If you haven’t already heard of country artist Lance Carpenter, then it’s time to catch up!
Named by the Huffington Post as one of the top 10 country artists to watch in 2018, Lance Carpenter is that and so much more. “When we got the call from Huntington Post for that I was honored. That was really the only word that came to mind. For someone to find us, independently, and to think that we deserve to be among those lists of artists, that kind of puts a fire in my heart, and earn that and work hard for the fans and prove them right.”
Hard work is definitely not a new concept for this farm raised, former FEMA responder, in any way.
“My degree in college was emergency administration and management. I’ve got post grad work on Homeland Security for the State Department of Emergency Management in Arkansas for about 3 1/2 years. And then Hurricane Katrina hit and I switched over and started working with FEMA under the Department of Homeland Security. I did that for almost 8 years before resigning and doing music full time. I was in Maine in 2007 working a flood and met a guy that had a gig on Tuesday nights. Kinda like an acoustic Pearl Jam. We became friends. He found out I played a little bit. I didn’t have to perform, just like read the chords, read the lyrics, be background on stage, for the first time in my life.”
“I went back to the hotel and Googled ‘songwriting’ and I found the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). I joined online. You could submit songs for evaluation.” Seems like fate here, but Carpenters fairy tale doesn’t end here, it’s really just the beginning musically. NSAI wasn’t clamoring for Carpenters songs. Instead they offered some suggestions for the aspiring songwriter.
“The only songs I’d written were like 5 and 6 minute stories. They didn’t have choruses, they didn’t have bridges, they weren’t very dynamic because I only knew 3 or 4 chords. I couldn’t sing or emote back then like I do now. I had just never done it and I didn’t know what I was doing. After a few evaluations, they said, ‘Man you’re really creative, but you don’t know much about the commercial music business. You should come to song camp.’”
Not being one to give up, Carpenter took their advice and attended song writing camp in February 2008. Taught over the course of a weekend by pro writers, Carpenter was able to learn song structure, form, character development, and the basic elements of putting a commercial song together.
It’s safe to say that songwriting camp changed the entire future for Carpenter.
“It grabbed a hold of my heart and the passion grew. I visited Nashville every few months and eventually moved here in 2011. Then I got a publishing deal in 2012. I kept that federal job for another 16-17 months before I finally resigned because I knew music was gonna be my life.”
Surely fans are grateful for that.
Carpenter is presently riding a wave of success with his current single, “Anyone Else,” a duet recorded with label mate Krystal Keith, daughter of country music legend Toby Keith.
Carpenter had come across this song many years prior on an industry comp disc and he’d been holding it in his mind (and on his phone) ever since.
“I heard that song and I thought ‘Man if I ever cut a duet one of these days, I’m gonna record that song.’ It’s great. I would say every word in that.”
Once Carpenter started writing he did record the music to “Anyone Else,” still not knowing who the perfect female counterpart would be. Of course, until he heard Krystal and everything fell together.
“I sent her an email and said, ‘Crazy idea. Would you be willing to put the female part on this song and just see what it sounds like?’”
As we now know Krystal agreed and it’s country music bliss.
After the label, and one Toby Keith heard it, they knew it had to be released to the masses, which led to Carpenter signing to Keith’s Nashville label Show Dog Records.
Thankfully the seamless match up between Carpenter and Keith won’t end here as the pair plan to work together professionally on upcoming projects. And although both artists work so well together, Keith plans to take some time to work on an EP as well as is expecting a child in early 2019 and Carpenter will be focused on recording and releasing a full length LP as well.
Whilst Carpenter began playing guitar as a hobby in high school, rudimentarily learning songs by Metallica and Nirvana, he was heavily influenced by the big country names of the nineties such as Garth Brooks, Alabama, and Travis Tritt. Music was more of a therapy for Carpenter rather than a career goal. It was only after various chance encounters that it became clear it was to be his calling.
To see Carpenter perform today, you’d never know that during the early days, he barely moved away from the microphone. Now, the bigger the stage, the bigger the party!
Carpenter loves a good time and to his credit has entered into the fourth year of the annual Music of Mulberry Festival in his hometown of Ozark, Arkansas.
“In 2015, there was a huge festival back in my hometown called ‘Thunder on the Mountain’ that cancelled two weeks out from the event. I was supposed to play with the Zac Brown Band, Carrie Underwood, The Band Perry…there were about 45 bands playing. They had some issues between the promoter and money people. Well, it was my hometown and I had family coming in from out of state that had took time off work, rented RV’s and it was gonna be a big mess. About 5 miles from this venue, a guy I graduated High School with, his aunt owns a venue that has a stage. A lot smaller than the one on top, but I thought ‘I’m gonna call them and see if I can use their stage. At least have 2 or 3 bands. Have something for people to do.’ They all thought I was crazy!”
Being one to never back down from a challenge, Carpenter pulled off an entire festival in a mere two weeks.
“I turned what I thought was gonna be 2 or 3 bands in one day, into a 3 day, 23 band, 2 stage, with 3 national headlining artists. We come in and put on our own full festival in 14 days. It about killed me. I lost about 30 pounds. I didn’t eat. I didn’t sleep. I learned so much, because all the contracts you have to deal with, all the insurance, all the vendors, the port-a-potties. Things I never ever dreamed you had to deal with to be successful. That whole first year, and even the second year, I was still learning.”
Seems Carpenter is a hero in and out of the music business. It’s just his nature to help and have fun doing it.
“My hometown is small and there’s not a whole lot goes on there. This is kinda my opportunity to go back and give back. I do the Lance Carpenter Scholarship fund where I give High School Seniors scholarships that I raise money for throughout the year. We always have charities that we donate to. It’s a chance to just go home and have a weekend of music and fun and food.”
Certainly this small town is bursting with pride in their local hero, who grew up working hard on his family’s cattle farm, as is the music community as a whole, who has found a multi-talented, fun-loving, ambassador of country music with a true heart of gold.
Lance Carpenter is currently touring now through November 16 and his single “Anyone Else” is burning up airwaves on radio and streaming music everywhere!
