t’s a different era in music. No one is selling records anymore. I just heard “Janglin” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros in a Ford commercial. Aren’t they supposed to be the hippie-bred saviors of indie music? Is it even appropriate to use the term "sellout" these days? The reality is harsh: Bands have to do whatever it takes to survive. It’s a business.

Local singer/songwriter Will Dailey has carved out his own survival strategy. Four years ago he signed with the newly re-formed CBS records. His songs have probably appeared on more TV shows than radio stations. But despite his marketing focus, Dailey has been able to stay true to his roots. He still lives in Boston even after having gotten a whiff of the L.A. lifestyle. His songs are warm and accessible, but there’s something darker just behind the feel-good exterior. Like any good singer/songwriter, he’ll make you think, not as much about his words, but about how they relate to your own life. The best songwriters always make you look inward. His live band molds these sentiments into a powerful package of twang and grit.

We caught up with Dailey as he made his way to Q Division Studios, a place he describes as “safe and comfortable.” Just about anybody who’s made it out of Boston in the past two decades has recorded at Q Division: Morphine, Aimee Mann, Guster, the Pixies, the Dropkick Murphys, Buffalo Tom, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Dailey will be there for the next two weeks recording his full-length debut for CBS. But he and his band, the Rivals, will get out at least once to play on Saturday, September 11, at the Life is good Festival in the Blue Hills in Canton. Other acts that weekend include Ben Harper, Jason Mraz, Guster, Galactic, Mavis Staples, and a bunch more. Check out the schedule here. Update (February 2011): Dailey and the Rivals will be playing on Thursday nights this month at the Lizard Lounge with special guests each week, More info and tickets are available here.

So it seems like young bands are quick to move out of Boston these days. Brooklyn is the popular escape. What has kept you here?

My band, mainly. The players that I trust the most and am inspired by the most live here. Plus, a lot of those popular cities eat art up and spit it right back out even though they may seem like a hub for it. I’ve been fortunate enough to have national exposure and be on a great record label while still calling Boston home. My family and friends are here and I greatly admire the lifetime musicians in Boston too.

What local musicians do you admire the most?

I’m always inspired by Session Americana. All of those guys play most nights of the week around town. Tim Gearan is another one. Sea Monsters on Sunday nights too. You won’t find an example of that sort of dedication in a city like L.A. That type of energy can help propel you through tough nights on the road.

What are you favorite venues in Boston?

There are so many. I love the big theaters. We have a bunch of great-sounding theaters when most cities only have one or two. But at the same time we have those great intimate rooms like Toad and the Lizard Lounge.

Speaking of the Lizard, I found a video of you on YouTube singing “Sometimes Salvation” by the Black Crowes at a show there. Chris Robinson would’ve been proud of your dance moves.

That was a dream come true. When I was super young that record was huge with my cousins and my brothers. To get up and play a song from it that night was a big musical moment in my life. I used to lip-synch those tunes when I was a kid.

What else were you listening to as a kid?

Grunge music was huge. But I also had older cousins who’d hand me Sticky Fingers by the Stones and Derek and the Dominos.

What album shaped you the most?

Sticky Fingers . That album has such a well-rounded scope of what the Stones can do—a couple of songs that are straight blues and raunch, epic rock songs like “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” and “Bitch,” a country tune like “Dead Flowers,” and then “Moonlight Mile,” which is one of the most beautiful ballads for me. That’s what I’m always trying to do on my albums—fulfill my musical needs, whether it be a straight up rock song or a roots-y tune. I put it all on there and don’t stress about what scene I’m in or what genre I’m supposed to market to, which can get you.

Can you get away with that much freedom while signed to a major label?

There are actually just a few people who work there. It’s a family atmosphere. They are more like an indie label and happened to be fans of my music. It’s not like they signed me for monetary reasons.

Seriously? That’s surprising considering they are part of CBS.

They are independent from the network and one of its many arms, but the music does get to the desk of whoever is doing the show a lot faster.

Anyone give you grief for your music being featured on Gossip Girl?

If they’d give me grief, I’d give it right back to them for watching the show. I’ve been fortunate to be on a lot of shows. We’re in a different era now. Every band is hoping they can be on the next toothpaste commercial. It’s not taboo anymore. It’s part of surviving. TV is a lot like the radio now.

Speaking of survival, you’ve sold a car to finance an album and toured to pay off medical bills. Were there ever any doubts it would be worth the sacrifices?

Sometimes those feelings occur. Then I realize I don’t have a lot of other skills at this point [laughs]. I better double down. This is all I’m left with.

It’s not a bad skill to fall back on.

It’s not an easy business, especially right now. It gets tough, but when it does you've got to step back and count your blessings so far. I’ve gotten to play and work with my heroes, and that alone is amazing. I just have to focus on what I’ve done so far and get ready for the next great thing.

So what’s the next great thing?

We’ve been in the studio. I’m actually on my way right now, and we’ll be there for the next 12 days. This will be our first full-length major release. We put together 30 songs over the summer and have been whittling them down.

And what can we expect from this batch?

It’ll be a little less singer/songwriter, a little less roots-y, and a little more aggressive. By aggressive, I mean that the songs are catchy, which I don’t think is a bad thing because they are still very enjoyable to play. Maybe by accident, in the past, I associated catchy with boring to play, but we’re having a blast playing them.

Will Dailey is one of the many artists who will be featured at the Life is good Festival, September 11 and 12 in the Blue Hills, of which MySecretBoston is a sponsor. He'll take the stage on Saturday, September 11. Others performing during the weekend include Ben Harper, Jason Mraz, Guster, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, Dr. Dog, Grace Potter, and Galactic. More information is available here.

Learn more here about, and buy tickets to, the Life is good Festival, September 11 and 12 in the Blue Hills.