we get on this earth. It made me realize that if I don't cherish these moments I have with my Dad, my family, and my friends, I'm just letting time slip away from me without intention. These people in our lives won't be here forever and neither will you, so we need to hold on to these people we care about. I also realized that I was wasting my time in a relationship that wasn't serving me or my partner. I was just creating suffering that was unnecessary. You try to make love work, but sometimes compatibility just isn't there. 

There's a good degree of heartbreak entwined around many of the songs here — both "Shines In You" and "Moonflower" watch a loved one gradually recede in the distance ("I wanna be the one that sees your life in bloom"). There's a keen vulnerability to your vocals throughout, especially on "Glad to Be Here" and "Hold On (Hourglass)." When mourning a dissolving relationship or pondering a serious life event, for you, is it sometimes easier to speak via lyrics than, as you've titled a song, in real life? 

I definitely vent my life through my music. It's almost impossible for me not to. I feel comfortable sharing my feeling with people I'm close to, and they typically know what I'm going through, but it definitely comes out in my music first. It does feel like an easy outlet for me. In so many co-writes I found myself complaining about my relationship, sometimes to people I would just meet. Whatever is heavy on my heart is gonna pour out into my music whether I like it or not ha,ha. 

Jon Smalt, your drummer and manager, turned you on to music that was not only a revelation in terms of production options, but led you to recording at Nashville's RCA Studio A. How did the feel and function of that storied studio — everyone from Dolly Parton to Willie Nelson to Sturgill Simpson has recorded there — motivate you, Jon, and your executive producer Neal H. Pogue? 

Jon really did put me on to Sturgill Simpson when we first met, and that opened my palette to so much music. I really fell in love with country music because of Jon. Not all of it, but definitely Sturgill, [Chris] Stapleton, Dolly [Parton], [Johnny] Cash, Willie [Nelson] and Waylon [Jennings], all the outlaws really. Dave Cobb showed us RCA Studio A nine years ago and we were in awe. We knew one day we had to record there. For Time Will Tell, we needed a studio that we could capture the "air" in order to get that nostalgic sound. We also needed a great tape machine. With the guidance of our engineer, Michael Harris, we landed on RCA being the best fit for what we needed sonically, and Dave Cobb graciously gave us the keys and let us into the playground. It was the perfect place to make this album, not only functionally, but also in a way that feels like we get to be a part of the history of that studio now. 

Trusting yourself to record vocals in a single take, as you did on "Time" — and feeling that imperfection tells the story you want to tell is the antithesis to the sterile kind of production that lately dominates the mainstream, especially with the shadow of AI altering our perception of reality. What is so beautiful, for you, about imperfection, especially given your approach on Time Will Tell? 

I fell in love with music that was recorded on tape and has mistakes in it. Those imperfections put me into the moment. They bring me into the studio with the band or the artist that I'm listening to and remind me that those are human hands or voices that are creating that magic. I don't connect with music that sounds super polished. I want the raw energy of song. I want to feel like it was birthed right in front of me. I want to hear a little bit of fear and vulnerability in the song, like risks were taken. That's why I decided to track my album to tape, so we could bake in those imperfections. 

Back when we spoke in 2021, around the time that you'd released your beautiful cover of the whole of Marvin Gaye's totemic 1971 album, What's Going On, you said that Nashville's country music scene was "waking up a bit." Five years on, what progress have you observed — or not? What keeps you hopeful? 

I think that even in these times we're still seeing more Black artists in the country space and more of a desire for black music (R&B, hip hop) in Nashville. There are artists like Julie Williams, Denitia, and Brittney Spencer that are making space for Black artists in the country world. They deserve more recognition, but they're doing a lot of the plowing for other artists. Inglewood Lounge and Flamingo host a jazz/R&B jam night every week, and it's always packed to the gills. I would still like to see more progress, but it's coming slowly. 

You've never shied away from talking about mental health, especially as reflected on this new album. For so many of your fans, your music brings them joy — what music, in addition to your own, has brought you peace when life has felt especially rough? 

When I'm in a rough spot I really love to put on music that gets me moving. During Covid, it was definitely Marvin's What's Going On album that got me through it. I also always go back to Bob Marley. Bob was some of the first music I remember hearing as a kid, so it always takes me back to that time. 

You are a native Philadelphian — as is SNACKTIME on FUV's "An Evening With ..." bill. Hands down, what's the very best Philly cuisine/sandwich/snack in your estimation (that you just can't get in Nashville or New York)?

Alright, I'm honestly not even a cheesesteak person, but if you want the best one in Philly (IMO), you have to go to Del Rossi's. Angelo's is also very good, but Del Rossi's is my spot. I get the buffalo chicken cheesesteak because I'm a weirdo. As far as Philly-adjacent spots, my favorite cheeseburger is in Ridley, PA, at Charlie's Hamburgers. They're not smashburgers, but they're flat, and the meat, cheese, and bun just melt in your mouth when you go to bite it. I wish so bad I could have it in Nashville.