Meet Stephen Carey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Carey.

Hi Stephen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My passion for entertaining came long before I first learned how to play Smoke on the Water. My parents split up when I was four. So, I spent a lot of time in the backseat of their cars getting a full education in Classic and Southern Rock with my Dad and Pop and Top 40 hits with my Mom while I was shuttled to and from their houses across my hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.

I first stepped foot on the stage at eleven as the lead in my fifth-grade play. My role? A game show host where I took the creative liberty of adding a tiny mint-scented aerosol mouth spray to the character as a cue for the audience to laugh after the extremely cheesy jokes in the script. This led me to my first paying acting gig at a dinner theatre and I knew performing was my thing. I never looked back.

Not long after my Dad moved to Atlanta, he bought me my first guitar for my eleventh birthday from Chip, of Chip’s Music, who happened to be the guy that introduced my parents. By the time I was 14, I was in every local band that would have me. I was lucky enough to attend an arts high school where my days were filled with guitar and music theory while my nights were spent at band practice and in music venues.

At 18, my band was clearly going to be huge so I devoted all my time to booking and playing shows everywhere I could. We broke up. The next few bands got better, and the crowds and stages got bigger – but I still hadn’t found my purpose. One hazy August day, burnt out on everything in my iPod (RIP) library, I turned the radio to 99.1 WQIK. “Toes in the water, toes in the sand…” with a nylon string guitar cut through the static and so began my love affair with Country music.

For the very first time, I was inspired to write songs that I knew I wanted to sing. Having grown up in church I was highly aware of vocal harmonies as my Mom and Step-Dad were always prominent members of the choir. But, I’d never been a lead singer. Country music is what gave me a voice as an artist. I am my most authentic self both personally and musically writing and singing Country music here in Nashville.

I’m so grateful to be where I am on my journey; owning a home, working on music full time, and impacting millions of country fans with the music I’ve created here. I have a lot more new music planned for release this year and I’m more excited than ever to share it and experience this next chapter as it unfolds.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The hardest part of navigating Nashville is finding your people.

I had an amazing group of guys I’d been playing and working with back in Florida. But when I moved to Nashville and started from scratch I quickly realized my songs were behind the curve and knew I needed to focus on my writing and on finding the people I wanted to work with.

I spent a few years developing my sound before releasing music or playing any shows. That was a time of extreme grind and financial instability. Selling things I didn’t need, doing so many random odd jobs, and surviving on dry beans to make rent wasn’t easy but it’s what it took and I made the best of it.

My wife and I got married in 2016 and we were struggling with the impermanence and disconnection of renting an apartment in Antioch. She went back to school to get her Master’s degree and I took a full-time job in home improvement consulting and sales. We got our house in East Nashville in 2018 and everything felt like it was clicking.

I released some songs which were getting an amazing response, I got an agent at WME and started playing shows and then the world stopped. The wind fell out of the sails, and we were trying to survive the uncertainty, like everyone else, of the last couple of years. I wrote some of my favorite songs during that time and was able to reassess and realign my trajectory.

It’s been amazing getting back to playing shows and releasing music.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Above all else, I’m an entertainer. I take pride in building all my performances from the ground up. I build the Ableton sessions, run our in-ears, program the fog machines and lights, design the logos and merch, plan the videography and when it comes to showtime I give it all I’ve got.

I don’t put on shows. I throw parties. When people see me live, they can expect to be entertained and be part of the fun. Whether it’s a confetti cannon, a light show, a sing-along, or a special guest you’re going to be surprised and have a great time. You’re going to walk out of that room as a fan.

I’m so proud of my growth as a musician, artist, and human. I’ve been in the music scene since I was 14. I’m a singer. I’m a songwriter. I’m a lead guitarist. I’m a drummer. I’m a bassist. I’m a music director. I’m a recording engineer. I’m a producer. I’m a tour manager. I’m a creative designer. I’m a video editor. I’m a digital marketer. I’m a social media manager. Because I’ve been in every position on the stage and behind the scenes, I’m an incredibly dynamic Artist. My experience has given me a perspective that sets me and my sound apart.

What do you think about happiness?
Creating art that people can connect with is the entire reason I do what I do. I’m currently promoting my newest song “On the Water” which I’m really excited about.

This song has all the qualities of an anthem. It’s a celebration for everyone, no matter where you come from. It’s about the state of mind of being on the water, whether that’s on a boat or in a kiddie pool in your backyard, meaning you are unreachable by the distractions and responsibilities of everyday life.

If I can give someone the chance to let go and make the world feel a little less heavy, even for 3 minutes at a time, I’m going to keep doing that. That’s what makes me happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.stephencareymusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephencareycountry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephenCareyMusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScareyCountry
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCie3Fs57dZrAv_2sl6xJf_w
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephencareycountry?lang=en

Image Credits
Stefani Reeder and Daniel Shippey