Today we’d like to introduce you to Callie McCullough.
Hi Callie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I was born in rural Ontario Canada third generation in a musical family. My parents were touring until I was a teenager, so I basically grew up backstage! By the time I was 14 I was out playing gigs of my own and spent about 10 years touring all over Canada, The United States in Europe in various bands. I moved to Nashville straight from a tour in California with a lemon of a station wagon and the goal to be a serious songwriter.
I spent the first few years playing tip jar gigs and writing as many times a week possible with whoever I could. After years of being in bands, I started to write songs that felt like my own voice and figure out the solo artist I was going to become. With a handful of songs (out of the hundreds) that I felt like were really my own I started making this record, After Midnight, co-written with two of my best friends Ryan Sorestad and Scotty Kipfer, Produced by Dustin Olyan and featuring Grammy-winning Musicians from The Time Jumpers and Union Station.
Billboard Premiered the album in March of 2020 just as it seemed the whole world was shutting down… but we weathered the storm and we’re back and kicking strong now, and recently got nominated for a CCMA Canadian Country Music Award for Alternative Country Album of The Year!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Ha! Absolutely, definitely not! I’ve played a whole lot of sketchy gigs, waited 10 years worth of tables, cleaned houses, sold off my instruments when I was broke, had my phone cut off a time or two and had my car breakdown just about every time I finally had a hundred bucks in the bank. My early years in Nashville were the most financially challenging of my life.
Finances aside, I had to challenge my own mentality almost daily, forcing myself to believe, to grow, to stay in the positive light, not go too far down the tunnel. In terms of self-development, growing up and lessons learned I’m almost a completely different person that the girl that moved here fresh out of college.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I come from a background of a lot of Roots music influences. Traditional Country, Folk music, Bluegrass music, Celtic Music- when all the kids were blasting the Top 40 countdown I was hiding in my room with John Prine, The Rankin Family and The Kendalls.
I guess you could say I’m known for that type of sound- weaving those traditional influences into my singing, and my guitar playing. That and the ballads- I’m definitely known to have a penchant for the sad songs- there’s just a resonance for me in that type of feel.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I do feel a lament for Old Nashville- I think it’s really getting gentrified and over-touristed. It’s as if we are tearing down the authentic real Nashville and rebuilding into a post-card of what glossy and over-priced but soulless Nashville looks like- I guess that wasn’t so diplomatic. I hate to see our history destroyed. There have been some wonderful additions for sure- but the prices are driving musicians to not be able to live in the city built on the backs of musicians. That’s a real shame.
On a lighter note about Nashville, frivolously I’m pretty over the moon about the amount of fantastic Mexican food- I grew up in Canada so we really didn’t have that there. I also love to get out hiking around some of the parks- I grew up way out in the middle of nowhere so those green spaces really feel like a safe haven.
More seriously, what I love most about Nashville is my people- the stubborn crew of creative dreamers that continue to push, support and love each other. That’s what Nashville has really been about for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.calliemccullough.com
- Instagram: @calliemcmusic
- Facebook: @calliemcmuisc
- Twitter: @calliemcmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeZarNu-YLigEqFnVasR84w
Image Credits
Photo: Kris Von Kleist
