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By Kelly Dunn
If you are seeking a roadmap to stardum you would do well to follow Candy Coburn. She is one fiesty, talented performing singer-songwriter. Candy will tell you that you can teach an old dog new tricks! She has pulled off an amazing string of successes in the music industry. She i s one of the few independent artist to get the Wal-Mart store chain to stock her music CD! And she did this on more than sheer will power. Candy never took “no” for an answer and proved she was a legitimate, hardworking artist.. A few months ago I met Candy Coburn through Nashville songwriter and Candy's good friend and Co-writer , David Grahm. I looked her up and she told me she'd love to do an interview for Tunesmith. Today Candy is wearing, well-worn, tight blue jeans. She's wearing an airy, white blouse with billowy sleeves. Her green boots which match her guitar (a Mother's Day present from her two little boys and husband) are ultra-cool. Here we go...
Kelly Dunn: I know your time is limited today so I'll try to be brief!
Candy Coburn: Yes I have a session at ten this morning so we'll have to hurry.
Kelly Dunn: That's ok, I understand. So what has been going on so far this year?
Candy Coburn: Today I'm in Missouri doing recording sessions with some of my co-writers. I'm also recording some back-up vocals the album. Then I'll leave tomorrow for more touring around the Mid-West. This is to promote my independent album I put out this year. The album is called "Enjoy the Ride" and the current single out now is called "It's Good To Be A Girl". This album is a first effort for me with my original songs and with musicians that work with me touring now. It was produced here at home with a VERY small budget but I am very proud of it. I can't wait to start working on the next project as I have MANY new songs to put down, including some I have written with David Graham, Jason Duke and many other great writers.
Kelly Dunn: Tell me about your exciting Wal-Mart distribution deal.
Candy Coburn: After many months of trying and a ton of rejections I finally got distribution that would place my cd in the WalMart chain.WalMart placement was very important to me because so many of my listeners live in small towns like the one I grew up in and they do not have many of the music chain stores anywhere near by. I was hearing all the time they would love to buy the cd but did not like to purchase online so that is why I felt WalMart was the right match for my fans.
Kelly Dunn: Wow. That's very impressive. What's it like to see your CD on the shelves of Wal-Mart?
Candy Coburn: It ‘s a very good feeling. For all the trouble, heartaches and disappointments I have been through it makes it worthwhile. You know I would never have been able to do this without the support of my husband, my family and all the music people in my life. My husband and I have two kids, they are two and five. It's hard sometimes when we take them on the road it gets a little crazy. (laughter) And you have to really work together to make something like this happen. But we are a team and everyone believes in what I am doing and making this happen on a national level.
Kelly Dunn: Now that you in Wal-Marts what are you doing.
Candy Coburn: I am touring all the Mid-West Wal-Mart stores. I will be performing inside Wal-Marts. It's very exciting. In addition to that I am performing at a lot of venues. I am also opening for a lot of national acts and doing some tv and radio spots.
Candy Coburn: I'm doing a lot of touring this year. As an independent-It takes alot of time and effort to get to be out there doing what you love. To have a full time band that goes everywhere with you and handle bookings, a budget(that you have to create by playing live, doing commercial work, etc., and also managing a band that travels with you takes putting in alot of hours and not many left for sleeping. I truly love live performance, the time spent entertaining the fans, meet and greets, I love that stuff. I can't imagine not getting to interact with the people. Getting the chance to share the passion I have for music with them makes all of those hours of driving worth it!
Kelly Dunn: For an independent artist you are making quite a splash!
Candy Coburn: Well what's really making this happening are the Mid-West radio stations playing my songs. I am doing interviews with radio shows where I perform a few of my songs live. I love to hear from the fans, I think it all still comes back to the fans--they are the ones that should know who you are and what you are about. I think we all have something in common and music brings us all together no matter where you are from.
Kelly Dunn: Do you live in Nashville ?
Candy Coburn: Currently I don't live in Nashville. But I travel there for one week out of each month. I meet with my co-writers to work on new songs. I still want to get better at the craft of songwriting. But my main thing is to be out there working and playing. I've tried to move permenatly to Nashville many times but it wasn't in the cards .We will see what the upcoming year/years hold, I love Nashville and have alot of family there.
Kelly Dunn: Well, you seem to doing fine!
Candy Coburn: Thanks, I do things the old fashioned way. I just go out there and meet with my fans and hopefully keep picking up new fans along the way. I am always told that most people have to see a live show to get how much I love it. I just feel like it is the closest thing to heaven on earth getting the chance to entertain with a rockin band backing me up and seeing everyone really getting into it and having fun too!
Kelly Dunn: Do you rely on managers or agents to help with your career.
Candy Coburn: No, I am currently doing everything myself. I am an independent artist who works hard but I am lucky enough to have alot of people surrounding me that really believe in what I am doing and help MAKE this happen. I would not frown at label interest, I think I would be a great bet for many of them. I just need some fuel for an engine that is already running ie.--money ha.
Kelly Dunn: It seems you have the best of both worlds.
Candy Coburn: Right now it is working out great but that's not to say I wouldn't ever consider getting outside help as far as a label.
Kelly Dunn: I'm sure a lot of people would like to be doing what you've done.
Candy Coburn: Hard work. No way around it! (laughs) I want to tell you about my television appearances.
Kelly Dunn: Shoot!
Candy Coburn: I am doing a half hour televison show called, “Windup Country Countdown” with Chris Conn. I was invited to be on there but I didn't have a Country video. So the producer called me in and said they'd do a video for me. I went in and did two songs. I did “It's Good To Be A Girl” from my latest CD. I am very proud of the video considering the budgets they have in Nashville . The second video was a new song I co-wrote with Jason Duke called, “Big Dreams In A Little Town. The producer, Jerry Parent, got really excited when he saw the videos and said he wanted to do a half hour Candy Coburn Special. They are going to distribute this show to television stations throughout the West, Mid-West. It will be out soon for sale as well and I am very excited about it- make sure to keep checking candycoburn.com for info on where it will be available. I will send you a copy too!
Kelly Dunn: Folks, buckle up your seat belts (laughter)
Candy Coburn: Well, this is exciting because I've done television before but not this professionally done. I am also aware of the enormous budgets most video production costs and I am just thrilled at what we got for the time invested. Again, thanks to someone that believed in me and where I am going.
Kelly Dunn: When can we expect to see your new video.
Candy Coburn: It will be out this Fall. I will also be doing concerts in conjunction with the video release.
Kelly Dunn: Do you find most of your audience is in the Mid-West, West?
Candy Coburn: Well right now for the past 3 years this is all I have been doing. Mainly I've been in Okalahoma , Missouri , Arkansas , some parts of Texas performing. But really I've concentrated on the Mid-West area because of the Wal-Mart deal. I am definitely branching out to others areas as time goes on. Texas looks like the next market I get the pleasure of working with. Lots of good opportunities are coming in and I will keep you informed on those if you would like to know about them.
Kelly Dunn: Do you do festivals and fairs?
Candy Coburn: Oh yeah, I do many of those every Summer. I love it. I lived in Wisconsin for awhile and played many Mid-West festivals. But now I travel much more than I did back then! (laughter)
Kelly Dunn: So getting back to your monthly Nashville trips…
Candy Coburn: Once a month I get back there and I work with seven or eight songwriters every month. Some of the writers have publishing deals and some are even song pluggers. I just go down there to write songs so I can get better at it. And I don't by any means think I'm a great songwriter (laughs) When you hear some of the people just pull an amazing song out of their head in an hour. I know I'm not that good but I trying to get better at the craft.
Kelly Dunn: It takes a long time doesn't it?
Candy Coburn: Yes it does! But it's exciting though. I do some school functions for young kids and I tell the them, no matter how young you are, just put your thoughts onto paper. I can't imagine how it would have been to start that early. It doesn't matter how old you are you just continue to get better. I'm going to do it until my last day on this Earth. (laughs)
Kelly Dunn: Where did you grow up.
Candy Coburn: I grew up in western Kentucky. Then we moved to Dexter , Missouri . I went to high school and college in Missouri . The funny thing is everytime I planned on moving to Nashville something would snafu it! It's really bizarre. I even owned property there and I had to sell it. But I believe everything happens for a reason. All the timing is not in my control. All of these things have made me a more mature person and really makes me appreciate being here. I also think all of life's crazy twists and turns helps us maybe figure out a bit better who we really are and what we might have to say that people might relate to.
Kelly Dunn: So besides the Walmarts concerts where do you perform
Candy Coburn: I play a lot of fairs. I perform many radio sponsored events. One of the biggest supporters has been station 93.7 "The Bull" in St. Louis, Clear 94 in Poplar Bluff and many others . They have been great. They truly support up and coming artists from the region .
Kelly Dunn: Can you tell me about your green guitar?
Candy Coburn: That's a great story. I was pregnant with my second child. My husband brings home this green guitar. It was just a great moment. So I began playing out with my green acoustic guitar.
Kelly Dunn: What make is the guitar?
Candy Coburn: It's made by Alverez. It just happens that they are made right here in St. Louis. Alverez heard the story about me cracking the neck of my guitar. Let me backup, I had a terrible wreck on the way down to Nashville in January. I am so lucky that my two boys and I lived to tell about it! Alverez heard my story and notified me that they decided they were sponsoring me! Soon after their sponsorship they made for me some gorgeous green "signature" guitars for me with my name in inlay. And thanks go out to my personal music store, I have have some great Ampeg DI gear to make the guitar sound great. I want to thank St. Louis Music and Doc for all they have done for me!
Kelly Dunn: That's very awesome! (pause) Did you grew up in a musical family?
Candy Coburn: My grandmother was my inspiration. She had us in church singing Gospel songs since I was very young. And it went on from there!
Kelly Dunn: How did your songwriting career begin?
Candy Coburn: There's a guy, Lou Whitney, he told me that I should start writing some songs. He set me up with Allen Ross. I didn't know much about creating a song but I eager to learn. I had written some songs and started working with Allen and then started writing with many other writers like my co-writer Bert Bond who wrote my current single with me, "It's Good To Be a Girl".
Kelly Dunn: Were you singing in local groups in the beginning?
Candy Coburn: Oh yeah. While I was playing in a local cover band that's how I met Lou. Soon afterward I started writing.
Kelly Dunn: Have you performed in Nashville lately?
Candy Coburn: I played the Blue Bird at the “Chick Singer Night”. The other women that are in it are amazing. The band was awesome. I look forward to doing that again! I also have had alot of other venues there and you can find them all on my schedule-at candycoburn.com
Kelly Dunn: What's it like to hear you song for the first time on the radio?
Candy Coburn: It's a great feeling. I just can't tell you in words, very emotional. And then to walk into Wal-Mart's and see my CD's was really exciting!
Kelly Dunn: I remember earlier when we were talking that you felt funny being an older songwriter.
Candy Coburn: I used to but I don't think so now. I think I write songs that women in my age group can relate. And there's a lot of us! (laughs) I have a great group of girlfriends. And I think that there's a huge group out here that know life isn't perfect. Everything isn't peachy everyday. So I am able to tap into that to find inspiration for songs.
Kelly Dunn: Does all the talent in Nashville worry you sometimes?
Candy Coburn: I may not be the most amazing voice in Nashville but I use what God gave me . The live show is very live and nobody is going to leave one of my show unsatisfied. Am I talking too fast! (laughter)…but I am getting the signal, my session is ready to go.
Kelly Dunn: Thanks a lot and we'll see you soon!
Candy Coburn: Thanks again for asking me to be interviewed. I am truly honored! See you soon!
Visit Candy's web site at: CandyCoburn.com
Article: © Kelly Dunn - All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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