We recently talk with Stevie C, a rising star in the music world who’s been making waves with his unique blend of country and pop. Based in New York City, Stevie C brings a fresh and authentic sound to the scene, with heartfelt lyrics and a voice that grabs your attention. In our chat, we got to know more about his musical journey, what inspires him, and what exciting projects he’s working on next. Here’s what Stevie C had to share with us!
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how your musical journey began?
I grew up on the outskirts for a horse farm in Red Bank, NJ. I was a very outgoing, rambunctious kid. My parents would have dinner parties and I would come out, unsolicited mind you, with a spoon in my hand and perform for the party. Telling jokes or singing a song. Much to my parents chagrin, they let me do it. Ha, now that I think about it, some of those were my best shows….I started out with the piano at the age of 6 doing Chopin and Mozart. Doing those little piano recitals in front of parents and teachers. But, at 13, I grabbed the guitar. This old black acoustic where the action was just ridiculously high, sat in the corner. It called to me. Even though my hands were hurting and bleeding I kept at it. It became a part of me. Because I loved to perform this instrument added to my “little” showmanship. Then at 16, I got into a lot of trouble.
I was grounded for the entire summer. That summer was pivotal. My girlfriend dumped me for my best friend, my parents we so angry and disappointed, I couldn’t go out, I couldn’t do anything, but I could play the guitar. Down on my luck, sad and lonely I got the “blues”. It spoke to me. That genera of music, taught me that I could take all my emotions and express it with just 3 chords. Clapton, Hendrix, the three Kings (Albert, B.B. and Freddie), Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, all helped me find a way to express the hurt, the pain and the sadness. Hey I an emotional 16 year old. For 3 straight months, 8 hours a day, I played “with” them. Learning their “licks” and, most importantly, their rhythm and “feel”. By the time the summer was over, I got good. Or at least good enough to start a three piece blues band. I played the Stone Pony in Asbury Park the following year. That did it. From there on out, I was always in a band, It wasn’t a hobby or a phase, it was a part of me, deep in my core. It became a lifestyle…
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
Any particular artists or genres that influenced your sound? I didn’t really pursue it. It overcame me. What spoke to me was the blues. Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan just spoke to me. I could feel why they were playing. Their tales of loss and sadness hit the lonely kid in the country. Then the learning grew into the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Pink Floyd, The Yardbirds, John Mayall, J.J. Cale, Peter Frampton. I was deeply rooted in the blues and Rock ‘n Roll. As a 90s kid, I also had current music too. Pearl Jam just came out. Spin Doctors, who, years later I was billed at a show with Chris Barron (Lead singer). Blues Traveller, Phish. Dave Mathews…Disciples from the Masters that came before them
Stevie C’s Unique Sound: The Fusion of Country and Pop
How would you describe your sound and style to someone who’s never heard your music before?
I’m Rock, Country and Blues. You will be getting a lot of guitar solos….Hopefully you’ll get my lyrics and when you step back you can see the message that is coming across. My songs range from those three genres. It can get loud, but I can be soft as well.
What’s your typical songwriting process like? Do you start with the lyrics, melody, or a specific idea?
It begins from 1 of 3 starting points. 1) Rhythm, could be how the “feel” is…The drums have started the beat and I write around it, “Kat’s Meow” started that way. The beat told me the story of confusion and totally questioning “what the hell just happened”. 2) A riff, or a chords progression..”6 Feet” started with me just tinkering around and it grew. Once I had the structure of the song, the lyrics just flew out. Fastest song I ever wrote. 3) The idea. “Alone With All of You” is a typical blues structure but I wanted to write about being alone. But, we are never really alone are we? There is going to be someone, somewhere going through what you are going through. You just have to find them. But if you come to my show, chances are they are there, singing along with you. When I’m on stage in front of the crowd, we can all be alone together.
Do you collaborate with other artists, writers, or producers? If so, how do these collaborations shape your music?
I used to. Most of my life I’ve been in bands. I’ve made 5 full albums in my career. We all wrote together. It is a quick find, that if you come into a writing session, with your idea, the final outcome will NOT be that idea. It will morph into something else. Each member provides their own distinct voice and tone. This is a good thing! It will be better. You just have to get out of your own way, toss aside your ego and let them take the wheel for a little spin. Watch it grow into something different but cooler. Currently, I am writing alone. These songs are my vision and personal messages. This is the first time that I’m by myself in the writing process. This is my solo voyage.
What’s the most challenging part of creating new music for you?
The Lyrics. Definitely. I can write but I’m writing poetry set to a specific rhythm around a theme. I’ll agonize over a line for weeks. “No, that can’t be that long….or you’re repeating the same word over and over again”. I’m constantly reading “how to write better lyrics”. I was always the lead guitarist. Just worry about the solo. That was my only job. Now I have to be the lead guitarist AND the front man. It’s a new thing for me… I’ll play the chords on repeat to find nothing is coming. UGH! What’s weird, is that word or phrase will just appear out of no where. I just have to be patient. Let the lyrics come to me.
Inspiration Behind Stevie C’s Music: Influences and Creative Process
Let’s talk about your latest EP/album/single. What’s the story behind it? What inspired this project?
AH “Levels”. It’s the 5 stages of loss in a Rock song. I was telling my daughter about the loss of my mom. How I was stuck in anger. She looked at my perplexed. “stuck? How can you be stuck in anger?”. I realized that she didn’t know about the 5 stages; Anger, Denial, Bargaining, Sadness and finally Acceptance. We can jump from 1 or the other at a moment’s notice or just stay in a “Level” for years (like me). Anyone or everyone is going through a “Level” at any moment. I looked at her and said “Wait, 3 verses, a bridge and a chorus! Where’s my guitar?”. It took a week to write it. When you listen to it, can you pick out what level I’m singing?
Is there a specific theme or message you want to convey through this release?
It’s written from the point of view of someone who is going through loss. “All 5 Levels, since you left me, hitt’n every branch coming down that misery tree…” It’s a story of the person going through the “Levels”. Finally coming to the realization that they are gone and well, they just have to find a way to move on, to “accept” the outcome….Everyone goes through these “Levels” when there is loss. We need to realize this, understand the “Levels” and then when we see what stage they are at, we can help them. There are tricks to cope with Denial or Anger. We just need to be able to see it.
Can you walk us through the process of creating this project? Any memorable moments from recording or writing that stand out?
The Solo, I did it by accident. I play the Bitter End in NYC once a month for the NY Songwriters Collective. The song wasn’t really done….But I played it anyway. The amp was WAY to loud. That happens when you don’t get to sound check. So I just played less. I used the feedback to make it work. It’s all feel. I’m not trying to vomit notes on the fretboard. It was a mix of Clapton and Neal Schon from Journey. That week I booked a studio, cranked the amp up and just let it rip. The live version of “Levels” is on my Spotify. That’s the first time I played it live and wrote the solo on the spot.
Are there any particular tracks on the EP/album that you feel especially connected to, and why?
“Alone With All of You” is one that is close to my heart. It’s my blues tune. It builds. Starting out soft and by the time the song is over, It’s balls to the wall, ROCK. I think Freddie King would have like this tune. I asked David Madore, this crazy, fantastic piano player to lay down some keys. WOW! did he deliver… I said “ok, just play along to it.” He added to the song. I mean, I can play piano, but not like that… The build, the tone….It’s incredible. We did 10 takes and every one of them was pure gold. He even added the Hammond B on top. We did it in a hour….The hardest part was comping his parts. There were so many great parts, I wanted them all in. It’s also so much fun to play on stage. Someone told me after a show that I need to close with that song. We’ll see…..
How has your music evolved since you first started? Have there been any significant changes in your style or approach?
There are a few key moments that shaped them. First was the age of 16 when I got locked in my room for an entire summer. The second was leaving my high school senior year because I went to the Red Bank Regional Vocational School for music. That’s where I learn the theory of music. Why does Am sound so good with a C, F and G? The scales, the modes, the methods, I learned a tremendous amount of information in one year. This go me into the music conservatory at Wilkes University. The Third was, quitting college my sophomore year to join a band called “Johnny-Seven”. This is where I learned the business of being a band. The booking, the marketing, the ticket sales. This all shaped what we wrote. What we dressed like and how we moved. You need to move when you play.
I can’t help it when I’m on stage. The more room I have the better. If you need to be off the beat. The snare is on the 1 & 3, you need to be on the 2 & 4, dancing helps to keep the time. This is also the time I made a “real” record in a “real” studio. This was before pro-tools or digital recording. You become a better listener when you record. The play back, you start to hear things that you don’t get when practicing or at a show. It made me a better listener. The fourth is COVID. When that hit all of us, that’s when I came to the realization that I could record from home. It opened up my world as I became the producer and engineer. What mics I should use, where can I place them? I realized I was painting with sound and could shape the tone, sound and timing at a push of a button. WOAH! I can make an song fully right from here. The major theme behind this is to “Never stop learning”. Stay curious. Each thing you learn is a building block for you to become better at whatever you are doing.
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What have you learned about yourself as both an artist and a person through your musical journey?
The music gave me a ton of confidence and made me realize I bring a lot to the table. Both artistically and socially. I enjoy people. I’m always curious about what they are doing. The music just made it so easy to connect with every walk of life. I’ve met some incredible people in my 35 years of doing this. It helped shape my identity. It gave me a purpose. If I was in a shitty job, I knew I had a gig coming up and just for that brief window, I got to do something I truly love to do. It made that shitty job a little less, well, shitty. It brought some amazing people into my life. It created a family outside the one I was born into. At times, It made me feel important and worth something. I was contributing something to this world. I may never be famous or be in the Rock n Roll hall of fame, but I put a musical stamp out there. Maybe when I gone, years from now, someone might come across my music and just maybe, I could help them feel better.
Do you have any specific goals or areas you want to explore musically in the future?
I want to go into the studio, with a full band and just record! I’m craving that. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE to perform my songs to a live crowd. Trust me that is worth every second and I chase that hight a lot. But a very close 2nd is recording. I truly enjoy the creation aspect of it. When that song is produced and ready to go live, it’s such a high. Another is sync placements. Once the songs are done, I’m shopping them to the music supervisors! Would just lose my shit if I got a song in a Marvel movie or even Gray’s Anatomy.
How do you navigate the challenges of the modern music industry? Any tips for independent or emerging artists?
Ok the writing, marketing, production, distribution, talent, organization, basically EVERTHING has changed since the past 35 years. It has changed SO much. It was harder back then to get your music heard. Shit to create it, was even harder. I know, “Back in my day……” blah blah blah, yeah well, I can talk to someone in Australia about my music very easily. Back in 1995 that would have cost you some dollars. But with everything there is a balance. We are flooded with music now. There’s just a huge pond and a lot of little fish. You have to stand out. Find something different that you can be proud of. Be unique. It’s ok to “borrow” from your idols but you have to be you. Be the next you.
Who are your biggest musical influences right now, and how do they inspire you?
Tedeschi Trucks & Dave Mathews Band. They take me to church every time I see them. They both are so original and awe inspiring. Each time I leave their show, I am energized to write or perform and definitely to practice. John Mayer is just an incredible artist and performer. Keith Urban, Warren Haynes to name just a few. There are so many incredible artists today.
Are there any current trends in music that excite or influence your work?
The fact that I can write, record and release all from my home is super exciting. I didn’t know I could do that before COVID. We dad to get book a costly studio to record a song. Today It’s become so affordable now. And with the social platforms I can reach a MUCH larger audience that I never could.
Stevie C on Connecting with Fans: The Importance of Authenticity
How do you connect with your fans? Do social media and live performances play a big role in your relationship with your audience?
10000%, I actually like being a “content creator”. It’s fun to storyboard out ideas. Take a live performance and post that on all the platforms. You can reach people from all over the world in a second. I answer every comment I get. Talking with the fans is SO key. Just the other day I spoke with a girl from Tennessee who is just learning the guitar. We talked about rhythm. How playing to a metronome is so crucial.. That would never happen back in the 90s…..
What can we expect next from you? Do you have any upcoming projects, tours, or collaborations in the works?
I’m in talks with a MONSTER Producer who has worked with Dolly Parton, Chris Stapleton and others….Not sure where this will take me but it’s exciting that he reached out to me! He said he wants to work with me! I’m not at liberty to say who, but that fact he emailed me was humbling and such an honour. I also have 5 new songs coming out in the next few months. “6 Feet”, “Sure Thing”, “Storms Coming”, “Burn Out” and “Cracks In The Glass”. “6 Feet” is first. It’s song about how I shouldn’t be alive. I survived a very horrific car crash. Don’t know how….but I’m gonna find out why. I’ve been teasing it on my platform for a little bit. It’s almost done.
Where do you see your music taking you in the next few years?
I hope I can get some sync placements. Would love to hear my song on movie or TV show. I would like to open for a national act. That would just be incredible.
What advice would you give to young or emerging artists trying to break into the industry?
Learn everything and anything. Go to the library, scour the internet, READ BOOKS….Take classes….never stop being curious. Sheryl Crow told me, “Surround yourself with mentors and equals”. I took that heart. You also need to learn the “business” side of it. Marketing, promotions, management, distribution, A&R, ASCAP, BMI, LLC., publishing….ALL OF IT. The more you know the more valuable you become.
If you could collaborate with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Eric Clapton, cause I know all of his songs and it would just be a dream come true. John Mayer. The guys is just a monster guitar player. He would be able to show me some new approaches to the guitar. Plus, he’s SUPER smart and hysterical. It would just be a great experience. Aerosmith, they are rooted in the blues but WOW what a rock band.
Outside of music, what other passions or hobbies do you have? How do they influence your creative work?
Going to see other performers. I LOVE live music. Going to a concert for your favourite artist is just electrifying. It doesn’t have to be a big name either. Shit, I saw a three piece cover band here in NYC last week at Prohibition on the upper west side. They blew me a way. I had the best time singing along. AND, The Whiskey was really good. Going to live shows, you come away a better musician. You get ideas and tricks you didn’t dream were possible. Little nuggets to put in your musician arsenal for a later use. And the music is cathartic. You feel better….All my stress just goes away. I truly believe that music can heal. I’ve seen it first hand. It’s been a part of human history for just a long as language. It’s in our core. It makes our heart react. It can speed it up or slow it down. It’s magic.
Any final messages for your fans or upcoming listeners before your release?
Tomorrow is not a guarantee. It’s not. All you can count on is, right now. If you just sit for a moment and think about that. If you were gone tomorrow, how would you live today? Would it be different? What would you do? Would you hug a little tighter? Kiss a little longer? Love a hell of lot harder? Cause, I gotta tell you. From a guy who almost bit the bullet. When that time comes, that’s the only thing you think about.
Thank you for reading this exclusive interview with Stevie C. We hope you enjoyed gaining insight into his journey, unique sound, and upcoming projects. Be sure to stay connected with Stevie C through his music, social media, and future releases, as this rising star continues to make his mark in the country-pop scene.
Whether you’re a long-time fan or just discovering his music, Stevie C’s story of passion, resilience, and authenticity is truly inspiring. With his latest singles and engaging live performances, Stevie C is poised to leave a lasting impact on the music industry.
Stay tuned for more updates, new music, and exclusive content from this talented artist, and don’t forget to follow his journey as he connects with fans around the world.
Follow Stevie C: Instagram: @stevie6stringlive
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