Although based in Nashville, singer/songwriter Erin McCarley cut her teeth on the San Diego circuit, where she sang in a country cover band and spent her free time writing songs.
She later partnered with producer/composer Jamie Kenney and relocated to Nashville, which brought her closer to her native Texas. Combining uplifting pop/rock hooks with McCarley’s wide-ranging vocals, the duo wrote an album’s worth of material before McCarley decamped to Austin for the 2008 South by Southwest Festival. Over the course of several days, she wowed enough industry personnel to secure a record deal with Universal Republic, which readied the release of her endearing debut album, Love, Save the Empty, for January 2009. Since then, Erin’s songs have been featured on numerous hit television shows and one of her songs even earned a spot on the movie trailer for He’s Just Not That Into You.
McCarley has recently released her second album, My Stadium Electric. We got to chat with Erin about the first concert she ever attended, her most memorable gig and her dream lineup! Check it out below.
What’s the first gig you ever attended?
DEBBIE GIBSON. 8th row. I definitely wore a side ponytail. And Richard Marx opened.
What is the best gig that you ever performed?
Playing the Nashville arena with David Gray and Ray Lamontagne was pretty incredible. Both guys are such good songwriters and authentic deliverers of their soul in their music. The crowd was lovely and gracious and it was just an overall experience I will never forget.
What is the best gig you have ever seen?
One of the best gigs I have ever seen was at Sundance at the ASCAP stage. The band Carney played. They blew me away. Reeve Carney and his brother Zane both have a style that is so new yet so reminiscent of Zeppelin and Hendrix in the way they play their instruments. I cried.
Gig you would most like to play?
Headlining Glastonbury festival or Lollapalooza.
What would be the lineup for your dream gig?
FIONA APPLE – BECK – BJORK – BRAZILIAN GIRLS – ERIN MCCARLEY
Catch Erin McCarley at Eddie’s Attic this Sunday, August 11 with special guest, K.S. Rhodes!
