Nashville-based group Moga Family Band is gearing up for a performance at The Basement East on March 31, as finalists in American Songwriter’s 2025 Road Ready Talent Contest. The competition spotlights up-and-coming performers who excel in live performance, going beyond just songwriting.
The band, comprised of Dekar Baker, Eric Fortaleza, Emme Cannon, Owen Fader, Jake Baynes, and Cav Mims, has quickly found its footing despite forming just a year ago. They co-wrote all of their songs as a unit, including “What You Do When You Can’t,” the track they submitted to the contest.
Moga Family Band is one of three finalists who will perform at the finale, vying for a grand prize package that includes $20,000 and additional prizes. Fans can cast their votes for their favorite artist until March 31.
“American Songwriter is just really associated with the best songwriters of every genre and every time,” said Cav Mims, explaining why the band entered the competition. “So we wanted to just pit our songwriting against the best in the industry on the platform that celebrates the best songwriting.”
Eric Fortaleza described the feeling of learning they were finalists: “When we got that call, I was like, ‘Really? For real? Finally!’ That was a real feeling. We don’t know where it’s gonna go—we really don’t—but we know it takes a step….”
The song they entered, “What You Do When You Can’t,” originated from a collaboration between Owen Fader and Eric Fortaleza. “We were thinking there are a lot of songs these days that are just about love and relationships,” Fader explained. “We were wondering, ‘What if we turned something into a life lesson?’ Eric came up with this gorgeous idea that you’re going through your life and you’ve exhausted all your other options, (but) the next thing you do is what determines the kind of person you’re going to become on your life’s journey.”
Drummer Dekar Baker expressed the band’s readiness for the performance. “We feel like we’re ready. As artists, as individual performers, and as this band, we don’t have to worry about the next person’s performance, because we’re always performing for each other inside and outside of the stage. We just have to show up and do our job and be ourselves. We’re confident we’re going to put on a good show.”
Guitarist Jake Baynes emphasized the importance of their band dynamic. “This is the setup we put into pretty much everything. At the core of our name is family, and who we are as individuals and how we communicate has a direct impact on what the music looks like. (We) spend time with each other. We give a lot of shows in town… at every show we give, we always meet as many people as possible and strive to extend our family to our extended family, which is anyone who loves our music. We love all these guys. With this performance, like every performance, it brings that element of family to the stage, makes sure we’re all on the same level of love with each other, and we can bring that to the show and share it with everyone who’s there. Hopefully, we’ll make a few family members along the way.”
The band members, who have extensive experience playing with other artists, came together through a shared connection. “Most of our work for a long time was playing for other people,” Fortaleza said. “Eventually we decided (to inquire): ‘How can we claim this for ourselves?’ I think there was a connection that we all had eventually. I said, ‘Oh, there’s more to this than just playing.’ we asked each other, whereas we were playing around the world and all over the country, ‘What would it look like if we did our own thing?’ That’s the birth of it. It’s a collection of all these people.”
The strong bond within the group is a key to their success. “It’s really helpful to have a group like this… I can call them at any time and any moment… that little thing goes a long way. And that makes our communication on the platform that much more important. We’re in each other’s corners. It’s amazing what this big family has become.”
Fortaleza reflected on the challenges and rewards of a career in music. “I think when you get to know us more, you’ll observe the depth of each individual in this band. She’s played with Snoop Dogg. She’s sung with Mary J. Blige. He’s played for Maggie Rogers. And it’s like all these different people and all these different things we’ve done… that’s what brought us here… We’ve tasted the greatest plains in the world and that’s still not enough, because it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s not mine.’ Once you see that world it’s amazing. We’re grateful that we’ve been able to reach those moments, we really are. We’ll continue to do that as long as we’re alive… The unknown now is: what will it look like if we bet on ourselves?”
Emme Cannon added, “We’ve seen that this isn’t impossible. We trust each other to the point where impossible has ended, and that’s what we want to put our minds to.”
Cav Mims concluded, “I literally live for this, so find the people who live for it… the fire level is the same and we’re all in the same main place at this stage of our lives. For any reason standing in line. I’m so grateful to have six people in this room next to me. I’m just grateful for that.”
Cannon believes the band’s collaborative spirit enhances their artistry. “I think, if anything, it’s just zooming the lens out a little bit more than you can… meeting these people, running these shows, writing the music, letting go of any expectations, I feel like it really expands the scope of what I can understand mentally about what’s possible. I think it’s a beautiful expression of the roots of our family and the true and pure meaning of music. When it comes from a place without ego or expectation, it comes out the way it’s supposed to. Doing that as a band really highlights our artistic skills and personalities.”
The band describes their sound as a blend of Tedeschi Trucks Band, Lake Street Dive, and Volbeat. “You have music that moves you and music that you feel. And rarely do you have both. We have both. That’s really good. That’s a lot of fun.”
Their live performances are known for their energy and spontaneity. “There’s just this easy energy that comes from the stage. Every show is completely different, because the experience is never the same. That’s crazy.” Mims added, “I think my favorite thing is that everyone is so sensitive to what we’re doing as individuals on stage. If someone’s feelings take you in a different direction than you usually go, the whole band reacts immediately and produces something really amazing.”
Looking ahead, Moga Family Band hopes to see how far they can go in the competition and continue to grow their fanbase. They already have plans for a busy summer with festivals and shows. “We’re grateful that we’ve made it this far and for the opportunity to perform live… we’re here to give it everything we’ve got on stage.” Fortaleza shared their long-term goals: “A lot of us come from a background of playing for other people. We’ve all been in situations where it didn’t work out for various reasons… long term for what this band will do… the goal for all of us long term is to treat each other with respect and like family. And that’s something we’ve been planning to do for a extremely long time.”
“I always notify people it takes a village to do anything,” Fortaleza said. “A lot of artists are good at being lone wolves, but as they climb they realize it takes a village… if you don’t realize that, you won’t make it… you have to bring people with you.” Cannon advises aspiring musicians to “connect with your uniqueness and what makes you special and what sets you apart. There’s so much competition and comparison in this industry… no one can do what you do. Don’t try to do what someone else is doing, because what you have is truly special and can’t be replicated.” Baynes added, “If you have an idea and you believe in it, follow that idea and don’t listen to the noise that says no.” Fader concluded, “I think you should take good care of your relationship with music. You should treat your interactions with music like a relationship, whether it’s with a family member or someone significant… spend time with it, fall in love with it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Photography by Chris Lehman
