Lisa Carver-- Nashville Songwriter

Today I wanted to introduce y’all to another amazing music-row songwriter, Lisa Carver.

Check this song out: Lisa Carver – Bullets

I was first introduced to Lisa when my brother played me a song of hers he was wanting to cut and then had the pleasure to hear her music live at a songwriters circle later that day.  Adroit Records says “describing Lisa Carver to someone who has never seen her perform is like trying to describe the Grand Canyon to someone who has never seen it.”  There could not be a truer statement.  Lisa is an incredible writer, but one much watch her live to get the full experience of her music.  My main goal as an artist is to be able to tell the story of what I sing, and she does this better than anyone I have ever heard; with an honesty in her expression of the lyrics unlike any other.  Her voice is very broken down, sultry, and raspy, sounding like someone whom has endured a rough life.  Honestly, she has probably one of my favorite female voices.  What makes her stand out in the crowd of music row writers is that while she has had a very successful career as a writer, you would never know it by watching a show like the one I attended.  Lisa has written songs for country superstars Tim McGraw, Tanya Tucker, Emerson Drive, Willie Nelson, and the queen herself, Reba McEntire.  She also wrote Sugarland’s number one hit, “Everyday America.”  She never sang any of these songs at the circle, nor did she drop one name.  Normally, if you attend a songwriter circle with a big writer they will play several of there songs that become hits.  She is an exception; the moment on of her songs becomes a hit you will never hear her perform it again.  She writes songs that do not have even a hint of commercial viability.  They are her stories, her pain, her loves.  When I asked her why she never plays any of her hits she laughed and told me, “honey, those songs just pay the bills.  What you heard tonight, that’s the real deal.  That’s music.”  For this she has gained my upmost respect as an artist.  All she needs is an acoustic guitar, no bells or whistles, and she will completely submerse you in her music.  When I listened to her for the first time she started her set with “Pretty People’s Feet.”  This song is the epitome of her rebelliousness as a songwriter on music row.  Hearing this I immediately knew I was about to hear music like I’d never heard it before.  (This is on YouTube, but I don’t think it showcases her full abilities so I will not post it).   She also sang the song “Whiskey and a Gun.”  A very haunting, yet very entertaining song about murder; she has quite a few killin’ songs, I wouldn’t want to mess with her. 

 "Whiskey and A Gun"

My favorite songs by her, “This Year,” and “I Would’ve Left Me Too” are not available anywhere online, but they are simply amazing.  All the more reason to make it a point to attend a circle she is at if you’re ever in Nashville.  (“I Would’ve Left Me Too” is the song my brother wants to cut).  Phenomenal.

“Bullets,” the song included at the top, is the only song of her singing that is on Spotify.  If that song does not speak of incredible song writing talent I don’t know what does.  The lyrics are very haunting and give you a lot to think about.  She does have an album she released on New Year’s 2010 titled, “Bedtime Stories.”  The album is available for only $10 on iTunes and I highly recommend you purchase it if you want a breath of something completely fresh and void of all things commercial in today’s typically predicable music scene. 

A lyric I love from her song “Wake Up Older”….

“Found me a stranger, Cause there’s comfort in danger…

Oh the things lovers do when it’s over,

Oh the things lovers do when it’s done.

Find a cool bottle, or a warm shoulder…and wake up older.”

**You’ll have to go to iTunes to hear the full song.  Hope ya’ll enjoy her music as much as I do…I know it’s pretty out there.