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

Upcoming Events!

     Hello everyone! I've been so busy lately I haven't had much time to blog. Good news is that since I have been so busy I've got some exciting news! First of all, my EP will be coming out VERY soon. I know that I said it would be late October early November, but we've been taking a little extra time to make it the best it can be. It's going to mastering tomorrow and it should be out just in time for Christmas! Personally I think it would make a wonderful Christmas gift. Just sayin'. I've been thinking about making a teaser video and putting it on youtube. Would you guys be interested in that? 

     Secondly, I have a very big announcement for Thanksgiving week. I will be performing at the Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade! The parade will be televised at 1pm, but you can come watch it live at 9:30am on Tryon Street in Charlotte. I will be performing on a float in front of the grandstands. This is going to be the first time I've ever performed in a parade. I'm so excited/nervous! So, if you've eaten to the point you can't move, just chill out in front of your TV and watch!

     Thirdly, the day before Thanksgiving I will be on WCCB Fox News Rising. I'm going to be interviewed and may possibly play a song. I'm not completely sure but I can't wait! You can watch it live at 8:30am on WCCB or watch the live stream online!  Here's the link!

     Finally, my website has been worked on recently and it's looking pretty spiffy if I do say so myself! So, go check it out and let me know what you think! You can also keep up with upcoming shows and events on there. 

     Thank you guys so much for everything you do for me. I owe it all to you. Also, I recently reached over 1600 likes on my Facebook page! Thank you to everyone who shared my page and told friends. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving next week. I am extremely blessed and I know I'm thankful for you guys!   Lots of love-  xxCarson

Shows of Years Past

     Hello everyone! I know it's been a while since I've blogged. The past couple of weeks have been super busy. I've been putting the final touches on my new EP and getting ready for different shows. This past weekend I had my annual show at the local BBQ. It was my fourth year in a row doing it. They always have the BBQ the first weekend in November every year. It's crazy to think that just four years ago I had my first show outside of church. It seems like just last week I was learning songs for my first set ever. The best part about having this show every year, is I get to see how much I've grown since the last time. What better way to celebrate four years then to look back on all the shows I've had so far. 

1st Year! (2010)

     Here we have a 11 year old version of myself. Braces and all. Anyone who was at that particular show will tell you that it was freezing cold and it even snowed a little. I remember being so nervous and halfway through the set I couldn't feel my fingers. It didn't help that I had a cold a week before (which seems to happen every year). Any performer will tell you that it's really hard to sing in front of people who know you. Since I was singing in my hometown I knew every single person who came to listen. One thing I've learned over the years is to quit worrying what other people think. Looking back, I have so many people who love me and come to support me, and those are the ones I should focus on. So, thank you to everyone who came out on that freezing cold November 6th. The first thing I said walking off that stage was "I want to do it again." And thus, I had caught the performing bug…

2nd Year (2011)

     The next year I had already had 12 months worth of playing shows and learning new stuff. I had already recorded half of my 'Country Sky' EP with Brad Smith the past spring, so I was starting to get more comfortable with everything. I actually started to get over my fear of talking to crowds, so I said a few things in between every song. That's a miracle in itself because my first show I barely said anything. I don't have a picture from this show; my mom recorded everything so I could put it on youtube and watch it back. This particular song was pretty popular with everyone who heard it so I thought I'd share it with you. 

3rd Year (2012)

The link to a video of my 3rd show.

     The 3rd year was a really good one for me. I had been on Charlotte Today a month before. That was crazy in itself. By this time all the kids my age had kind of started to get use to my performing. I'm pretty sure now I'm just known as the girl who sings. They all still support me, which I'm really grateful for. I had also learned that no matter what I do, I had a lot of friends who would help me share my music if I asked. That's one thing I love about my hometown. They have always been here for me. I had gotten wayyyy better on my stage performance and I had grown as a songwriter too. Every year I've been getting better.

4th Year (2013)

     This year, I brought my acoustic band with me (Thanks Gabe and David!). One thing I'm super proud of is I'm developing my own style and I did a lot more of my own songs this time around. I think the highlight of this past show was my family. They all came out just to hear me perform. I even have a semi little fan club that includes a bunch of little cousins and some girls from my church. It's funny how I am much more confident with my music. I use to be afraid that someone would think I was being arrogant, or all I wanted was attention, and they would make fun of me. Now, I can get up there and just have fun. Because no matter how many bad shows I might have where I play to 15 people tops, I know that when I come back to play the local BBQ I will always have a loving and supportive audience. Besides, they're the ones who gave me my start. I owe a lot to them.

     So, I hope you all have enjoyed looking back at my past. I've grown a lot with my music and as a person. I would definitely be nowhere without all the lovely people I call family and friends. God has truly blessed me. Also, I'm proud to announce I will be playing at the Novant Parade in Charlotte this Thanksgiving! It will be televised! I can't decide if I'm excited or completely terrified. Maybe a little bit of both. I love you guys so much! Thanks for reading!

xx Carson

Tosco Music Party!

     Hello everybody! I would first off like to say I am extremely sorry I haven't posted since last September. This past year has been so crazy and hectic I haven't had much time to collect my thoughts on here. To be quite honest, I was mad at myself when I saw that it has been almost a whole year. I promise to get better about it.

     What better way to start back up this year than to share pictures of my most recent show. This past Saturday I performed a song at Tosco's Music Party. If you haven't heard of it, it is a big show in Charlotte, NC that showcases all different types of music. From classical guitarist, to bluegrass, gospel, and many more. If you've never been to one of these I thought it would be fun to bring it to you!

Pre-show hanging out 

My band and I ran over my song a couple of times. As you can see I'm also wearing my Grandpas old flannel shirt so I wouldn't get anything on my outfit before singing (which I have learned the hard way plenty of times).

My point of view half the time    

This here is Ethel. She is the pretty one in our band. 

As of recently, I've been doing more shows with my acoustic band. I've definitely found my own music style. These two guys have been so much fun to work with. They both do it for the love of music. It doesn't matter if we get paid. If they're available, I know I can count on them. (From left to right. Me, Gabriel Nicholson, and David Hearne)

Here, we have me and my managers! I'm really happy to be working with them. (From left to right. Walt Stewart, Me, and Roger Cullis)

Right before I go on stage, I normally go through several different emotions. As you can see from the look on my face, I was currently going through the 'Oh Goodness We're Next Someone Get Me A Paper Bag' emotion.

Last minute instructions on where to go

Getting James Taylor ready to go

(That's the name of my guitar) You'd be surprised how many times I've started something in the wrong key.

This isn't even half of the people who were in the audience. One of my favorite things is looking out into a crowd. (Photo taken by Phillip Carias) 

After I got done performing, I was heading to my signing table when I saw this. One of my favorite things about living where I do is that it's near Charlotte. Just like every city, it has it's flaws but there is nothing like being there in the evening.

One of my favorite parts about Saturday night, was the fact that I got my own signing table. I love meeting new people and getting to talk to them about my music. 

I had several people ask me what inspired me to write the songs on my EP. I don't normally get asked that question, so I was really happy someone took interest in it. I've always liked to hear other artists tell stories behind how their songs were written, so knowing that someone wanted to know mine was amazing. So many people stopped and bought my Country Sky EP, and I just wanted to say a quick thank you to anyone who did.

As you can see, by the end of the night, I had my flannel back on. Meeting everyone was fun, but a lot of people don't realize what goes on behind the scenes. From getting ready to go on stage, to being one of the last people to leave after you pack up all you're stuff, a show is a lot of work. If it hadn't been for my mom and dad, I don't know what I would have done. All in all, it was a wonderful night. I hope you guys have enjoyed just a little piece of my Saturday night. 

     The best part about not having blogged in almost a year, is the fact that I've gotten a chance to find myself more. I've figured out what style fits me best, and I've grown up a little. I'm working on a new EP that should be out late October or early November, which I'm super excited about. My music has evolved a lot over time, but more on that later. I hope you all are doing well! 

xx Carson