Up & Coming New Nashville- Eileen Carey (With Exclusive Interview)

Fresh off the bus in Nashville, Tennessee but definitely not wet behind the ears, Cleveland, Ohio native, sing/songwriter Eileen Carey has been around the music scene for years. Influenced by all the Motown greats and artists like Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, The Beatles and writer Diane Warren, Eileen shows tribute, but unlike so many others, doesn’t mimic what she heard as a child but integrates it and adds her own spin.

As so many do, feeling the fences of her small town holding her in, but with the support of friends, family and fans, she packed up and moved to Los Angeles to put herself and her contemporary-country with a splash of blues style to the test as the little fish in the big ocean.

In Los Angeles, Eileen found acceptance and success in the regional music scene. It seemed that all she had to do was open her mouth and who ever was there, even if they came to see someone else, became an instant fan. Releasing two albums, performing at charity events, acquiring several awards for her performances, writing and finding herself with cuts climbing the indie charts, Eileen found a great niche market in L.A. She says, “The greatest moment, for me, was hearing my song on the radio for the first time.” Eileen was even one of the original “uh-huh girls” that backed Ray Charles in a Pepsi campaign and at the Super Bowl. Eileen also had some success with acting parts in Batman, Hoffa and Basic Instinct.

Now, this driven artist has made her way, as all artist/writers do at one juncture or another, to “the writers’ city”, Nashville, Tennessee. It was time to go up against the big guns and put everything she has learned to the test in Nashville.

Eileen Carey, a new kind of artist has a great contemporary country feel that, in our hearts, we are all seeking. In an age where mastering of machinery instead of instruments is hailed, where sampling of the old instead of creating the new is rewarded, and where, “that’s ok, we’ll just fix it in the mix” is more frequent than a one-take-wonder, Eileen Carey breaks the mold of what some call progressive and others call a throw back. She has the pitch to carry a show without anything but a mic, she has the skill to create new and passionate music with only the influence of the music we all remember and she can play her own drums, if she wants to without a click track or an electrical outlet.

Her favorite part of her career in music is, “Putting a smile on someone’s face. When I see that, I know I have done my job.” Eileen Carey – come let her put a smile on your face and a song in your heart.

That Nashville Sound- What brought you to music in the first place?

Eileen Carey- I just loved music. I starting performing at the age of 13 In my school choir/theater in Ohio where I'm from, I started to write songs when I moved to LA about 13 years ago and I’m still pushing the limits.

TNS- Describe your music- what's the mission behind the music?

EC- As far as my sound, it’s like the Midwest meets the West Coast. I always think of each song as a mini movie they have their own identity. My music is also very positive. You don't have to be too far to the left or too far to the right. There is always a happy medium and if I can make a person happy for two minutes out of their life, then I’ve done my job. That’s what it's all about.

TNS- What might people be surprised to find out about you?

I spend a lot of time in the kickboxing ring! Going there a least 4 times a week. I have been doing this hobby for ten years!!

TNS- What kind of music are you listening to? What's in your iPod?

EC- Keith Urban. Paul McCartney. Sheryl Crow. I love all kinds of music.

TNS- If you had a crystal ball and looked forward five years, what do you see for yourself?

EC- One of my other passions is directing Film/TV. I will be experimenting with that a little next year!