Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Some of God's Greatest Gifts are Unanswered Prayers...

     Wow! Where have I been?! Has it really been so long since my last blog post? I've been in my own little world lately since my shows have slowed down. It's been really weird having some time off. Well, not completely off; I've been planning some stuff for next year that I think you guys are going to like. I honestly can't wait.
     As most of you know my birthday was this past Saturday on the 22nd! Thank you so much for all the sweet birthday wishes. I was so overwhelmed by all the messages I received. You guys made me feel truly special. It was a great way to ring in seventeen.


     In honor of my birthday my Dad got us tickets to see Garth Brooks in Greensboro. Everyone who follows me knows that Garth Brooks is one of my BIGGEST heroes. I use to spend hours watching the DVD set my Dad had of him. One of the DVDs was the "This is Garth Brooks" special they did on him in the 90's. I can practically quote the whole thing. The irony is that he quit touring before I was even old enough to care. When I heard he was possibly going to be touring again I immediately made a video message to him talking about how much he has inspired me as an artist. I may have also suggested that it would be REALLY FREAKING COOL if I could maybe open for him... I posted it to my Mom's YouTube channel and tried to get it to him before he even announced he was going back on tour. That was almost exactly a year ago.
     Friday night at the concert I was super excited to finally get to see him in person but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little disappointed that he didn't see my video and ask me to open for him. When he appeared on stage (out of nowhere might I add!) I forgot about it and practically jumped out of my seat all the way in the nose bleed section. After a few songs something magical happened. He started playing a song that made me want to cry. Unanswered Prayers. Just him and his guitar. Now let me tell you something, that got me to thinking.
     If you had asked me five years ago, when I was twelve, where I would be when I was seventeen I would've said signed to a major label, touring, with my first LP Album. Boy was I wrong! If you had asked me a year ago when I made that video message to Garth where I would be when he played in Greensboro I would've said "Opening for him obviously!" I have always been a big dreamer. My motto is if you pray about it endlessly and tell God how much it means to you it could very well come true. It's happened before for me.


     As Garth was singing 'Unanswered Prayers' I couldn't help but think about all the times I had prayed about wanting to get on a tour. Any tour. Especially Garth's tour. But as I heard that packed arena sing, "Just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care. Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers." I thought about how even though it feels bad right now, God has something so much better planned. I might not get why he hasn't answered but one day I will.


     Even though I might not be where I thought I'd be at seventeen I'm still extremely blessed and I have done so many amazing things that I didn't even imagine doing. With it being Thanksgiving I have so much to be thankful for. Even the unanswered prayers.
     I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving! I love you all to the moon and back!

xx Carson


Garth Brooks- Unanswered Prayers- Greensboro, NC Nov. 21st 2014 video credit to Nikki Clements

My Message to Garth Brooks This is completely embarrassing. Just so you know I'm trying to copy the way the "This is Garth Brooks" special starts. I'm lame... I know... haha.

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Thursday, October 9, 2014

Beauty Comes From Under The Skin

     It's out!!! It's out!!! My new single "Under The Skin" is out now!!! You have no idea how good it feels to be able to say that. Whew! I don't have to keep it to myself anymore. Praise Jesus! I hope you all are enjoying it. I've gotten some really nice feedback but I'd love to hear some of your opinions on it. There will be a link at the very bottom for you to listen to it on SoundCloud and buy it iTunes. Now, to the reason I'm writing this.


     Today my mom saw something on Twitter that Dove had posted about multiple girls posting videos on YouTube asking if they were ugly. Apparently it's a thing a whole bunch of girls have started doing and it breaks my heart. If you haven't had a chance to listen to my new song "Under The Skin" it's basically a message to all girls telling them that true beauty comes from, well, under the skin. Seeing how many girls felt the need to post a video asking people if they were ugly is crazy. Then, to see how many people made parody videos making fun of them is just disgusting. It's not funny. I know some people might not agree with me on this, and that's okay, but the fact that people are making light of something so serious is terrible. A woman named Meaghan Ramsey did a whole speech on this you can watch here. 


     When I was in the studio recording "Under The Skin" I kept thinking about how it would be perfect for a Dove commercial. When Dove tweeted about those girls it really struck a nerve with me. So I thought now would be a good time to tell you guys the story behind how I wrote "Under The Skin". 
     I had been going through a massive writers block. Writers block is one of those evil things that completely takes away your confidence. As I was sitting there completely frustrated I started to do what I normally do when writing; I sang random stuff until I ran across something I liked. It just so happened to be the first verse of the song "Spend forty-five minutes standing in front of the mirror. You look at what everyone has and it don't seem fair that you ain't got the prettiest smile or the prettiest hair. Seems like all you do is just stand and stare." and then I mumbled some weird melody while recording it. After I listened back I thought it sounded stupid. It went into my unfinished songs pile and that was the end of it. Or so I thought.
     I have no clue if it was weeks, months, or maybe even a year, but I was organizing some recordings and cleaning out some stuff when I ran across it. I thought I'd try to at least finish it. My general thoughts were maybe it could be something that my little cousins or the little girls that I knew liked my music would listen to. Once I started writing it I couldn't stop. It was probably one of the easiest songs I've written. 
     When I finished it I had a big realization. I had just written a song to myself. Every word and every line was exactly how I felt. 
     When I was in middle school I use to think I was so chubby. I hated the gap in my teeth (before I got braces), I hated my hair, and the fact that I wasn't as tiny as some of my friends. My first year of high school I started hating the way I looked in jeans. I hated how I couldn't pull off certain clothes that looked good on other girls. Then I started thinking that maybe guys wouldn't like me because I wasn't skinny. This was all in between the ages of 11 and 14. How crazy is that!? 
     Looking back it just seems stupid now. The grass is always greener on the other side. I have come to terms with the fact that God made me the way I am for a reason. If all girls looked the same then life would be pretty boring. I've found the prettiest people are the ones that have beautiful personalities. If someone can't accept you, or judges you based on how you look, then they're the one with the issue not you


     So basically "Under The Skin" was a big fat letter written to yours truly. Everyone tells me all the time that they're jealous of my confidence. Trust me, I have my moments. Everyone does. On days when you're comparing yourself to someone else or you just don't feel good enough, remember that true beauty is all about whats inside; not about your jean size. (Thank Goodness.)

    I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, my soul knows it well.  (Psalm 139:14)


     Love you guys!


xxCarson



Saturday, October 4, 2014

New Single Coming Monday!!!

     How's it going guys?! I hope you are enjoying the beginnings of Fall. This is actually my favorite time of the year, not just because it's getting closer to my birthday, but because it always feels like a fresh start. The nights start getting colder and the leaves start changing; everything feels like a new possibility... Okay, that was cliche even for me. There is a point to this post I promise haha.
     I announced this past week I'm going to be releasing a new single Monday! I couldn't keep it to myself any longer, mostly because I'm bad with secrets. After spending about three months listening to it in my car I finally get to share it with you all! And let me just say, for the first time ever I'm still not sick of listening to myself. (Weird I know.)
     Some of you have been following me since I first started playing music professionally about 5 years ago. One of the toughest things I've found with starting music so young is that the older you get the more you evolve into who you want to be. The EP's in the past were a representation of who I was at the time; as I've matured I have had to decide what truly makes me happy. As humans we are constantly changing our minds. Thankfully, I'm not having to grow as a musician in front of millions of people but I will say I have been super nervous for you guys to hear the new stuff.
     As you all know, back in July I flew out to L.A. to record two songs with Brad Smith. One of the first things he asked me was what kind of music I had been listening to recently and what direction I was wanting to go with the production. It was such a strange thing to really think about what kind of music makes me happy on a daily basis. I generally love all kinds of music. 
    When we started recording this song it morphed into this amazing sound. I have always had a hard time explaining what I want. I'm an over thinker and perfectionist; there I said it haha. But the moment we started recording the tracks for this I knew that it was exactly what I wanted. It embodied my writing style, my personality, and overall the music I would love to create for the rest of my life. Oddly enough, I don't think I could stick it in a genre. It could possibly go anywhere. I'll let you guys decide that. It's definitely different.
     Maybe that's why the start of this Fall already feels like the promise of big and amazing changes. There's so much going on that I can't wait to share it all with you. I know you probably hate my guts now because you're thinking, "Man, I just wanna hear the song to see what she keeps going on about."

     STAY TUNED TILL MONDAY AND YOU WILL!

     I love you guys with all my heart. Thank you for being with me as I grow as an artist. Your amazing love and support never ceases to make me happy. For three months I have been dying with excitement for you guys to hear what I've been holding so close to my heart. Only one more day!

xxC

Make sure you like my Facebook page so you won't miss it! Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/CarsonHillMus...


P.s. I thought I'd share some awesome quotes for anyone who is afraid of change. Sometimes getting out of your comfort zone is a good thing. Trust me. ;)








     
     

Friday, September 5, 2014

5 Years Ago Something Big Happened….

     5 years ago, on this exact day, one of my biggest dreams came true. I've never really talked about this a whole lot because for one thing my 11 year old self is kind of embarrassing haha. But today I'm feel particularly nostalgic so I figured I'd share it with you guys.
     The summer of 2009 I had one massive goal. Taylor Swift was coming to Charlotte in September and I had to find a way to meet her. Like I said, I was 11 and at the time she was a big influence to me. So I called in to every radio station I could think of asking if they were giving away back stage passes to meet her. It was at the very beginning of summer and I had a radio DJ (who I will not name) laugh at me and say I was a little early. I remember it made me kind of mad (not to mention hurt my feelings) so I called in to another radio station asking the same question. Let me just say 96.9 The Kat is one of the nicest stations. The DJ that was working at the time told me they were going to have a contest soon and to make sure I kept my ears out for it.
    A few weeks later 96.9 The Kat announced they were doing a contest giving away a pink jeep with Taylor Swift's face on it. Not to mention, if you won you also got to meet her. All you had to do was play Kat Fight in the morning or listen to Charlotte's Most Wanted in the evening where they play 8 or 10 songs and you call in to tell them what the song was for whatever number they asked. If you got either of those games right you won a "key" that may be the chance to win the jeep and meet Taylor. I know what the most played country songs were in 2009 like the back of my hand. I listened and called in every morning and evening. Practically the whole summer my parents and I called in every chance we could.
     Finally, it was the last week they were doing the contest. I remember I had prayed every night we would win a chance to meet Taylor. I had woken up early every morning over the summer and that last week was brutal. One evening I got to the point where I couldn't listen because I felt so discouraged. I had gone upstairs to watch TV while mom still listened. I remember I walked down stairs and at the same time I heard mom cheering. Apparently my dad had called in to the Charlotte's Most Wanted driving home from work and won a chance to win the jeep and meet Taylor. To this day I'm pretty sure the DJ would remember him because he did the loudest scream 96.9 The Kat has ever heard.
     So, here I am freaking out about how we could possibly meet Taylor. The day of the concert, September 5th, we had to go to the jeep dealership at Lake Norman. It felt like the HOTTEST day all summer. Everyone who had qualified had to sign up and get a number for the reverse raffle. Dad ended up getting #25. They had Gloriana there to perform some songs since they opened for Taylor on the Fearless Tour. I got to meet Mike (which is a whole different story for another time).
     We were all standing in the hot sun while they started pulling out numbers and eliminating people. I felt like I was either going to get sick or pass out. My dad had always been very positive and confident about it saying that we were going to win it. He even had a tiny cross for good luck. It finally came down to him and another lady. By this point I was sure I was going to die and/or cry. Paul Schadt kept teasing us about the last two numbers. Finally he pulled out #13 (which ironically is Taylor Swift's lucky number). That meant that #25 was still in the box. That also meant that we had won the jeep! Honestly, everything after that is a blur. I remember my dad going crazy and just hugging everyone. I'm pretty sure I just broke down into happy sobs. Best. Feeling. Ever.
     Not only had we won the jeep (which my 11 year old brain couldn't care less about) but we were going to meet Taylor. Now, I know some of you are probably not Taylor Swift fans so you don't get why it was such a big deal to me. I want you to think about who was the biggest influence to you when you were 11. Now imagine if you spent the WHOLE summer calling a radio station and praying every night that you would meet them. Then think about how you would've felt if that came true. Pretty freaking awesome right?
     Since the concert was later that night we went to my cousin Jan's house to not only tell them about it but to calm down and get some air conditioning. My dad was calling everyone he could think of. The funny thing is that no one believed him (he has a reputation for joking too much). Every person he called asked to speak to my mom to make sure he was telling the truth.
     So the time for the concert finally rolled around. I was freaking out. We got there and found out that only two of us could go meet Taylor. I felt like I was going to cry for the thousandth time that day because I wanted my mom and dad to meet her too since they had done so much to help me. When the guys at 96.9 The Kat found out about it they somehow got two more meet & greet tickets. That meant all four of us were going to get to meet her.




     Fast forward to standing in line at the meet & greet waiting for her to walk in. We were at the very back of the line. All the sudden she walks in. I will never forget the excitement of seeing someone, that you have wanted to meet for so long, in person. Her mom actually came up and started talking to us while we were standing in line. I told her about how I played guitar and I how I wanted to do this too. She was so nice and offered to take us on a back stage tour.
     When everyone else had gotten to meet Taylor and take pictures it was finally my turn. A lot of this is a blur to me too, but one thing I will never forget was how I didn't even wait for the radio station guy to introduce me. I just ran up and hugged her (while crying my eyes out) and she gave me one of the biggest hugs ever. She treated me like I was her favorite person in the world. One of the coolest things was that I gave her a bracelet and she ended up wearing it for the first half of the concert.
     After we met her she had to go get ready, so her mom took us backstage. We saw the famous "T-Party Room" and everything that goes on behind the scenes. We got to go on her bus (which was one of my favorite parts). I even saw a few of her band members backstage. It was one of those defining moments in my life where I fell in love with everything that has to do with touring. I had never seen anything like it.








(That's my bracelet that I gave her!)

     After all that me and my sister watched the show from front row. That was one of my favorite parts of that night. Just getting to have fun with my sister while dancing and singing to the songs.
     On the way home I just remember thinking that everyone should feel like this at least once in their life. Everyone should feel like they've gotten the special treatment. Everyone should get to be that happy.
    All I know is if she had never been that nice to me or if her mom hadn't taken us on that backstage tour, I wouldn't have ever fallen in love with all of it. It wouldn't have inspired me to one day get to go on tour like that. It's crazy how things work.
     I haven't really shared this story with a lot of people just because when I started performing and pursuing music everyone in the industry kept telling me I was "too much like Taylor". After hearing that about a million times I didn't want people to think I was trying to be her and/or copy her. But honestly, that is a big part of my life and why I'm doing this. One day I hope to be someone's 'Taylor'. One day I want an 11 year old girl to walk away after they've met me and think "Maybe I can really do this."
     Wow, this has turned into a long post. Thanks for reading this far. Anyways, I thought I would share with you guys a massive thing that happened to me 5 years ago. Like I said, I'm feeling very nostalgic.
     I love you guys!


xx Carson

P.S. I'm still driving my jeep even though it no longer has Taylor on it. (The wrap was starting to peel.)        
       So to anyone who has any mean jokes about it….. At least my car was free ;)

P.S. Just know I love you guys because some of these pictures of me are SUPER embarrassing. Haha.


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Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Caution: Egalitarian Post *In Small Words... Why Can't We Be Friends?*

     Since my last post was when I was in L.A. I figured I might want to write this so you all know I'm not M.I.A. and/or lying in a ditch somewhere. I'm alive! I'm finishing up my last several shows for the summer. Plus I've been gearing up for my school work to start back up. Senior year baby! Anyways, if you haven't already noticed from the title of this post, there is a reason I'm writing this.
     One of the main reasons I started writing this blog was to share with people the good and bad things that come with being an artist/musician along with a few random bits of my life. I'm still learning a lot about the music business, but there's one thing I've learned a whole lot about over the past five and a half years of doing this. It's a very sexist job. Some of you are probably rolling your eyes thinking, "You're just now figuring that out?" and some of you have probably never taken the time to notice.
     I'm not going to go off ranting about how the whole male population in the music industry is lazy and undeserving because that would just be ignorant, stupid and not true (although I will say it seems to be harder for women). The truth is, one of the things I've witnessed the most is women not supporting other women. We'll be the first to comment/like/share a video if it has a cute guy who can relatively sing, but the moment we see a girl who is extremely talented and beautiful, we get jealous. I promise I'm not the pot calling the kettle black because I've been guilty of doing this myself. It's so easy to get caught up in what someone else has. It's so easy to get jealous of their success. It's so easy to not share something because you feel threatened. I understand completely. But if we would all quit judging each other and be supportive, there would be more successful women in this business.


     I've been lucky enough to know some awesome, kick butt women that are pursuing music and have supported me (*GalFriday*). I've had some amazing women be examples of the kind of love and strength I want to be (*GoldyLocks*).
     I think girls can do anything they want to. We can play guitar, drums, bass, ect. just as good as the boys can. We can be kind, accepting, and respectful to one another. We can support someone who truly deserves it even if we feel a little insecure compared to them. Maybe if we all did that we wouldn't feel like the whole female population is judging our every move.


     And to any guy that's still reading, God bless you if you made it this far, this can apply to you too. I'm a firm believer in everyone being equal. So, since us girls are such dedicated fangirls, why don't you go be a dedicated fanboy and share at least one female musician's Facebook Page, Twitter, Youtube, ect.
     I just wanted to bring a little awareness to what I've been noticing a lot lately. I would really love it if you'd all go on facebook or twitter and share a female artist that you enjoy! Make sure you tag me @Carsonhhill on twitter and my facebook page. Use the hashtag #CHill. Also, check out the awesome women that I completely adore below and go support their music!

xxC


Goldy Locks- (GoldyKnows) (Goldy LockS Band)

GalFriday Band- http://www.galfridayband.com

Taylor Centers- http://www.taylorcenters.com

Anna Cibbarelli- https://www.facebook.com/AnnaCibbarelliMusic?fref=ts

Brooke McBride- https://www.facebook.com/brookemcbridemusic

My Facebook Page- https://www.facebook.com/CarsonHillMusic

My Website- http://www.carsonhillmusic.com

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Tracking, Tracking, and more Tracking.

     Wasssup guys! How ya been? I know a lot of you are on the edge of your seats waiting for my new music. I've been posting a lot of tease videos. Yesterday, we tracked the drums with Jimmy Paxson. Kim had told me that Jimmy was the type of guy that never went anywhere without bringing something. If he came over to someones house he always brought some sort of food or present. Sure enough when he walked in the studio he had a bag from Whole Foods and a magazine with the best chicken recipes. I was super nervous about meeting him because he's worked with so many big name artists like Stevie Nicks and Ben Harper. That all went away though when he started telling some hilarious jokes and talked about fishing.


     We tracked drums for a majority of the day. They sounded so killer it's not even funny. In between takes I also got to hear some great Stevie and Ben stories. I think that's been my favorite part of all this, just hearing the stories that these guys have. From driving a van 4 hours one night in the wrong direction and praying your band won't wake up and find out, to how they use to fight over who got the first call on a pay phone. Also, hearing what really goes on behind the scenes was just so cool.



     Once we finished with the drums, I recorded some more vocals. We had a little make shift recording tent thing. It was awesome. I even did a Passed Out Gold picture for my friend Goldy Locks (if you watch my video diaries you know what I'm talking about).

#PassedOutGold

     So that brings us to today! It's my last full day here in LA. I'm so sad. Don't get me wrong I'll be happy to sleep in my own bed again and finally see my sister, but I'm definitely going to miss good 'ole California. We're working on final vocal stuff (like background vocals) right now. I'm literally listening to Brad edit a few things while I'm writing this. It's a lot of clicking sounds and short fragments of music haha.
     I know I've said this a lot but the music is sounding so good. I'm dying for you guys to hear it. Please be patient! I love you guys!

xxC

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Monday, July 14, 2014

Greetings From The West Coast!

     I have been in California now for 2 1/2 days and I love it! It's such a wonderfully laid back atmosphere. Sometimes I wish I were better with words because it's so hard to describe. Brad and his family are so friendly and nice. His nine year old daughter, Frankie, is like my new best friend. She also has a beautiful singing voice. And Brad's wife, Kim, is so much fun to talk to. The day I arrived Brad took me sight seeing at Hollywood Blvd. and a place that over looked LA. Then we went back to his house and fixed the song arrangements. We also recorded scratch vocals and guitar. Needless to say I was running on fumes because I was so tired.


     Yesterday, they took me bike riding at Santa Monica beach. We rode to Venice beach and back. 7 mile round trip. That was so amazing. It didn't even feel like 7 miles because of all the people watching. One thing I loved about the beach was that there were so many different types of people. A lot of people think that there are only weirdos in LA, but that's not how I see it. I think it's wonderful that there are so many eccentric people here. They're more accepting of being different. And yeah, okay, there are a few weirdos.... but the good kind. After the beach, Brad and I recorded some lead vocals till late that night.
     Today, we started working at the studio around 10:30 am and went till 8:00 pm. We just tracked guitars. Kevin was the bomb! He's so talented it's not even funny. I tried to get as much video for my video diaries as I could. Now that we have guitar, the songs sound so wicked. I'm just going to warn you guys, it's very different from anything you've heard from me. It has a really nice 70's rock vibe going on. I'm so excited to get to share it with you. 


     Tomorrow, we're going back to Studio Wishbone (Brad's studio) to record the drums! Jimmy Paxson (who also plays for Stevie Nicks) is going to be laying down his tracks. I'm super excited to meet him. So basically tomorrow's going to be another busy day. I'm going to try to edit my video diaries on the plane back home Thursday. 
     I wish you guys could fully experience this. I'm so in love with California. Stay tuned and keep up with everything on my Facebook Page! I've been trying to post pictures as much as I can. I love you guys! Kisses from the west coast! 

xxC

P.S. Sorry for any typos or improper grammar! I'm so tired and it was all I could do to just write this. :)

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

I Have Some Big News!!!!!

     If any of you guys follow me on Twitter or Facebook you'll know that I have been teasing everyone about a big announcement. First of all, no, I am not getting signed to a record label. As amazingly awesome as that would be, the news is not quite as life changing. Although, it's just as big and exciting in my opinion. I'm sure you are thinking "Get on with it!" ....
     I'm going to be going to L.A. for the first time ever in about two weeks! Now before you get too disappointed on the news, there is something in it for you. I'm going to be working on two new songs produced by the one and only, Brad Smith! If you're not familiar with the name then I'll give you a hint. That wonderfully catchy song called "No Rain" that you hear on the radio sometimes? Yep, Brad wrote it. He is a founding member of Blind Melon. All you Melon Heads that are reading this know how awesome he is.
     Several years ago I worked with Brad on a couple of songs ("Run" and "Missing You") for my first EP. He flew out here to the east coast and stayed at my house while we recorded the vocals. I loved working with him so much that I've been dying to do it again. So, I sent him some of the songs I've written that had been accumulating over the past few months and told him if he had the time I would really like to work with him on some new stuff. If you don't know, Brad has been super busy with Blind Melon shows and recording the new album for his band Abandon Jalopy. When he came back and said that he was all for working on some new songs I was so happy. He even invited me to stay with him and his family.


     So, in two weeks I'm gonna be on a plane.... by myself.... flying to the west coast for the first time ever! Yep, you heard correctly! I shall be traveling solo. Words can't express how excited/anxious/nervous I am. I've never done anything like this before but I'm ready for the adventure. I'm also going to get to meet the musicians who are playing on my songs and be there while we track everything. I'm such a studio nerd so I can't wait to see the process of it all.
     For the next few weeks be prepared to see a bunch of stuff about this trip. I have a feeling the next few blog posts are going to be nothing but it. Don't worry, I will most definitely make a video diary or two of my experience navigating the airports and staying with Brad.



    There you have it! Sorry there aren't any fancy pictures, seeing as I haven't gone anywhere yet. As a prize for reading this long blog post I will leave you with a lovely looking Woodstock dreaming about music...



xxC


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Website- www.carsonhillmusic.com

Monday, June 16, 2014

Lake Wylie Music Fest

     Wow, it's been a while since I've last written a blog! That's most likely because I've been so busy and I just haven't had time…. actually that's a lie. I'm just lazy. Haha. I thought now would be the perfect opportunity to share with you guys what I did this weekend.
     Saturday I played at Lake Wylie Music Fest. That was a completely new experience for me. The crowd was a bunch of people chillin' on their boats. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! Honestly, that was probably the best acoustic show I've ever done. I had some really amazing crowd participation. People were singing along while on their boats or swimming in the water. It was like a massive party!



(Photo Creds: My Mom for pictures 1, 2 and 3)




(Photo Creds: Kelly Campbell for 4 and 5)



     I had a wonderful time and I would love to do it again next year. It seems like every acoustic performance I do just gets better and better. 
     I'm sorry this post is short but I promise another one will be on the way soon! My week is super busy. Expect a new video diary on my YouTube channel too! Also, if you haven't seen my last video diary of my recent trip to Nashville you can watch it here- Co-writing and Passed Out Gold… NASHVILLE 
     Thank you guys for reading! I've got some exciting stuff coming up so stay tuned! 

xxC

Friday, March 21, 2014

Carolina Camera!

     Some of you might have seen the video I posted announcing I'm going to be on Carolina Camera. And if you haven't….Surprise! I'm going to be on Carolina Camera next Wednesday at 9PM on WBTV Channel 3. I'll post a link at the bottom for my video with all the details (plus my dog named Chord helping me announce them).















     When John Carter and Kevin Marlow came out to film a few things for my segment I was super
nervous. I mean, I've done interviews before but none at my house. Needless to say I did a lot of cleaning. But the moment they got here they were both so nice. I had already met Kevin because he filmed some stuff at my cd release party, however, it was my first time meeting John Carter. He is just as friendly as he seems on tv. I had so much fun showing them some of the things I do during my day.



     I'm so excited for you all to see it! Thank you to Kevin and John for coming out and filming me. I'm so happy they took time out of their busy schedules to do this. It was such a fun experience. Also, thank you to my art teacher Mrs. Kristina Hill for coming and doing an art lesson for them to film. She helped calm my nerves a lot. 

(My Video Announcement)



Don't forget to tune in to WBTV Channel 3 Wednesday at 9PM! :) 



XXC

Monday, February 24, 2014

"In My Mind" CD Release Party.

     Hiya! This past week I had a CD release party for my new EP "In My Mind". I was so excited to finally get to celebrate several months of hard work with so many people who have supported me through it. When a CD release party was first suggested to me, I wasn't crazy about the idea. Mostly, because I'm the type of person who always worries that no one will show up. That's one of the main reasons I don't have birthday parties either; go on and call me insane. I'm so happy I did have a party though, despite my weird fear, because so many people showed up to support me. So. Many. People. We ended up having to open some doors in Bean town so everyone could fit in the room. You could say I was a little overwhelmed by all the love I had in that room. I know several people on Facebook told me they couldn't make it because of their jobs or family obligations, so I wanted to share a few pictures for anyone who get didn't come.



(My Acoustic band and I played a set)



(I'm not 100% sure who the courtesy of this picture is but THANK YOU!)



(One angle of the crowd.)



(Photo courtesy of Jan Jenson. Just another angle of the crowd. That isn't even half of it.)



(My Band. Left to right: Paul Graham, Gabe Nicholson, Myself, and Brandon Almond.)



(We had an unplanned karaoke after party. Brandon's son Silas was awesome!)



     All in all it was a wonderful night. I'm super blessed to know so many amazing people. I still can't get over how many showed up. We also had a camera man who came to film some stuff for a special they're doing on me for Carolina Camera! Yep, that's right CAROLINA CAMERA! It's going to air sometime in March or April. I'll let you all know. Again, thank you to anyone who came out. I really do appreciate it. Like I said during my thank you's Monday night, if I could name every single person who has helped me in more ways than one it would take all year. Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU! I love you all so much. 


xxC

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Snow Day *Insert Squeal*

     If you don't live on the east coast then you probably haven't been seeing all the stuff on the news lately about snow. In the words of my sister, "And the winter storm overreaction of the year goes to all of North Carolina". Here in NC we got just enough snow to enjoy looking at but places like Atlanta, Georgia had more than we did. When you live in the south a little bit of snow is a huge deal. Schools are taking several days off and people go buy tons of food to store up. The truth is we probably look a little crazy to northern people. 
     When I was little, snow days were one of my all time favorite things. We didn't get them too often but when we did my whole family would go sledding at my grandparents house, or walking through the woods. You couldn't pay me to go inside. Since we didn't get a lot this time, I had to settle for just walking through the woods. I took some pictures to share what my snow day in NC looks like. 


(The view from my room.)


(I was not prepared with snow shoes...)



(My dad found this deer scrape.)



(I found some deer prints.)







(I love this shot of my driveway)


(This use to be my Uncle Charles' boat. I love how the snow looks on it.)


(Lastly, my warm, cozy house.)


     I hope you all enjoyed your snow day if you had one. I kept singing "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" all day. Thanks for reading and hopefully I'll do another post soon! Love you guys!


xxC