Candy Coburn: Interview - By Magda Russell

(Magda): If you could give one word that would describe your work, what would it be? Why did you pick that word?

Candy: I am not sure if you mean what my style would be? I guess I would say ROCKIN Country with Soul I always think this is the hardest question ha!

(Magda): In your opinion, what has been the most challenging part about being an independent artist?

Candy: Finances. I manage, budget, book, wear 100 hats while managing musicians to play shows, hire, fire. I hate that part of it. I cannot stand letting people down or having to let someone go. That has been the hardest part for me. Sometimes I stress over how I am not able to pay people that work with me enough. There are SOOO many wonderful people that have believed in what I am doing and where my career is going. I just would love to be in a position to recognize them someday and REALLY thank them. But also the hardest part of the indie thing at this point is time management and just covering every aspect that a major label has a full staff to do WHILE making and performing your music which is just what all of us really want to do. Unfortunately it takes all of the other jobs to make that work and you have to run it as a business because you do have a payroll.

(Magda): What do you feel has been the most rewarding part about being an independent artist?

Candy: I really have enjoyed doing so many shows live. That is my true love and I love meeting people and getting to know them and their families, seeing them from show to show and watching a fan base grow. I also love all of the wonderful relationships with all of the other talented musicians/singers/songwriters that are also out there doing it for the love of music.

(Magda): You have opened for artists such as Reba McEntire, Josh Turner, Blake Shelton, Montgomery Gentry, Brooks & Dunn and Keith Anderson. What was that like for you?

Candy: Well, some shows I am on the main stage, some I am on the front stage and do not get to be (what I call) "high five-ing" them on the way off. Ha! But the shows have been such a great experience. There are so many wonderful acts out there that I have opened for that are just a blast to be a part of their shows. Keith Anderson, Hot Apple Pie, Blake Shelton and all of the others I think you mentioned were just GREAT shows.

(Magda): You have had your first album, Enjoy the Ride, out for awhile now, you managed to get Walmart to sell it online and in many of the Walmart stores in the Midwest. Now you're working on your new album. What can you tell us about it?

Candy: IT IS GOING TO ROCK!! Just got out of the studio in Nashville - already a lot of interest. I had a wonderful producer, D Scott Miller and just fantastic musicians on it. I will be involved in Country Radio Seminar coming Feb 15-17 of this year and will feature a bunch of new songs that I have been writing this year. VERY excited. Also a brand new website will be going up with the new music and new video on it Feb 1st.

(Magda): In your first album you wrote a song entitled "Job Description" which was about the tough job of being a mom. Is this a song written from personal experience?

Candy: OHHHHHHH Yeah. I was so surprised when I had my first little boy, that I had never read about the struggles of motherhood in any of those "gonna have a baby" books that were all sugary sweet but seemed to not really give us any realistic view of what we might feel like to have a whole NEW way of living for a little person first instead of ourselves. I wrote it very tongue in cheek and I do LOVE being a mother. I am still amazed at just how I got so lucky as to have 3 wonderful boys in my life (my hubby and 2 little fellas). I have soooo many people come up and talk to me about that song and thank me for it. I am glad it can help any parents feel like they can say. "Hey, it's okay to not have everything figured out just enjoy the ride!!"

(Magda): Where do you get the material for most of the songs you write?

Candy: Everywhere but mostly just life experiences, my friends, family, what I read in the paper, anywhere. I always picture a video in my head before I write any song and luckily I have had the chance to write with some AMAZING writers and love the experience to see a song take shape and then get to play it live and see how they fans "get" what I am trying to say.

(Magda): I see that you like the color green. What's the story behind the green guitar?

Candy: I think you mentioned that you would be asking me about my crazy accident this past year. So I will leave those details for that question, but to answer your questionmy wonderful husband got that guitar for me for mother's day several years ago when I was VERY pregnant and playing out acoustic shows every week during my pregnancy. Green has always been my favorite color and he knew I had been in looking at that guitar for awhile. I came home on Mother's Day and it was on the kitchen table. I still say to this day, I could never trump that gift---(unless of course if I could ever afford a Ferrari for him! Ha). I ended up getting an endorsement on my guitar and now get them provided for me as my signature, custom color as a featured artist by the company. It worked out pretty well! Ha

(Magda): Which of your performances have been most memorable for you?

Candy: I have been so lucky to get to open great shows for many national acts and also headline a great tour dates of my own but I would probably say my favorite show for feeling just HONORED to be anywhere would be this past year when I played the very legendary Bluebird Café in Nashville. I can honestly say that it is an amazing place where all of music history is just sitting in the walls and it feels like a church in a way. Everyone that has come thru there has left a part of them there which makes everyone that gets that great chance after that feel that very special atmosphere that has made it such a landmark. Also I LOVE playing Cain's Ballroom in Tulsahome of Bob Wills, the owner's just restored that place to immaculate condition and it is a very special place to play music.

(Magda): If I began a story with the word, "A strange thing happened on the way to Nashville Star 3"--would you be willing to complete the story for us?

Candy: HA!!! That is wild you ask thatin case anyone has ever googled my name (besides the fact there was some movie related to some other candy coburn listing----ha!), they would find several stories about that crazy day! I was in the regionals that were in Nashville in the last leg of the 60 before they picked the final 10 and on the morning of going down to Nashville at 8am with both of my boys in the back seat of my car, about 3 miles from my house (which is 6.5 hours from Nashville) my car hydroplaned off the road into a 40ft embankment and jackknifed between 2 huge trees. The entire front of the car was gone, my little ones were okay Thank God! But it busted my nose, and my wedding ring of many years was demolished and the diamond was gone (never to be found by the way) and it had also busted my left knuckles pretty good. After we were rescued down in the ditch in the pouring rain my husband said... "Well I guess I will take you to over to borrow a car from your mom (which was 3 hours away and also this tells you what a HUGE supporter my husband is to suggest this to continue my journey to Nashville even after a totaled car). So we take off in his truck and 50 miles later a buck runs out in front of his truck and rips the front end off. I know no one would ever believe this story but it is the truth as crazy as it sounds. LONGER story short I made it to Nashville about 5 hours before I had to be at the Regional interview, 12 hours later and 3 hours of sleep in between. Lastly I realize my "signature" green guitar's neck is totally cracked off from the impact of the crash, so luckily that worked as I mentioned in the question above. I did not make it in to Nashville Star but I felt like the luckiest one of all and could not have been more happy to have a safe and happy family that still supported me getting there and getting thru it after all of the circumstances. I always say what doesn't kill ya makes you stronger! Ha!

(Magda): You have a DVD out, entitled "Candy Coburn Special". How did that come about?

Candy: A great producer named Jerry Parent of J&J Productions asked me to a live performance on his country video countdown show, Windup Country Countdown, and after I did one song he asked to do another. He did a live video of it (on the dvd special) and found that he had interest from many of his media markets to put a 30 minute special together of an up and coming independent artist who writes her own music and supports full tour schedules.

(Magda): Thank you so much for taking time to talk to us today. Where can fans go to get ahold of your music and your DVD?

Candy: At my website at www.candycoburn.com!

(Magda): What is the best way for fans to keep track of you career?

Candy: By signing up at my website for the email list and also watching for great updates on the website at www.candycoburn.com

Candy Coburn: Interview from 2005

By Magda Russell

Independent artist Candy Coburn has recently been called "a fireball onstage" and "a rising star." Her rockin' country tunes are getting noticed in Nashville and beyond.

(Magda): How did you get started in country music?

Candy: I guess you can say I have been "in music" from birth. My grandmother is a great singer and she had me singing in church from about 3. I have always known from very early on that performing was the one "heaven on Earth" that God gave me (until of course later on when my wonderful husband and 2 precious little boys came along!).

(Magda): Who do you feel influenced your music style the most?

Candy: I have such a long list but I would first say Loma Jean Borders (my grandmother), she always sang gospel and country and as the years went along I discovered my love for so many different talented "POWER" singers. The ones that I think sing like they mean it and from their soul-like Aretha Franklin, Mahalia Jackson, Sheryl Crow, Wynonna, Dolly Parton, and SOOO many more.