What Is It Gonna Take

We all showed up at Occoneechee State Park in Virginia.

Not for a gig. Not for pictures. Just family. Rods in the truck, a cabin waiting, and a lake that was not exactly cooperating. First time in years a lot of us had been in the same place at the same time. You could feel that before anybody even cast.

There were five Wilkinson brothers growing up. Allen, Brad, Craig, Dean, and Erik. A through E. Brad passed a while back. Their mom, who they loved a ton, passed several years ago too. After that the brothers got clear on something. If you dont make the time, the time doesnt make itself. Not long after Brad was gone they decided we had to start getting together on purpose. Occoneechee became the spot. Fishing trips. Cabins. Weekends where the stories last longer than the fish.

Then the circle got bigger. Cam and me (Scott) started showing up. Aarons there all the time. Cousins, brothers, a brother in law. Same cooler. Same dock. Same question hanging over the water when nothing is biting.

Were getting older. We dont see each other like we used to. People get sick. People get diagnosed with stuff you dont see coming. Thats not a songwriting trick. Thats just true. So when we finally got everybody there we sat around and threw words together. Half joking, half not. About the drive in, the dry lake, that whiskey glass going around, and what it actually means to keep showing up.

Thats how What Is It Gonna Take got written. At the root its about family getting together. One side of the title is the hard question. Whats it gonna take to get us in one place. Whats it gonna take to stay together for the long haul. Whats it gonna take to keep this family moving when life keeps interrupting. The other side is lighter and just as real. Whats it gonna take to catch some fish today when the lake is running low and nobody wants to call it.

If you watch our first film, Campfire, youll see that trip the way it felt. Hanging out. Talking it through. The song taking shape. A couple friends came along with cameras. You dont really see them in the cut. Theyre the ones filming. And fair warning while youre watching. If my camp chair looks like it changed mid story, it did. The first one broke between takes so I swapped in another that looked about the same. Continuity be damned. The weekend was still the weekend.

Were going to keep doing this. A tiny film crew is going to keep tagging along and well post more videos as this thing rolls. The fishing. The writing. Arguing over a chorus. The long road toward whatever stardom means when youre mostly just trying not to miss each other. More songs. More stories. More trips if the calendar and the lake allow it.

What is it gonna take?

Apparently packing the rods, showing up at Occoneechee, and not letting another year go by.