“Classically Trained Country Crooner”. This is what Carrie Cunningham has become to be known as. With not a lot to do in a small Nebraska town, Carries love for singing began at an early age watching and imitating “Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters Show”. Carrie loved to watch the way Barbara and her Sisters used the stage and performed; they are the influences which helped Carrie discover her passion to become an entertainer. Although her parents loved the Midwest, they believed the Northwest would increase their chances of having successful careers. Feeling out of place and insecure, Carrie’s teacher suggested she join the middle school Acappella and Jazz Choirs. Carrie soon found comfort and felt a sense of belonging. Carrie started to build her confidence and began performing solos to packed gymnasiums. Although Carrie was singing Classical and Jazz music in school, she found comfort at home listening to Alabama, Patsy Cline, Jim Croce, while listening to a few new pop/rock sounds of Damn Yankees and Aerosmith. During High School Carrie’s vocal talents developed tremendously and earned her a seat for All-State and All-Northwest Choirs. Because of the four to eight part harmonies Carrie’s ear was now use to, she began to listen a little more closely to pop culture and Motown. “The Mamas and The Papas” and “The Supremes” were the main source of ear candy for Carrie with a few bands off the radio. Wanting to find her place in music, Carrie began to focus on the music that really brought her back to her roots of Nebraska. In this moment of her life, Reba McEntire exploded onto the Country Charts. Carrie knew her life was going to revolve around country from that day forward. She entered her first country singing competition in Spokane, WA at the age of 19 and took 4th. Singing in college choir and taking private vocal lessons helped Carrie take home 1st place at the 100th Anniversary Eagles Auxillary National Talent Competition a few years later. Once College was over, Carrie joined the Spokane Symphony Choral in order for her to maintain her vocal strength. She ended up staying for five years.
Carrie started dabbing into songwriting in 1996 after being a part of many different cover bands from blues and classic rock to a performing songwriting Duo for two years. She found that singing other peoples songs paid the bills, but were not personally satisfying. In 2003 Carrie sang background vocals for a Seattle country band where in 2004 after months of their begging, she agreed to join the band as a part front man. Carrie found there were moral confrontations and was not going to sacrifice what she believed in for a cover band so she ended the relationship. Within Two weeks, Divulge Records signed Carrie to a recording deal. Branching out for the first time as a solo performer and Nashville Songwriters Association member in late 2006, Carrie has spent the years playing benefit concerts and touching people worldwide with her heartfelt lyrics and has shared the stage with numerous national acts such as: The Bellamy Brothers, Mark Wills, Rich McCready, Sugarland, Keith Anderson and Heidi Newfield. Currently, the song Smile Again -from her debut solo album Honeysweet- is becoming a staple theme song for various organizations and podcasts such as the Vanished Children’s Alliance and Emergency 911.
With years of performing experience, Carrie religiously draws the audience into a wondrous musical experience that has them walking away certain that they have just witnessed a rising entertainer on her way to stardom. Where and when will she be appearing next is always a bombarding question that comes Carrie’s way. With her physique, her stage presence the uncanny vocal resemblance of Linda Rondstandt meets Patsy Cline, it’s clear why Carrie Cunningham’s popularity is spreading like wildfire from the Northwest regions of the U.S. to scores of locations around the globe!
“5 out of 5! Wow! There is nothing more can I say!”
-The Bald Guy Show - Music Review Podcast
“Carrie’s lyrical writing rivals her amazing voice…pure songs that leave some mystery and invoke distinct, vivid imagery!”
-KXLY Ch. 4 - Spokane
“We’ll be spinning Carrie’s music for quite some time!”
-The Country File - Havenstad - The Netherlands
Carrie most recently was number 19 on the ECMA's most played song of the week in August, with song "You Lose This Time". She earned this title wiith her song going 1 in Belgium, 4 in Ireland, 8 in Austria and 10 in Norway.
Carrie looks forward to sharing her flair with you on her upcoming tour!
I've known you for some time and have always been impressed with your music. This is the first time I've listened to the tunes on your page, and you are blowing me away. Gheez. Great voice, great material, great arranging. Keep on!!
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I've just sent you a Strawberry Cupcake for your Willy's Sweet Shop. Can you please send me one back? The more gifts we send the more money we can raise for St. Jude Children's Hospital.
Hi Carrie, Thanks, for the message, so will you be with the Fair again next year when you come. Have a great weekend and when will you have your next CD out? TTYL Your friend Betty :o)
Thank you for the friendship on MySpace too! I'm so happy for you and wish you all the best for your plans the rest of the year! Hope we get to hang out again here in Nashville in 2010!
Hey Carrie! How ya doing? Sorry we missed you at Harvest Days in BG........ever wish you could clone yourself so you could be 2 places at once?! LOL Hope to see you soon! Hugs! *Niki*
Wrapped Up In Me is on radio stations across the Nation as of this week. Request it NOW! If you sign up on my mailing list this week you will be entered in the drawing for a copy of my new self-titled CD Susan Hickman. you also get a free download just for singing up. Just fill in the mailing list form on my MySpace page!!! Hope you have a great week!!! Love, ~Susan www.susanhickman.com
You are AWESOME!!! Thank you so much for being a friend!!! Hope you had a Happy 4th of July!!!!! God Bless America!!!!!
Wrapped Up In Me is #38 on the New Music Weekly Country Main Chart!!!! I am also #18 on the top 30 Indie Chart this week!!! It is on radio stations across the nation, you can request it now!!!!! Also, If you are around Friday August 28th I'll be having a big show at Tumbleweed Texas in Houston Texas I really hope to see you there!!! Love ~Susan www.susanhickman.com
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