1. Hi Kaylee, can you tell me a little bit about yourself before you became a country singer? I first started off as a dancer and cheerleader in Miami. That was always my passion and I used to think dancing would be something I would continue pursuing. When I was in middle school, my family moved to a smaller town in Florida and I decided to teach myself how to play guitar. Even though I kept cheering and dancing, my focus changed to music once I started high school.
2. How did you get into country music fan and when did you know you wanted a career in it? My dad took me to an open mic after my first day of high school. After singing a few songs, the manager offered me a paid gig. I was 14 at the time. From there on, I started playing at the bar and then next thing I knew I was booking shows all around town at different bars. It was pretty cool having my passion also be considered my part time job as well.
3. How did you come up with the name of your EP “Upside to Down,” and what is your favorite song off this EP? This year has been a rollercoaster for me in many ways and I have learned that no matter what comes my way, there’s always an upside to down. Also, it is a line in one of my songs so it was a no brainer to make that the EP title.
4. Who are some of your musical icons? I love everything from Johnny Cash, to Michael Jackson. Currently I am a big fan of Sam Hunt, Ed Sheeran and Kacey Musgraves.
5. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 to 10 years with your music? I‘m not sure how to answer that since this town and industry is very unpredictable. I just hope to see myself still climbing that ladder and pursuing music full time.
6. If you could sing a duet with a famous singer or group who would it be and why? People often compare my artistic style to Walker Hayes so I feel like we could probably sing/rap something cool together.
7. Is there anything else new coming up with your music for the rest of 2018? I am already working on new music to release in the New Year. Can’t keep these songs bottled up anymore!
8. What is one of your favorite quotes? “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door”
Kaylee Rose was born in Miami, Flordia. Rose grew up immersed in a zoo of different musical genres and cultures, which influenced her rare brand of country music. As a child Rose was a hip-hop dancer with ambitions of performing professionally. Her dad was the first one to see the music in her. On the first day of Rose’s freshman year, her dad picked her up from high school and took her to a local dive bar. Her guitar was in the backseat of the car. Rose took the stage at Ann O’Malley’s in St. Augustine Flordia and she sang three cover songs. After performing she was offered a paid job right on the spot.
Her dad gave Rose her first guitar at 11 years old, when they moved from Miami to St. Augustine. Rose explains St. Augustine as being a tiny town and how it was hard for her to make friends at first, so she started sharing her thoughts and making them into lyrics. She also started to take guitar lessons and just in a short time she was teaching herself to play the guitar.
At the age of 14 years old, Rose began promoting herself and booking gigs all over St. Augustine after school and on the weekends. Rose never said “no” to an opportunity while still handling her schoolwork and her titles as a Dance Tem Captain and Class President. After high school, she would play 4 to 8 hours shows every day to save enough money to move to Nashville. In 2015, she traveled to Music City (Nashville). She made ends meet by playing every week at Rock Bottom Brewery and The Row while also working in a gift shop at the Johnny Cash Museum. She also praises museum owner Bill and also Bart Herbison, the Executive Director of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), as important mentors in her growing music career.
Rose’s first single, “Good Intentions,” is a combination of a rootsy acoustic guitar performance and a mid-song rap that makes the young singer’s introductory effort feel as meaningful to Country as Blondie’s hit song “Rapture,” was to 1980’s mainstream Pop. The clear-spoken story of “Good Intentions,” showcases Rose’s distinctive wordplay skills, being truthful about an argument between herself and her best friend whose boyfriend who was not a great person. That same best friend is in the official music video, which represents this tune’s storyline.
Rose has played over 1,000 live shows since the first bar gig at 14 years old. She is also not scared to speak her mind. Her brand of music is a celebration of life, love and clarity. Also her music is truthful with no limits and it is similar to her musical influences which includes Johnny Cash, Michael Jackson, Shania Twain and Beyoncé.
Rose’s brand new EP “Upside Down,” came out on October 29, 2018 and is available to listen and download on Spotify and iTunes. If you would like to know more about Kaylee Rose then check out her website at https://www.iamkayleerose.com.
2. In a blender or food processor that has been fitted with its metal cutting blade, finely chop 1/2 cup macadamia nuts with 2 Tablespoons of sugar.
3. Place in a medium-sized bowl & add the graham cracker crumbs & melted butter; mix well.
4. Press into the bottom of a 10″ springform pan.
5. In a large bowl, with an electric beater on medium speed, beat the cream cheese, the
remaining cup of sugar and the eggs until smooth. Add the sour cream, then the melted white baking bars, mixing until well combined after each addition.
6. With a knife, coarsely chop the remaining macadamia nuts and stir into the cream cheese mixture.
7. Pour over the crust and bake for 45-50 minutes, until almost set in the center. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar for one hour.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
NOTE: For even more pizzazz, garnish the top with some dark chocolate -dipped macadamia nuts.
*Cheesecakes have a tendency to crack or split on the top. I usually put some oven-proof container, pot, pan, whatever with water in it in the oven with the cheesecake while it cooks. That add the extra moisture and prevents the cracking.
1. Hello Lacy, can you tell me a little bit about yourself before you became a country musician?
I grew up in a small town in the foothills of North Carolina called Pilot Mountain. If you’ve ever seen the Andy Griffith show it’s called Mt. Pilot, and it’s the neighboring town to Mayberry (or Mt. Airy in real life). I grew up around music from a young age, but a lot of people don’t know that I was also a competitive dancer and cheerleader for ten years as kid, which is how I really got comfortable being on stage. My first job was as a cashier at a restaurant called Aunt Bea’s and I was the editor-in-chief of my high school yearbook.
2. How did you get into country music and how did you know you wanted a career in country music?
Music was always a presence in my house growing up. My Dad played guitar and sang, and my parents were always going to local shows or having friends over to jam at the house. I sang in church, at school and eventually local venues around town. When I was 13, I made a six song ‘EP’ in the basement of my house as part of an audition project for a vocal program at the North Carolina School of the Arts. I got accepted, even though I was the only kid singing country songs instead of classical ones. For the next several years I performed North Carolina and wrote songs by myself selling copies of the EP I had made. When I was 20 I started making trips out to Nashville. Once I graduated from college I moved here and haven’t looked back!
3. What is one of your favorite songs that you ever recorded?
There’s a song off my last EP called “Lock the Door” that I’m really proud of. I think we really nailed the balance between modern and traditional country in that song, and I think it’s still holding up well a few years later.
4. Is there anything coming up with your career for the rest of 2018?
Right now, I’m in the process of recording new music that will hopefully be out sometime next year. I think the songs I’ve been writing in the past year are my best yet and I’m really excited to spend the rest of the year getting them ready to share. I’ve also got a few shows left on the books for 2018 that you can check out at www.lacygreen.com
5. Who are some of your musical influences?
My playlist is pretty schizophrenic, but some of my consistent staples over the years are Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, Lee Ann Womack, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, The Band, Patty Griffin, Darrell Scott and James Taylor.
6. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 to 10 years with your music?
I think I’ve finally learned enough about the music business and myself to be able to make my best music and that’s what I hope to do. I’d also love to be able to build my live show and touring schedule in the next decade. I’m really excited for what’s to come!
7. If you could sing a duet with a famous singer or group who would it be and why?
There are so many, but I’ve always thought if I got to do a Crossroads on CMT that I’d want to do it with Hayley Williams from Paramore. I’m a huge fan of her voice and that band. Plus, she’s a Nashvillian, so I think it’s just a matter of time before someone collabs with her on a country/americana project.
8. What is one of your favorite quotes?
“I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.” – Herman Hesse
9. Is there anything else you would like to share?
I’ve been working on a side project with two of my best friends called The Wonderful Nobodies. We’re going to be releasing some really fun things next year as well. Follow us on Instagram @thewonderfulnobodies
Country musician Lacy Green was born and raised in a tiny city of Pilot Mountain in North Carolina. Green grew up singing alongside her family, at school events and in the local church. At 13 years old, she started to play the guitar and writing her own songs. In the next few years she played all over North Carolina until she was a senior in college, then she traveled to Nashville to make a name for herself in a place known as “Music City.”
Since moving to Nashville, Green has completed her first radio tour, independently released 2 EPs and played over a hundred shows across the US including Nashville’s most popular venues like The Bluebird Café and CMA Fest. Green is also a great talented songwriter who signed her first publishing deal with Dan Hodges Music just a year and half after moving to town. Her music has also been recorded by other artists and featured both in film and on TV.
In November 2015, she put out her second EP, “Nice Things” at the World Famous Station Inn in downtown Nashville. The project mixtures the best of Nashville’s old and new country music while sharing Green’s wonderful songwriting and vocal skills. Also Green performs regularly with a group called Song Suffragettes. The group hosts an all girl songwriter round at the Listening Room every Monday night a 6 pm in downtown Nashville.
If you would like to find out more about Lacy Green then check out her website at https://www.lacygreen.com.
1. Hi Carly, how have you grown as a country a singer and songwriter in the past year?
I feel like I’ve really honed my craft as a songwriter and artist; finding the people I love to write with, getting inspired by certain artists and truly just listening to my gut as to what I want to say, how I want to say it & how I want it to sound like.
2. How did you come up with the name “Traded” for your new single?
I’m a wicked big Boston Red Sox fan and I got inspired by the MLB trading deadline that’s in June and I thought, wow it’s crazy how one day a team can love you and the next day they trade you for a different player. Then it hit me, that’s just like what it’s like to get dumped for someone else. I brought the concept idea and melodic line I had to Greg Friia who’s a big Baltimore Orioles fan who immediately jumped onboard and we finished the song that same day.
3. What is the background story behind your new song?
I’m a wicked big Boston Red Sox fan and I got inspired by the MLB trading deadline that’s in June and I thought, wow it’s crazy how one day a team can love you and the next day they trade you for a different player. Then it hit me, that’s just like what it’s like to get dumped for someone else. I brought the concept idea and melodic line I had to Greg Friia who’s a big Baltimore Orioles fan who immediately jumped onboard and we finished the song that same day.
4. Is there something you wish your fans would take away from this song?
It’s okay to be upset when you feel like you’ve been replaced! You have to let it out. But moreso, I hope folks learn through that kind of a situation, they’re worth so much more than being someone’s second choice or back up. And it’s a solid jam out in your car, gym, bedroom-hair-brush-in-the-mirror track!
5. Was there any other artists or producers that help to create this tune?
Mike Stankewiecz of Sound Emporium Studios engineers & produced the project, Andrew Peebles on drums, Kyle Hovland on bass, Ben Kirsch on drums & Ben Alleman on keys…these incredible talented fellas were also on “Better Off At A Bar”
6. Is there anything else coming up with your music for the rest of 2018?
Music video for Traded will be coming out in November…so stay tuned!
Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.
In a saucepan, melt 50g butter over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole or baking dish and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
Melt remaining butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni to cover. Sprinkle with a little paprika.
Bake at 180 C / Gas mark 4 for 30 minutes. Tuck in immediately!
225g (8 oz) uncooked macaroni
50g (2 oz) butter
2 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
275g (10 oz) grated mature Cheddar cheese
50g (2 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
750ml (1¼ pints) milk
30g (1 oz) butter
50g (2 oz) dried breadcrumbs
pinch paprika
Prep:20min › Cook:30min › Ready in:50min
Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.
In a saucepan, melt 50g butter over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole or baking dish and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
Melt remaining butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni to cover. Sprinkle with a little paprika.
Bake at 180 C / Gas mark 4 for 30 minutes. Tuck in immediately!
225g (8 oz) uncooked macaroni
50g (2 oz) butter
2 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
275g (10 oz) grated mature Cheddar cheese
50g (2 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
750ml (1¼ pints) milk
30g (1 oz) butter
50g (2 oz) dried breadcrumbs
pinch paprika
Prep:20min › Cook:30min › Ready in:50min
Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.
In a saucepan, melt 50g butter over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole or baking dish and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
Melt remaining butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni to cover. Sprinkle with a little paprika.
Bake at 180 C / Gas mark 4 for 30 minutes. Tuck in immediately!
Hi Katy, can you tell me a little about yourself before you became a country musician?
I don’t really remember a time where I wasn’t doing music of some sort! I have been singing since I was 4 years old. I grew up in Northport, Long Island before moving to Surrey, England. I was in 3 choirs the whole way through school, singing in churches and musicals. I started going out and singing country at festivals and open mics when I was about 11 and then when I was 14 I released my first single. When I left school I wasn’t sure what to do because I had been so focused on my studies but I knew music was my passion, so I decided to have a gap year and I went and did a 6 month course at The Academy Of Contemporary Music and when I left I signed my publishing deal and music became full time.
How did you become a fan of country music and when did you know you wanted a career in it?
I became a fan of country music when I was really little. My parents used to play me artists like Patsy Cline and Jim Reeves as lullabies when I born so it has always been a really big part of my life. I knew I wanted a career in music after two really distinct moments on a family road trip when I was 13, the first being a trip to Sun Studios where I was lucky enough to get to do some recording, and the second being after seeing my first real concert. I remember watching Rascal Flatts on stage and thinking that it was exactly what I wanted to do with my life, I wanted to be able to take a story I had to tell, record it and then share it with the world on stage.
What is the background story behind your newest single “Revved Up”?
It’s kind of a two-part story, the song started as a little bit of a joke between myself and my co-writer/guitarist Gab Zsapka. We had been playing a festival called CarFest and though Revved Up would be a good title, and being a country singer figured it couldn’t hurt to have a song about trucks, but it was really clichéd and after messing with it for the day we put it on the backburner. Then the boys in my band found out that I had never seen “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” and we decided to have a Clint Eastwood movie night, and after seeing the movie I really wanted to write a song about it. Once we began writing it became clear that we could merge the two ideas together and Revved Up was officially a song!
Who are some of your musical icons?
That’s a list that goes on and on so there are really too many to list but my top 5 would be: Patsy Cline, Rascal Flatts, John Mayer, Lee Ann Womack, The Eagles.
Is there anything new coming up with your music career for the rest of 2018?
Absolutely, we still have a few gigs left and I’m going to be putting out another single before the end of the year, and then lots of planning for some exciting releases in 2019.
Where do you see your career in the next 5 to 10 years?
I have lots of big plans for the next few years so god willing I’ll hopefully be touring and doing larger scale shows and continuing to grow my incredible fan base. At the end of the day I just want to be making a living making music! I also have plans to move back over to the US when I’m able, so building a home too…or maybe I’ll just buy a tour bus!
If you could sing a duet with any singer or group who would it be and why?
Hmm… I’ve been asked that question so many times and I still find it hard to choose because there are so many artists that I admire and would absolutely love to duet with. I think if I had to choose at the moment it would be Tori Kelly, because her voice astounds me and I think singing harmonies with her would be incredible.
What is one of your favourite quotes?
I actually keep a notepad next to my bed which I write quotes I love in, so that’s a tough question but I always come back to this one by Gemma Troy –
“Whatever makes you feel the sun from the inside out, chase that”
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Yes, of course!! I just put out my first music video for my new single “Revved Up” and I’m so excited for people to see it. I wanted to create something really memorable for this one, so the band and I decided to go on a road trip to the same desert where they filmed all those old Clint Eastwood movies and essentially film our own! I’d love it if people would go check it out and let me know what they think. I’ll also be releasing my EP “Unfinished Business” in the new year so everyone should keep an eye out for that too!
Country musician Katy Hurt was born in London and her family moved to Long Island, New York when she was two years old. While living in Long Island, that is where she became a fan of country music. When Hurt was around 13, her father surprised her mother with an Elvis trip. She remembers how they followed Elvis’ life story through the south. This trip was three weeks long and they visited six states in total. When they got to Sun Studios in Memphis, TN, they took part in the museum tour. While on the tour Elvis’ hit song “Hound Dog” came on and Hurt was singing along to the song very quietly. The tour guide employee heard her singing it and came up and told Hurt to stay behind. After the tour was over the tutor guide let Hurt sing a song in the recording booth and the tutor guide employee recorded her. After recording the song Hurt knew she wanted to become a country musician.
In 2013, Hurt participated in the finals of the Live and Unsigned competition at London’s O2, the following year, she was a winner at the Rockfield Country Festival’s Battle of the Bands. Also in 2014 she put out her first EP, “Blue Snake.” This EP helped her to be a nominated at the British Country Music Awards for the Horizon Act Award.
Hurt’s single “Part Time Girlfriend,” was #2 on the UK Country Chart and also was part of the top 20 of iTunes worldwide country listening charts. She got signed as a Yamaha Artist and she also graduated from ACM’s Song-writing & Artist Development programmed and she became their first student to obtain a publishing deal, with the leading impendent company Metropolis Music.
On October 12, 2018 Hurt put out her brand new single “Revved Up.” The song is available to listened to on Spotify and iTunes. If you would like to find out more about Katy Hurt then check out her website at https://www.katyhurt.com.
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