Saturday, April 12, 2014

INTRODUCING NASHVILLE RECORDING ARTIST:

DON WOODS



1                     Please tell us a little bit about your background; 

                        A:        On any given summer day back in the 70’s and 80’s, driving down some dusty old back roads of Joshua, Texas, one might hear on old transmitter radio playing some great George Jones tunes to the hum of an old tractor and chain saws. Make no mistake - the sounds were heard not only through the ears of a young country boy named Don Woods but through the heart as the lyrics spoke to his soul.

It was the days of working his grandpa Hammond's farm listening to that old radio hanging in the tree by that rugged old leather strap that Don developed his love for country music from some of the greats such as the George’s (Jones and Straight) along with the stage passion of Garth Brooks.  It was the greats that would later inspire Don to stay true to country music while living his dream.

Don started his musical journey by singing to tracks in reality talent competitions - just to get to the next round and be knocked out by a sweet young teenage girl singing a Swift song. Don didn’t let this stop his passion to deliver a great performance anywhere he was i.e... The guided tour on the Ryman Stage as his hair stood up he knew he just had to sing what was on his heart and - yes, you guessed it - George Jones Grand Tour!! As he finished even the photographer said:  'Did you feel that, son?  The greats were all around you up there'.  After this historical trip to Nashville Don formed a band and began to perform on stages across East Texas and then invited to bigger venues like Mickey Gilley's  of  Dallas and the House of Blues in Dallas Texas. Yes - the House of Blues. You see this proves Don’s theory that music is truly a universal language that speaks to people no matter the era or nationality.  Speaking the universal language of music to large audiences was powered by his love of country singers and song writers such as Chris Young, Eric Church, Luke Bryan and Kenny Chesney, all of which he soon added to the list of covers he would use on stage.

Along the way he met many friends and it was through his friends he was introduced to song writer John Windsor. John Windsor invited Don to come to Nashville and opened the next chapter in Don’s musical endeavor. Inspired and supported by a long time friend Larry Wallace they would make the journey to Nashville several times through the recording of his new album 90 proof and filming of his first music video.  The trips to Nashville were dreams come true and many memories were made with these two old friends that would later be of much worth to Don, for it was just as the album release was about to take place and Larry and Don would celebrate with their friends and family that Larry took ill and was gone the next week.  As Don took this trip to Nashville to step on the stage and present the album to fans and the music industry he felt as though he had yet another angel looking down with both his grandparents that had influenced and stood by him. He learned that night just how to use his sadness to the good as he sang each song with passion.

This passion can be heard with every performance and every song for Don sings with such power and passion one would wonder just where he gains such insight, but for Don he just takes a look to the sky and knows it is through the almighty and the fans above.  After every performance Don says a big thanks to many but his grandfather Hammonds and Memphis recording artists Grandpa Jack Levescy can rest to sure the courage to stand and perform comes from his two greats.


2                     You are an entertainer.  Have you always aspired to be in this industry or did you want to do something else when you were younger? 

         A:       When I was kid all I did was sing. I used to get in trouble for singing TV commercials in school. I was also in choir til the 6th grade but I started getting harassed by kids and coaches - “bullied” to quit singing and play football I was almost 6ft tall in 6th grade and the coaches told me I was wasting my time in choir. So I quit choir and never retuned but never quit singing.  And then I found that boy in myself who loved to sing about ten years ago - ignited that fire for singing that couldn’t be put out by anyone this time. 


3                   Is anyone else in your family or relations in entertainment?

       A:       My grand dad Jack Levescy - he was a singer and musician at Sun Records Memphis TN.


4                   Are you professionally managed or do you represent yourself?

          A:       I’m professionally managed by Magenta Records & Red Ridge Entertainment.





5                   What do you enjoy doing in your ‘spare’ time?

                 A:    Bass fishing,classic cars,and hanging out with good friends.


6                   How many CDs have you put out? 

                     A:       This album is my 1st one called (90 PROOF).


7                   You are a songwriter as well as being a singer.  Do you write your own lyrics?

                      A:         Yes ma’am, I’m a singer/songwriter.


8                   Do you write songs for other singers?

                      A:           I  have not written any song for other artist as of yet.


9                   Have you appeared on TV or worked with any really ‘big’ names? 

                     A:            I have been on TV but it was for 'America’s Got Talent' reality show and I haven’t be able to work with any big name acts.


10              Have you done a lot of interviews?

                A:         Yes ma’am I have done a lot of radio interviews here lately. Promoting my new album '90 PROOF'.  


11              Have you ever been bullied?

               A:        Yes ma’am I was bullied a lot from the age of ten to twelve years old on my school bus.  I tell you what I hated - riding that school bus but I had to ride it because my parents only had one vehicle. But I think everyone has experienced some type of bullying in their lives but some more than others. But with today's technology bullying is more then just physical - it's mental with cell phones that have the ability to take photos,video and send them out to the whole world to see.  



12              Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that the governments and schools around the world are doing enough to try to combat this problem? 

               A:       No ma’am - I think every school should have a team of parents with phone numbers so when these kids are getting bullied they have someone to call that’s not their parents -sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone that’s not your parents.   


13              What more do you feel the above could do to try to either decrease this problem hugely or eliminate it altogether?

               A:       Awareness - and take action against the problem.


14              On a personal level, is there anything you would like to see being done to help with the fight against bullying?

               A:       I think if every school would put up a facebook under their school to just report bullying so that other kids could see it’s just not happing to them but others and schools could see where the problem lies and use facebook as a tool.


15              Have you done a lot of travelling for your career?  Can you please tell us about that.

                   A:         I have done a lot of travelling but it has only been in Texas & Nashville TN, but 2014 will have me travelling all over the country.


16              What is on the agenda for 2014?

               A:      We are looking forward to 2014 with plans to tour all over the USA,Canada,UK and hoping Australia.


17              Is there anything further you would like to add?

               A:      I really appreciate the opportunity  to share my musical journey and my views on bullying.


18              Do you have a special message you would like to share with the world?

                  A:         Living my dream and touring the country, providing an escape for others through my music. Music (as it has been stated so many times in the past) is the universal language of which one can reach many. My passion comes out through the lyrics of my music and my soul awakens when I am able to share this passion on stage. Success can not be measured in the amount of stage performances or ticket sales but through the energy I gain from the crowds and all my fans.



19              Do you have any links you would like to have included with this?




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