Rising star: Local teen follows musical dream

The Spectrum - St. George, Utah
Author:
LISA LARSON
Date:
Jun 25, 2010
larson@thespectrum.com
When she sings, people often guess she's at least 17. Her presence on stage has sparked interest from college-aged men and her lyrics reflect topics understood by women with years of experiences with life and love, but Carlie Wall is only 14.
"I just think of something that could be going on in someone else's life and write about it," Wall says of her music. "I think in some way all the songs relate to me even if it doesn't seem like they do."
Even those making music with her are surprised by her age.
"From the moment I heard her voice I was like, Oh my gosh. This is some serious talent,'" says Gordon Strang, drummer in the Carlie Wall Band. "I cannot believe she's 14."
Wall's love for music started as a child when she was writing songs she says were "not songs you'd hear from a 5-year-old." For example she wrote about a mother whose daughter died and became an angel to her mother.
Four years later she got her first guitar.
"I didn't know how to play it," Wall says.
That was rectified three years ago when her grandmother taught her three chords and from those she composed a song for her grandpa for Father's Day. Now she just can't get enough of performing her music and neither can her mom.
"It just fulfills me," Raquel Wall says of her daughter's music. "I even stand outside her bedroom door and listen even though she doesn't know I'm there."
In true teenage fashion Carlie responds, "I know you're there. I can see your shadow under my door."
The first time Carlie took her music public was during a concert at Xetava Gardens in Kayenta - just Carlie and her guitar.
"There was like nobody there except 20 people of my own family," Carlie says. "That was how it all started."
Since then the crowds have changed somewhat, comprising friends and family as well as strangers who seem to enjoy Carlie's music.
"It seems like I get more and more people every night," she says.
In May, Carlie recorded five of her songs at John Houston's studio in Hurricane. It was through this experience she connected with Strang and the Carlie Wall Band was born.
"I went to check her out and sure enough I was completely blown away," Strang says.
Working with Carlie and Raquel, Strang put together Carlie's backing band that includes himself on drums, Dave Smith - a friend and neighbor of the Walls - on bass and Rich Robbins on guitar. Strang hand-picked the musicians based on their talent as well as their ability to back Carlie and not try to steal the show.
"We didn't want to have a drummer overplaying, a bass player overplaying or a guitar player overshadowing her," Strang says. "We just want to be as complementary as we can."
Finding and showcasing local music is one of Strang's passions and something he does on a regular basis with his Southern Utah Homegrown Original Music show each Sunday on 95.9 FM The Hawk. He's also always wanted to be in a project with a female lead singer.
"I just always thought it would be somebody who was older," says the 47-year-old Strang.
Between the three backing musicians, Strang says they have around 45 years of collective professional musical experience that "creates a solid foundation for her."
It's a foundation Carlie is happy to have.
"It makes it easier because they know what they're doing," Carlie says. "When they give me advice, I listen to it."
For now Carlie has performed in Utah primarily, such as opening for Shallow Day in St. George on June 11 - the first show with her band. She also competed in the KONY Country Showdown on Monday and earned the spot as the first runner-up.
Her immediate future plans include a gig at the Provo Freedom Festival Children's Art Show in Provo on July 5, as well as shows at the Washington County Fair, Utah State Fair and Swiss Days. There is also talk of some regional tours on the horizon.
Carlie says she just "goes with the flow" when it comes to performances, allowing her mom to take care of much of the booking and planning. She has ideas of her own though, which include "getting out there" - meaning "getting famous" - by the time she is 20.
"That's my plan cause school is overrated," she says.
Raquel doesn't mind tackling the marketing and promotions side of her daughter's hobby, operating with the mantra "go big or go home," but she says she only wants to do it as long as Carlie is enthused about it too.
"I'm just helping facilitate what Carlie wants ... I'd never want to push her because if it's not her passion there is no point to any of this," Raquel says.
So far, things seem to be falling into place for Carlie.
"People have come to us and we haven't had a lot of obstacles," Raquel says. "There's no other way to go than just reach for the stars with what she has."
Carlie's CD is available for purchase on CD Baby, Amazon.com and iTunes but for a preview, log onto www.thespectrum.com/news/extras/carliewall.html to hear a track on TheSpectrum.com. For more information on Carlie Wall, log onto her website at www.carliewall.com.
Info Box:Go Online
Carlie's CD is available for purchase on CD Baby, Amazon.com and iTunes but for a preview, log onto www.thespectrum.com/news/extras/carliewall.html to hear a track on TheSpectrum.com. For more information on Carlie Wall, log onto her website at www.carliewall.com.


Lisa Larson - The Spectrum-Where its @ (Jun 25, 2010)