Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel ‘joey’ Carr
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
One of my co-writing partners that I met early on when I got to Nashville introduced me to Bluegrass. We were in a writing session, writing a song “Music City”, and he just got to thinking about when he was “my age”… His stories captivated me. As a young novelist, stories have always enthralled me; so when he started sharing his family history, I couldn’t get enough. I realized that my love for Bluegrass equally stems from the storytelling aspect of it… So I convinced him to do a showcase with me, if I could get people to come. People had to hear this guy’s story. When we started, it was to four walls, and felt more like an intimate rehearsal. I don’t think the performers cared about that because the music was so good… But things quickly began to grow.
The Storytellers in Songwriting Showcase as we know it now has over 80 members throughout the year, since we began in 2022. A combination of selecting good locations and incredibly professional performers came together to create something that felt really good. Growth happened quickly because good music tells good stories and we were able to include nearly anyone that could develop their talent. After 2 years, we’ve played over 88 shows and continue to add artists every week. Now we’re looking for more places to put them, and more guests to listen to the incredible stories that made these songs!
The Storytellers celebrated their 2 year anniversary on August 31st at Wynot Saloon, where they have played twice a week for the past year. The day-long event featured a bouncy house, 2 stages of music, and sponsored vendors from the Bellevue Farmer’s Market and other local favorites. By the end of it, mostly everyone that played for me in the past 2 years made an appearance. This is possible because of the community-based spirit that fills the group. Since the creation, I’ve critically emphasized the importance of togetherness and developing each other as musicians and as people. We’ve created bands, writings partners, and even friendships. I not only proposed to my wife at one of our early shows, many of the members attended our wedding!
Community is the most important part. Making sure everyone feels warm and heard is critical to the mentality of playing in a city like Nashville. Most gigs that some of these kids do is for nothing more than a ‘Thank You’. So it’s good to be able to develop them, pay them a little, and encourage them to be part of a community that will help them, in a city where you have to be careful.
My goal with this group is to create something that will out-live me, as a safe place for musicians to grow in this town, no matter what level they’re on. I want to be a resource for local venues and event planners for providing the best live music this city has to offer.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t call it a smooth road, but I think we’ve had an abundance of blessings along the way…
Just the prospect that we started this as a small coffee-shop/listening room kind of thing but it evolved into an old-school Nashville Writer’s Round thing that people seemed to really want is pretty humbling. Because these performers found an environment they could thrive in, they were willing to contribute in their own ways. It’s like working with a team of pros that all care about the same thing; we need somewhere to play, a good stage and sound system, and a way for people to come and enjoy it; to get those things, we’ve worked really hard.
So it isn’t from a lack of obstacles in the road -we’ve had plenty, of hilarious variety-, but the ability of the team to think on their feet, step up to pick each other up -this is what’s made it a joyful experience. This isn’t something that anyone could do alone. I’m constantly relying on my friends -like we all do in real life- so it’s truly a testament to building a genuine core of relationships with people that help you overcome the obstacles.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
From an early age I was taught to surround yourself with people that are better than you, or that make you better at what you do… So, I’ve always done that, and I’ve always been okay with not being the shiniest jewel in the chest. I’ve been told I have an eye for talent, and a knack for bringing it together. In fact, I’ve always thrived adjacent to, or outside of the limelight. It completely fulfills me to develop these individuals as talent and as humans navigating the world.
I worked in film production for around 10 years, having a B.S in Film and Media Production. When it was good, it was really good. The move to film was motivated from a young age, living in Atlanta, GA and publishing my own book series at age 17. I think I always had visions to be known for that. But life happens and we end up on the path we’re supposed to be on. I’ve got a wonderful support system, and I think that’s what sets us apart from the rest. Now, it will be cool if I’m known as the guy that got these talented folks at least a few steps along the way on their journey.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
It makes me happy seeing people enjoy each other, and the talents we all bring. It is a wonderful payoff to see people enjoying themselves to a degree that nothing else really matters in that moment, except creating awesome music. I’ve enjoyed watching people get better, others get back into it after years of absence, and everything in between. This section is probably supposed to be a chance for me to end on a fluffy note, so I’ll offer a perspective that may help you appreciate the “Storytellers in Songwriting”:
Writing songs isn’t something that any human can do. Many people can call themselves a musician, but even if you took all the musicians in the world, a good percentage of them still can’t write a song. To feel something, translate it into lyrics, and combine it with melodies, is a special skill. When you see someone on stage singing an original song, it’s a part of their life -sometimes their soul- and a very important part. That feeling you get when a song impacts you, turns into that song you play a thousand times over; that feeling is a fraction of what the songwriter feels. The power that comes with songwriting and performing it is unlike anything and it’s meant to be appreciated. That we live in a city that is so saturated with such incredible talent is a rarity that is embraced because, as humans, we need it.
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