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Rex Norton @ Forget-Me-Not
Rex Norton discovered a love for entertaining very early on in his life. At all of three years old, he was already singing in church, never missing an opportunity to showcase his God-given gift. His grandparents were members of the long-running southern gospel music group The Edward Hicks Family, in which Rex joined when he was just five. He remembers the early days of touring with his family: “I’d take along my little Dukes of Hazzard guitar and sing everything from ‘Jesus Loves Me’ to ‘Just Some Good Ole Boys.’” From there, he performed every chance he could, taking the stage in school musicals and talent shows and then later at a number of local festivals.

Born in Athens, GA and raised in the small town of Royston, Rex was immersed in music. “My dad always listened to country music, from Conway Twitty and Merle Haggard to George Strait and Alabama.” Rex’s musical influences span across various genres and decades. “Growing up, I also loved Def Leppard’s music.” He continues, “There have been many artists who have released great songs at one point or another,” which inspired Rex to strive for writing songs of equal caliber. Rex describes his own style as “It’s a mixture of a lot of different influences, which has made my music what it is, from Country to Rock, I'm somewhere in between."

Rex’s knack for songwriting came naturally. “My dad owned a lawn care business. I’d ride the John Deere tractor while cutting grass, and these songs would just start popping into my head.” He penned his first song at the age of twelve. As he grew older, Rex also began to appreciate the craft of entertaining as he watched his musical heroes on stage wowing audiences night after night. One of his favorite early musical memories was attending a George Strait Festival concert. He recalls, “Watching him work the crowd and the fans singing back the songs to him – it was a great learning experience! It’s what inspired me to do this.” He says, “Where they’ve been is where I want to be.”

In his early 20s, Rex had the opportunity to record his first demo CD, an experience through which he was able to gain confidence for creating music in a studio setting. Then in August, 2003, with his family at his side, Rex moved to Nashville to further his career. The first few years in Music City were spent studying the craft of writing songs by attending various songwriters’ events. Rex also worked on evolving his stage presence before a live audience in many of the popular local establishments.

Rex aims for attaining longevity in the music business. “I want to stick around, make some amazing fans and friends, and consistently put out great records.” Above all, he is continuously striving “to touch lives with my songs.” He continues, “If my song touches people in some way and helps them deal with a situation in their life, then it’s worth it for me. That, to me, is what country music is about.” Rex’s first single, “A Lot to Live For,” is a great example of that fact. It not only contains a catchy hook that will draw you in, but the song’s message will speak to fans of all ages. Another track, “Where Did It Go,” vividly captures the essence of his childhood days progressively moving toward adulthood and the time that seems to disappear in between.

Both songs are included in his debut album, A Lot to Live For, which was released in Novemeber 2007