1.     Can you tell me a little bit about yourself before you became country musician?  

Before I was a country musician I was always a musician. I grew up in Miami, Florida with two older sisters. My parents moved from Cuba to the United States in the 1960’s. I grew up speaking and singing in both English and Spanish. I started being asked to sing solos in church in my Catholic school and also competed on several television competitions as a child in the Spanish language, because those were the opportunities that were most available to me growing up in South Florida. When I was 15 years old, I was signed to the Latin division of Sony Music and recorded records with them. I graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism and continued to pursue music and performing in live shows splitting my time between Miami and Los Angeles. The last album before my current EP, “The West Coast Sessions” was written by myself and recorded with producer Chris Price. The material featured more of a pop/soul feel that I am very proud of.

2.     How did you get involved in country music and how did you know you it was a career you wanted?

I got involved heavily in country music when I moved to Nashville and started working with my now husband, John Carter Cash. I have always sung country music songs in my spare time and around friends and family, as I feel that it is the genre of my music that fits my voice the best. I didn’t really get the chance to dive in fully into country music until I moved to Nashville. I think the country genre has some of the greatest vocalists and songs in the world. 

3.     Who are some of your musical icons?

My range of inspiration has been pretty eclectic throughout my life. When I was growing up in Miami, I really looked up to Gloria Estefan. I also have always loved the voices of Patsy Cline and Ella Fitzgerald. I admire Shania Twain and Faith Hill also as far as country musicians that I grew up listening to and appreciating. The first album that impacted me the most as a kid was Alanis Morisette’s “Jagged Little Pill”. I loved it for its raw honesty and transparency. It was what really inspired me to bare it all as a songwriter and not be afraid . I love Tori Amos’ “Little Earthquakes” album for that same reason. I listen to David Bowie, Elton John and Queen constantly. 

4.     What is the story behind your latest EP “The Tough Love” and when will it be available to purchase?

The Tough Love EP is already available for purchase on iTunes , Amazon Music , it’s on Spotify and all digital platforms. It is a 6 song body of work that is about empowerment in life and in relationships. It’s about not accepting less than what you deserve. It had Country , Soul ,Blues , Americana and some Rockabilly influenced . I recorded it in the Cash Cabin studio in Hendersonville,TN and it was produced by my husband John Carter Cash. I co-wrote all of the songs on except for “Seminole Wind”, which is a John Anderson classic that I did my own rendition of .The most intense song that’s on the The Tough Love EP is the song “Southern Roots” which I co-wrote with my husband John Carter Cash.

5.     Which have been your favorite venues to play at?   

I love playing 3rd and Lindsley, The Bluebird Cafe, and The City Winery in Nashville among many others. In Los Angeles, I always felt right at home performing at The Hotel Cafe. Performing the Star Spangled Banner at Madison Square Garden in New York City was a big, fun adrenaline rush for me.

6.     If you had to give advice to a up and coming musician, what would you share with them?

I would tell people to practice their craft of songwriting, playing and performing as much as possible. It is a competitive field and you want to be at the top of your game. You want people to leave your show with a great impression of who you are as an artist. So much so that they’d tell their friends and family and spread the word. Something else I would offer as advice is to never give up. A lot of people along the way will try to discourage you from achieving your full potential. I would take the constructive criticism seriously, but I would completely ignore the negative people that are trying to bring you down and just keep moving forward.

7.     What is one of your favorite quotes? 

One of my favorite quotes it’s from Benjamin Franklin and says, “Do you love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.”

8.     I started a new tab on my blog called “Dixiedee’s bites” where I share my favorite recipes that I love to cook in my kitchen. I am also starting to share recipes from my family, friends and musicians that take part in my blog.  Is there a recipe you would like to share? 

Yes! I grew up eating a dessert that originates from Spain called, “Natilla”. It was very popular in Cuba,  and being that I was born in the United States but of Cuban descent, it is a very popular dessert in Miami where I grew up. I use just the regular Natilla recipe, except I substitute the whole milk for half and half and use sweetened condensed milk in it instead of granulated sugar. It is a delicious pudding that is a cousin to Spain’s “Crema Catalana” and you finish it off by dusting cinnamon powder on top of it . 

9.     Anything else you would like to share with our blog followers?

The Tough Love EP is available now and it’s part of a full album that I am working on. The full album project will be out soon. To keep track of what is going on in my world, you can visit my official website www.anacristinacash.com . It has links to all of my social media. 🙂