NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Teddy Robb

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Teddy Robb

Photo Credit: Matthew Berinato

One of the most talked about new singer-songwriters in Nashville is our Swag Spotlight this week, Teddy Robb.  Robb grew up in Akron, Ohio and didn’t really start listening to country music until high school.  Before that, he listened to classic rock like Bob Seger, The Eagles, ACDC and Pink Floyd.  He laughs as he explains that he only started listening to country music for a girl. “I thought, ‘No that is just for sad people and for people who’s dog died and their truck broke down’ but then I remember listening to “Summertime” by Kenny Chesney and I was like…oh actually this is really fun I can get into this,” he tells us.  From then on he loved Brooks and Dunn, Tim McGraw and of course, Kenny Chesney.  He didn’t play music growing up, instead, he played sports and even played football in college for a few years but after he stopped playing football he took that passion and newly founded free time and started learning how to play guitar.  After a teacher challenged him to play one night at an open mic night, he fell in love with performing and being up on stage.

“I started playing local clubs in Akron, Ohio and before long I decided I wanted to move to Nashville so one morning I just woke up and said this is the day, I am moving,” he explains his spontaneous decision. He played honky-tonks and cover songs for about a year before once again making a big move, this time to Colorado. He was captivated by the lifestyle, as an outdoorsman, being able to hike and fish in the summer and ski and snowboard in the winter, he loved living there.  All the while, he was playing country music at night, honing in on his craft and perfecting his sound.  He explains that although he was playing country music, every once in a while a request would come in for something a little different, whether it was John Prine, Bob Dylan or Pure Prairie League. This allowed him to open up his musical horizons and eventually create the sound that he now brings back to Nashville. His voice, his delivery, and his lyrics are the perfect blend of laid back folk and modern country.

His travels from Ohio to Nashville to Colorado and back to Nashville again have taught him lessons about himself as a musician and allowed him to learn about the type of music he wanted to create. “On a whim, a little bit of luck and a little bit of hard work, that is how I got here,” Robb tells us. He signed with Sony Monument Records and started getting into writing rooms around town.  “I connected with the SMACK writers, I knew it felt very natural and I knew I wanted to end up being there and then they offered me a publishing deal,” he recalls.  “Since then I have been there writing every day.”

He tells us when he was 20 years old he heard George Strait’s “Troubadour” for the first time, a memory that he will always remember as the moment he knew he wanted to pursue a career in music.  He had the pleasure of being in a writing room one day with one of the writers of that song, Leslie Satcher.  He took the opportunity to explain to her how that song had changed the course of his life. “I’m in a room with somebody writing a song with them and they wrote a song in the past that is a huge reason why I am here today playing music. It was an incredible experience for me,” he tells us. “Nashville is a really special town because of those types of moments.”

Robb released his debut single earlier this year, “Lead Me On” was written with SMACK writers, Matt McGinn, Ryan Beaver, and Aaron Eshuis and produced by Shane McAnally. It is an upbeat honest track, a fun song that has a unique twist, where the singer doesn’t mind the cat and mouse game.  His raspy voice and sultry delivery will have any listener throwing out the relationships rulebook. He explains that he truly loves the song and decided it should be the first single because of its versatility. “It’s the first one I wrote with SMACK writers and I think it leaves us room to go left or right, once we pick another song, that one doesn’t put us in a box of this is what we are, it has a nice availability to go a little more pop country or traditional.”  He performed “Lead Me On” along with other songs recently at an exclusive event in Nashville hosted by SMACKSongs.  Read our recap of the special night here.  He also hosted his own writer’s round featuring Blake Chaffin and JT Harding where he impressed even more fans in Nashville.

Looking ahead, he is playing another writers round tonight (Mon, 11/5), be sure to head to our Instagram for video clips from the show.  He is looking forward to getting out on the road and expanding his reach, playing his new music and eventually putting out an EP of that new music. Grab “Lead Me On” here and follow Teddy Robb on Instagram for the latest updates.

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NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Kelleigh Bannen

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“Is it really true that there isn’t a place for us? We’ve been told that for so long, I was told that 10 years ago and 2011 when I signed my first record deal and now it’s even worse, that we are even less of a presence on the radio and I don’t say that to call out radio, I just want to know is it true that in 2018 there is no room for women in this genre?” 

Kelleigh Bannen

Singer-songwriter Kelleigh Bannen took the time to chat with our Managing Editor recently about growing up in the heart of music city, finding her path to her music career and especially about being a woman in this music industry.  Although she may be a new artist being played across your Spotify or your radio waves, Bannen has been in this industry, working to unveil the struggles and provide an honest look at the life of a singer and songwriter for years.  She did grow up in Nashville but that does not mean that she automatically chose the life she is now pursuing.  “The people that I knew that were chasing country music were our babysitters who moved to town and they would sing jingles and trying to get there break and I really just saw a lot of people come to town and then go home when it didn’t work out. To me as a Nashville native, the music business felt really unattainable,” she explained. She grew up learning to play classical instruments like the violin and even to this day says that it informs the melody in her writing.

She fell in love with storytelling, the way Garth Brooks, Alison Krauss, and even Frank Sinatra would express the lyrics in a song.  In high school is when her admiration for women in country music started, looking to Martina McBride, Patty Loveless, Faith Hill and Trisha Yearwood for inspiration.  Now, as her own artist creating music, she strives to always write the best song, looking for lyrics that mean something and tell a great story.

Most recently she released a mini EP, The Joneses, featuring three songs all co-written by Bannen.  Her latest single, “Happy Birthday” has resonated with fans and listeners after she premiered it on Sirius XM The Highway which has fully embraced all three songs, playing them for their listeners across the country.  The track tells the story of missing someone on their birthday and making the bold choice to reach out even though it may not be the best decision at the time.  “I love that way that songs happen to you as a writer, you work really hard and you try really hard to do certain things in the writing room but the most magical things that happen, are the things that happen to you,” Bannen explains about the writing process.

Besides songwriting and recording new music, Bannen has her own podcast.  ‘This Nashville Life’ discusses the inner workings of the music industry, the good, the bad, and the sometimes not so pretty.  She features executives, Nashville’s biggest songwriters and influencers in the business looking to shine a light on what fans of the genre may not realize. “I have a neat perspective where I can be an ambassador for our town and I love storytelling and I think there are so many ways to go about it and it’s just another way to be a storyteller and to advocate for our business, not from a financial perspective from a heart perspective,” she says.  “I really care about what we do and I care that great songs still have a place in this world. I really care about people knowing about those stories and another way to let the fan in and connect with what we are doing and let them peek behind the curtain and be a part of it.”  She explains that she loves how in country music the artists and the songwriters have an intimate relationship with their fans and this podcast is just another way to let them be involved in the process behind the songs that they are supporting. Click here to listen to ‘This Nashville Life’.

Finally, we discuss the topic on everyone’s minds this past month, women in country music.  Bannen has a lot to say and laughs telling us, “Okay, this is going to be a long answer…”.  Earlier this month, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild included her name during her acceptance speech at the CMT Artist of the Year event, proving that women are making great music they just need the recognition and chance to be heard.  First, she comments on how much she respects and admires Karen and Kimberly from Little Big Town and explains that they have been huge supporters of her career for many years. After that, she digs into the real problem, being told that there isn’t a place for women in this genre. “I just want to know is it true that in 2018 there is no room for women in this genre? What the heck, I don’t believe that there isn’t an audience for us because we are telling the truth about our lives, we are writing our asses off, we are singing our asses off, I just don’t believe it, I just believe there is a disconnect.”

She says these things, not knocking the men who are out there getting radio play and huge tours, she is happy for their success, however, she knows that it isn’t just the women that need to advocate for other women, the men need to step out and do it too. “What we need is the opportunity and when you hear a song of ours that you love, don’t just text me privately, it is so sweet but I want to be like ‘Hey, thank you, can you please tell someone.’ My girls do it, Raelynn just shared the video this week, Kelsea [Ballerini] did it when the song first came out so, hey dudes, we need you to use your incredible platform to champion us. We are so glad that you get the opportunities that you have we are just asking to champion us too,” she passionately expresses.  She honestly tells us that although she understands how the business works, she hopes that we can break the cycle of women not being played on the radio, therefore they don’t have hit singles and then don’t get picked up for major tours.

As an independant artist, Bannen is continuing to pave her own journey in this industry, releasing music and looking forward to a full-length album in the new year. Be sure to follow Kelligh Bannen on social media, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and listen to The Joneses below.

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NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Matt Williams

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Matt Williams

Growing up in a small town, Geneva County, Alabama, our next Swag Spotlight Matt Williams says in a recent interview that music was vital in his household.  His grandfather was always singing, his aunt played piano and from a young age, he learned to play piano and drums.  Growing up on classic rock with his stepdad being a great guitarist, he explains that he didn’t listen to country music until he entered the military when he was 18 years old. He credits Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Sound Garden as his personal preference in music until he heard artists like Jason Aldean, Eric Church and Brantley Gilbert who all found a way to blend rock into the traditional country sound.

Williams’ picked up on songwriting after he returned from his time in the military and just recently released his EP, Back To Me. “Being in the service was fun, some of the best times and worst times of my life,” he tells us. “It really matures you in a way that regular life is not going to. I got thrown into combat, I was sitting on the front lines of a war, when you are getting shot at your whole mindset changes.”

As a United States Army vet, Williams has found that instead of talking to a therapist about the difficult times he faced in the service, he has found music to be a therapy in itself. “I had matured and I have experienced a lot of things in life that a lot of people will never experience, it gave me a different look and approach to writing, putting words on paper to tell a story through song,” he explains.

The EP shows a vulnerable side of a soldier turned singer-songwriter. He is straightforward in his songwriting and the project highlights a raw honesty that is sometimes missing in country music. “Even if something is so bad, I try and figure out a way to tell you what happens and tell you what was bad but make it inspirational and no matter what you can still achieve if you have faith,” Williams says of his approach to writing. Take a listen to his EP below.

He is currently residing with his wife and family in Michigan but travels to Nashville quite often.  He is working to set up a tour that will work to promote the new music.  Be sure to follow Matt Williams on social media – Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Brett Sheroky

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Brett Sheroky

Sometimes you hear a song, and even if you can’t necessarily relate to all of the lyrics, it stops you in your tracks because of the raw honesty the singer conveys.  Our Swag Spotlight this week, Brett Sheroky’s “Better On Paper” did exactly that for our Managing Editor, Christina. In their most recent interview, the songwriter turned artist talked about his influences, his decision to move to Nashville and the support he lovingly receives from his wife.

Growing up in St. Louis, there wasn’t a huge music scene for Sheroky to gravitate towards however music was always a staple in his house.  The classic country music artists, as well as The Eagles and Jimmy Buffet, were some of the greats he names as music that inspired him when he was young.  He learned to play guitar and started listening to classic rock and even credits his two sisters for getting him to experience 80’s pop.

He met his wife while they were both in school to become speech therapists, and just one day after they got married, they moved down to Nashville so he could pursue his dreams of being a songwriter. “It was drilled in my head that I had to have a career even though I always wanted to do the music thing, so I went to school for speech therapy and that is where I met my wife,” Sheroky tells us.  “I never really wanted to be a speech therapist but it was a means to an end, there were a lot of opportunities that let you pick your own hours and schedules so I could work that around music so I went with it.”

Just a few short months after moving to Nashville, Sheroky was diagnosed with cancer, a battle that he had to face head-on with aggressive chemotherapy and surgery.  “I do remember thinking, I just got here, I don’t even know if I’ll ever be able to give this thing a shot,” Sheroky says of songwriting.  “It was one of those things, I definitely thought about music a lot, it was a motivating factor, you’ve gotta beat this because you have to go do this thing.”  Currently, he is in remission and wakes up every day grateful for the chances he is given.

His journey as a songwriter and now an artist is unique and he continues to pursue the dream with the incredible support of his wife, whom he calls his hero.  “We have 3 little kids and she plays the part of a single mom a lot, we have to sacrifice time as a family since this business demands that and I can count on one hand in all of the years that we’ve been together that she has said it’s been too much for her and she’s complained,” he thoughtfully explains.  “She is an incredible person and I am very lucky and blessed to have her in my life and her support is everything, honestly.”

When discussing his current single, “Better On Paper” which was one of our September Picks, we are glad to hear that the story of a broken marriage and divorce is not based on actual events, rather an honest depiction of a real-life struggle many have to face. “I am super proud of that song, It is an important song, a lot of people experience that and even though I haven’t gone through it personally, life isn’t always drinking beers on a tailgate, there is real stuff that happens in life and it is easy to lose sight of that being a writer in Nashville, you are under pressure to write singles.”  The video for the track premiered exclusively on NYCountry Swag last month and you can watch the simple yet heart-wrenching visual above.

Striving to blend the commercial with substance in his songs, Sheroky explains that for now, he only will record songs he has written because he wants to convey realness in what he was feeling when he put the pen to paper then ultimately records and releases music.

“My journey has been a slower one but in a way, I feel like, I know it sounds cliche, I feel like it was supposed to be that way. I appreciate every step forward I take in this business,” Sheroky says, looking ahead to the future.  He plans to continue to release music as an independent artist and follow the path set before him, always remaining genuine and pursuing the dream he set out when he moved to Nashville.

Be sure to follow Brett Sheroky on social media for any and all updates – Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and listen to “Better On Paper” on our ‘What We’re Listening To: Team Picks’ Spotify Playlist below.

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NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Valerie Ponzio

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Valerie Ponzio

Photo via www.valerieponzio.com

Recently, the country music umbrella has expanded thanks to artists like Maren Morris and Florida Georgia Line bringing pop influences, The Cadillac Three bringing a southern rock vibe and even Lady Antebellum adding a horn section into their latest album.  This week’s Swag Spotlight focuses on Valerie Ponzio, a singer-songwriter who grew up in a West Texas town, El Paso which borders Mexico and New Mexico, she hopes to bring her own blend of country music and Latin music to a new fanbase.  “I like to play different places and shed light on the region that I am from and the interesting Latin/country mix that they are known for,”  Ponzio tells us.

Her influences growing up and currently, range from strong female vocalists such as Sheryl Crow and Mariah Carey to Sting, Johnny Cash, and Luke Bryan as well as Shakira and the mariachi bands that she grew up listening to in Texas. Those sounds all come together to create Valerie’s undeniable signature sound, something that she prides her self on. “In the writing room, I try to bring Latin artists, as well as country artists as my influences and as far as where I want my songs to go,” she tells us, “It’s a funny mix between country and Latin, where I am at, it is where I steer all of my music and my live performance too.”

Most recently, Ponzio was a four-chair turn on season 12 of the popular singing competition, The Voice, ultimately choosing Blake Shelton as her mentor.  She chose to sing the Johnny Cash classic “Ring Of Fire” which although is traditionally a country song, sonically has a Latin energy, with mariachi horns in the chorus. “People are very passionate about Johnny Cash, you want to make it your own but do it as much as you can to pay your tribute and the style of the song,” she explains of her audition. Her sultry and slowed down version caught the attention of all four of the judges, Adam Levine exclaiming, “You are the most well-rounded singer, I think, for this particular panel of judges that I really kind of ever heard.”

She explains that the opportunity to be showcased on one of the most popular singing competitions is a crazy rollercoaster ride. “It was such a high moment in my life that I got to share with the people I love,” Ponzio tells us of her entire family being present for her blind audition. “It helped me grow as a singer and a performer.”  After the show, she moved to Nashville and is grateful for all of the connections and opportunities that have come her way.  She is writing as much as she can and taking every chance to spread her unique blend of music to new fans.

Her debut EP, Timeless, was released in July and features four original songs and the title track in English and Spanish.  Three of the four songs were written by Ponzio herself, as she represents her journey of moving to Nashville to further pursue her dreams and falling in love.  She explains that moving to Nashville has taught her so much about music and writing and even learning to let go and let the best song win.  When she heard “Morning” which was written by fellow Latin/country artists Sammy Arriaga she knew she had to record it for her own project although she didn’t write it herself. “The song is king here, you learn to respect that, even if I didn’t write it, there is something so amazing and putting that first and then seeing people react to it,” she says.

She is currently playing shows in Nashville, promoting the new music and looking forward to bringing her sound to other places around the country including places that primarily Latin markets that may not specifically listen to country music.  She hopes to put a tour together for early 2019.  Be sure to follow Valerie Ponzio on social media including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Logan Brill

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Logan Brill

Tennessee native Logan Brill is back with brand new music and took time to chat with New York Country Swag about growing up learning about music and what she’s been up to for last three years since the release of her debut album, Shuteye.

After her parents split when she was young, she spent her time between East Tennessee and Middle Tennessee and recalls the weekends she spent on her father’s 40-acre property, listening to her father’s records and learning all about his favorite bands.  “We didn’t have cable television, we would chop wood to heat our place with a wood stove, it was pretty rustic but it was a space to be creative because that was really all you could do,” she tells us.

Cultivating a musical space for her to learn, her father had a room filled with tons of musical instruments including banjos, violins and guitars.  Brill decided early on that her father’s love of music was certainly something she wanted to pursue as her lifelong career.  She was ten years old when she and her sister picked up guitars and taught themselves different chords from a Bob Dylan songbook.

She remembers her father and his friends having jam sessions at least once a month, sitting around playing all different types of music and she loved being included in those special nights.  “My dad listened to a wide range of music but mostly country and Americana from the 70’s so Grand Parsons, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, The Eagles, and The Band,” she tells us. She also recalls listening to Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Alison Krauss, whose country and Americana influences ring true in her vibe and her sound.

Heading to Nashville after high school, she attended Belmont University and signed her first publishing deal with Carnival Music during her junior year.  “My friend who was interning at Carnival called me and told me to send her everything I’ve ever written, she said don’t ask questions just send me everything, so I sent her an email with recordings and songs I had written,” Brill explains.  “The rest is history, I got my publishing deal a few months later.”

Brill has recently released two brand new songs out into the world, “Good Story” and “Giving Up”, both showcase what she has been up to the last three years since her debut album.  The former, written by Luke Dick and Jon Randall describes her life on the road but is also relatable to all who have made choices based on the stories they could tell afterward.  “I’ve been out making all sorts of good stories on the road, it was meant to just be fun,” she tells us. “I’ve been having so much fun on the road, I wanted that song to represent that piece of my life.”

The latter, Brill wrote with Jacob Powell and Randy Montana and it delves into her personal life and a breakup that she went through.  She feels releasing both of the songs together really represent both ends of the spectrum and set the stage for more new music in the near future.

Brill just got back from a multi-city European tour and is currently working on releasing more new music, with hopes to release a full-length album soon.  “At this point, we have paired off a lot of songs from this new project, we have started releasing them without having a date for the new album,” she explains.  “I was ready to release new music, we want to just see and build a story for a full album release. We want to put it out in pieces so the fans can have time to digest each song.”

To keep up with Logan Brill, follow her socials on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

 

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NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Joe Lasher

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Joe Lasher

Joe Lasher, born and raised in Weaverville, North Carolina, is the definition of a small town boy who grew up around music and decided early on that it would be his career choice. His grandfather was in a southern gospel quartet for 55 years and his dad was in a 90’s rock band that toured around the North and South Carolina area. In a recent chat with New York Country Swag, Lasher explains how his father’s music influenced his sound as well as grunge bands such as Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Nirvana.

Throughout high school, Lasher had wanted to make football a career, being that he is 6’3 and always very into sports but he tells us “I think God decided I was supposed to play music when I broke my leg the first play of the second game in high school, so I had to set aside everything I loved to do and I think that is when I realized I can’t do anything I love right now with a broken leg. That’s when I picked up my guitar.”

Playing open mic nights when he was 15-16 years old, he fell in love with being on stage, despite his nerves.  “People would put money in the tip jar, and what was really cool, I came back the next week and all of the same people that were there came again but this time they brought their friends so it was at that point that I realized I enjoyed being up on the stage and playing music and seeing the people in front of me enjoying what I was doing,” he explains. “I was very quick to get addicted to that feeling.”

Mixing his rock and roll background with his traditional country upbringing he started playing the rodeo circuits throughout the region and practicing the craft of live shows.  He became friends with songwriter and producer Jeremy Stover who has worked with a ton of country artists including Justin Moore.  Stover encouraged Lasher to make the move to Nashville right out of high school and they worked together on a 5 song EP to get his feet wet in the industry.

Now at twenty-one years old, Lasher has released a new single “Nothing Better To Do Friday Nights” which was written by Stover and rising country artist Michael Ray. Although he isn’t a co-writer on the song, Lasher tells us that the first time he heard it, he knew that it was the perfect way to introduce himself to a new fanbase in Nashville.  “From where I am from, we lived that life “Nothing Better to Do Friday Nights”  that was our way. We had nothing to do, so we gathered up, there was a parking lot, like a shopping complex, we used to gather around with our trucks on Friday nights, it was where all of the small-town gossip came together, and sometimes, some of us, we got in trouble,” he laughs.

“I want to play feel-good songs and I want people to relate to everything I am doing and I want them to know when they come to my show that I grew up doing the same things that they did so it will feel really homey and cozy,” Lasher explains of his live show.  He wants fans to know that although he is pursuing a country music career, he will never lose the rock and roll influence that his father instilled in him from an early age.

He looks forward to hitting the road to promote his new single, seeing new places and meeting new people. Be sure to follow Joe Lasher on social media, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

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NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Ashlyn Grayce

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Ashlyn Grayce

Photo Credit: Bev Moser

Ashlyn Grayce grew up in Nashville, Tennesee and was surrounded by music from the day she was born.  In a recent phone interview, Grayce explained her backstory and how growing up in Music City shaped her career and her goals for her life.  Her parents who were originally from New York and Georgia met singing at The Grand Ole Opry, talk about an incredible story to tell the grandkids.  They both worked in the music industry for all of her childhood, allowing her to be immersed in the culture and business of music.  “I have a picture and I think I was 5 years old and Alan Jackson is holding me on the stage at CMAFest,” she recalls.  “Music has always been a major part of my life.”

Learning how to play guitar and starting to write songs when she was a young teenager, Grayce explains how important it was to her to have the guidance from her parents on this journey. “My parents were always supportive, they know all of the ins and outs and truly understand it and they are able to help me and give me that support.”  Her father was a huge fan of Dolly Parton while her mother always listened to Shania Twain, and growing up she would look up to artists like Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood, shaping the type of artist she was going to be one day.

When we discuss who she is listening to now, Grayce says, “One of my top favorite artists right now is Devin Dawson.  I think he is such an amazing songwriter and performer, I can’t really pick one or two top favorites because it’s so neat to see how every artist is so different and puts their spin on the music industry. Everyone is just so talented here, and they really connect with the listeners.”

 

Her current EP, Somethin’ ‘Bout A Song debuted at #4 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter Chart and also appeared on the iTunes Bestseller list. The compilation of songs, all co-written by Grayce are a personal look into the singer’s life, touching on heartbreak, finding love and even the feeling of losing your childhood home. “I just feel like those songs really showcase who I am, I felt that it was kind of well rounded,” she explained.  “I felt like it touched on every aspect of my life.” She is proud to be a role model to young girls growing up and listening to her music, allowing herself to be vulnerable and get very personal when releasing songs to the public to hear.

Looking forward, Grayce just got married and is looking forward to continuing to play shows in Nashville as well as songwriter festivals and is constantly in the writing room working on new material.  Be sure to follow along on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Renee Blair

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Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, Renee Blair wasn’t always a country fan, she tells New York Country Swag in our most recent interview. Yes, the Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain, and Tanya Tucker, of course, played a big part in her childhood, but ultimately The Spice Girls and even the rise of Nelly really cultivated her love for performing.  After taking voice lessons and dance classes her entire childhood, Blair knew that there was no plan B for her career, she was going to be an artist. “I had to be perfecting my voice and my performance and I was really addicted to music. I’ve never even thought about the fact that my life was meant to do something else. As much as I loved the popstars and that music, I definitely think I picked the right genre, the way that country music tells stories, I think I finally have a story to tell,” she explains.

Her story includes moving to Nashville when she was right out of high school, two tragic accidents within the same year, and a regrowth period that now involves mega producer and songwriter Shane McAnally.  After moving to town, she, like so many people, thought that with her abilities, she would have an overnight success story, but looking back now realizes that her trials and tribulations with life and pursuing the career doesn’t always go as planned.  A car accident and then a boating accident which left her arm paralyzed for 6 months, changed her perspective and left her wondering where her place was in the music industry. “I kind of went through a few years of questioning life and myself and my purpose, moving to Nashville for this dream and now I was just known as the accident girl and music was what really kept me going and as corny as it sounds, it made me want to wake up in the morning and try to get better,” she tells us.

The little girl from St. Louis who rocked a piece of tape on her cheek in homage to Nelly while in Catholic school laughs as she explains how Nelly’s rise to stardom influences her music today. “I think it is a huge testament to where music is right now, it’s becoming very cross-genre. I think it’s awesome,” she says of his recent collaboration with Florida Georgia Line.  “The fans are the best judgment, they just like good music and they don’t care what you call it and I think it is a great way to just bring everyone together.”

Her debut single, released earlier this year, “Gotta Quit Drinkin'”  is as real life as it gets and definitely has that R&B vibe while telling a story.  Blair explains that mistakes she has made over the past couple of years with ex-boyfriends only happen after she’s had that second or third drink. “All day long I never text this dude, but as soon as I have my second drink my thumbs go wild and I’m all ‘Where are you’ and ‘I miss you’,” she laughs. After it became a running joke with her friends, she took the experience that is completely relatable into the writing room one day and “Gotta Quit Drinkin” was written.  “We definitely told the truth and in songwriting it is all you can ask for, every word of that I did and I lived it, there are other songs that I’ve written that might have better radio success but this is a great representation of where I’ve been at, its authentic to my story,” Blair says.

Blair is working on her debut EP which is being produced by Shane McAnally and released by SMACK Songs. McAnally who has worked closely with country megastars such as Sam Hunt, Old Dominion, Kacey Musgraves and has written hits for tons of other artists is helping to shape the music Blair is releasing. One interesting anecdote that she explains is how he caters his talents to each artist individually, helping to keep each sound unique.  “He helps to bring a light to the artist and pull out the best parts of them, he has really helped me tap into myself and asked me questions that I haven’t even thought about,” she says of her working relationship with the producer.  “He is a great person, with all of the success that someone has had, he is still kind to people and works really hard, he is so kind and I think the world of him.”

She already has an album’s worth of songs that she has written and is working to record new music and hopefully release a few tracks later this fall.  She is opening for Billy Currington in October on three of his Texas dates.  “I am so excited to do those dates, I’ve been in the writing mode for 2-3 years so I am so excited to get the music out to the fans and start playing it all,” Blair says of finally getting on the road.

Follow her journey on her social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

 

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NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Maybe April

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Maybe April

Kristen Castro, Katy DuBois (Bishop), and Alaina Stacey, otherwise known as Maybe April, are our Swag Spotlight this week.  The ladies took the time to chat with New York Country Swag a few weeks ago about their Opry City Stage debut as well as their latest single “You Were My Young”.  Growing up in all different parts of the country, each member brings a unique backstory as well as influences to the table when creating their unique sound.  Alaina grew up in Chicago, her family was very musical and her brothers were in a band together.  Kristen started her career playing heavy metal music, growing up in California and Katy grew up in Arkansas, interested in theater and dance from a very early age.

As fate would have it, they all ended up at a music industry camp in Nashville in 2012 and chose each other to work together on writing a song to present to the panel by the end of the week. This is not only where the ladies met each other and formed a quick bond but where they decided on their band name. “Alaina and I (Katy) were talking and we were both born in April and we asked Kristen and she was born in December so we said Maybe, and we kind of like that it’s May and April, it was kind of a thing where we asked around the camp what do you think of these names, it was the one people liked, it was only supposed to be our name for that week but it just stuck,” they tell us.

Since then, six years have passed and the ladies have each moved to Nashville and lived in the same house, furthering their bond. “When we decided to move here, we all had been doing our own music thing but we kind of thought, we have this great connection why don’t we try the trio thing out,” they explain.  The three ladies in Maybe April are all songwriters, taking outside co-writes as well and working with writers around town.  Their latest single “You Were My Young” was written with Jason Duke, who has written songs with Kelsea Ballerini including “Dibs” and “The First Time”.  The first song they wrote together back in 2012 was written by three girls who had just gotten through those treacherous high school years filled with heartbreak and typical teenage girl drama, so they tell us “You Were My Young” is the grown-up version of that song.  “Looking back and thinking, at that time it was so awful, I was so sad but I’m okay now,” Kristen tells us.  “We all had gone through that and are able to look back with fresh eyes.”  The track combines their unique blend of country, folk, and Americana while showcasing their beautiful three-part harmony.

Recently they made their Opry City Stage debut in Times Square and play a show at Rockwood Music Hall in downtown Manhattan and said the New York City fans are different from those in Nashville. “We’ve been fortunate enough to play venues where people are actually listening because a lot of times you don’t get that in an audience so at Opry City Stage and Rockwood as well we had great crowds,” the ladies tell us.  “It is just so cool to be able to say I am in New York City, a part of all of the people here who are trying to make it and it’s been really crazy.  It was a dream.”

Maybe April is starting to book tour dates around the country, heading back up to the east coast to play a show on September 13th at Hill Country BBQ.  Grab your tickets to see the ladies here. They are also working on writing new music and releasing a few more singles, hoping to release a full-length album soon.  Be sure to follow along on their socials for all tour and music announcements on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook: