Going back to Motown, Blue Note, Decca, and Def Jam, record labels have helped shape an artist’s character and vice versa. For rock songwriter A. Sinclair, that record label came out of a phone call from fellow Austinite Jonas Wilson and his budding Mr. Pink Records. A. Sinclair‘s six separate Studio 1A sessions should cue you into the progression of his sound, and he’s especially seemed to have hit an artistic high since signing with Mr. Pink Records not too long ago.

Another recent addition to Mr. Pink’s growing repertoire, the Mr. Pink Video Hour, is chock-full of fun performances (opening with A. Sinclair’s “Evening Light”) that’ll keep you entertained throughout its entirety. If it leaves you asking for more, you can catch A. Sinclair this Saturday at the Mohawk with Van Mary and Quiet Company and learn more about Mr. Pink Records founder Jonas Wilson with an in-depth interview below.

Your performance resumé totes a ton of collaborations, including Night Glitter, My Jerusalem, and The Midnight Stroll. What are some other Austin groups that you perform/have performed with?

I’m currently playing in Heartless Bastards as a multi-instrumentalist. I still perform in Night Glitter while The Midnight Stroll is on hiatus. We are planning on returning to record some more as soon as Aaron and I can be off the road and line our time up.

I’ve played in bands since the early 90’s in Austin: Goudie, Alpha Rev, Lomita, The White White Lights, Altamesa, Christy Hays, What Made Milwaukee Famous (who has a new record coming out this year on Mr Pink), Mike And The Moonpies, Chief White Lightning, Deals, Ben Ballinger, and Galen Ballinger, and many more. I’m fortunate as a producer I end up getting to play a bit for everyone. I’m also a solo artist but that doesn’t get as much attention.

You’ve been playing in Austin for the past three decades. Who’d you play with first? What’s the most recent project you’ve attached yourself to?

I was performing solo as a young blues guitarist from age 13-18, playing at Antone’s and Steamboat in the early 90’s and touring Europe. Clifford Antone, Danny Crooks, and David Cotton were always supportive of young artists like me. I opened for people like Ian Moore and lots of other locals back then. I ended up in Goudie when I was about 18. They were just coming off being on a major label and all several years older than I was.

Recently, I joined  Heartless Bastards which has been a gift and I can’t wait for the fall tour. The musicians in the group are incredible , and I’m a longtime fan of Erika’s writing. And I still make music with my dear friend Josh Logan in Chief White Lightning. We finished a new record right before COVID (first single coming out this fall). And I released a solo record last year as well and in the middle of another.

As a multi-instrumentalist do you find yourself naturally gravitating towards anything in p...