Hes one of Australias most prolific, respected & in-demand songwriters in country music today and now, after two years on the road and a 2005 National Tour as Terri Clarks Special Guest, Mike Carr, is increasingly attracting attention as a singer, as well as songwriter and larrikin live performer.
He was recently thrilled to be one of only seven International artists invited to perform at the American Country Music Associations Global Artist Showcase, held in Nashville during the 2005 Annual CMA Music Festival. So, imagine when, on the night, Mike was the only artist who received a spontaneous standing ovation from the Media & Industry full-house of cheering Celebrities, Record Company Executives, Journalists, Peers & Fans!?
Mike remembers it as being a truly magical night for him, with a following invitation to stay on in Nashville for an additional four weeks and co-write with several other successful singer/songwriters, including Dean Miller, fellow-Aussie Sherrie Austin & one of Mikes own personal heroes, Joe Diffie. He was then again invited to return for a further four weeks of co-writing in October .. and again in early 2006.
He says he already knew it was going to be a good year for him last year when it kicked off in January with a Golden Guitar Award for SONG OF THE YEAR 2005. Mike had two nominations in this category this year for Adam Brands album title track and No. 1 single, Get Loud; & the winning song on the night, Real People, a track co-written with Melinda Schneider & recorded for her current album, Family Tree.
Mikes own family tree has an impressive showbusiness history, with his famous entertainer father, Warren Carr, reigning supreme as the HonkyTonk King of Rock & Roll in the 1950s. Brother, Darren, is also a musician and Mo-Award-winning Entertainer, but up until a few years ago, Mike had balked at joining the CARR CLUB LEGEND and chose labouring as his career instead.
However, it didnt take long for this reluctant artist to work out that cement dust didnt have the same crazy power over women as a cowboy hat & convincing love song .. and his days of laying bricks were quickly over!
Mikes self-titled debut album, released in 2003, welcomed him to the world of country music and produced several hit singles, including award-winning tracks, Up on His Shoulders, While the Wifes Away and the now well-covered, wedding anthem, Wearing White, (recorded as a duet with Melinda Schneider); as well as Hometown High School Reunion and his irreverent tribute to his late start in the music industry, Wham, Bam! (Here I am where I Belong!).
Mikes second album, LEGEND, showcases his smooth, melodic, distinctive voice on eleven of his strong & clever, new songs, including the mischievous title track, Legend, about the importance of impressing your mates; the tongue-in-cheek take-on-life, Mad in America and Mike explores the inevitable questioning of life on both Long Way to Heaven and the more quirky Leave me Be.
Theres also two melancholy love-gone-wrong songs, I Know Lonely and The Last of Me .. but its the haunting and emotional show-stopper, Shes Gone, that confirms MIKE CARR is indeed a LEGEND!!
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