By Sadie Christine
Up-and-coming country star Naomi Carman has been taking off on social media recently due to her throwback country sound and authentic artistry. Naomi has had a successful year, opening for Carter Faith on select dates of her Cherry Valley Tour, and we recently sat down with her to talk about that experience, her musical inspirations, playing live, and her love for playing the steel guitar.
WH: Congratulations on everything you’ve accomplished this year, like opening up for Carter Faith on her Cherry Valley Tour! What was that experience like?
Naomi: Awesome! It was great to get to meet her, her band, and her people. She’s such a sweetheart. We took a Polaroid together, and it was so nice and cute. It reminds me of a photo I saw when Connie Smith and Loretta Lynn met way back in the day. Carter also likes the authentic, real-feel music, so it was cool to find someone like-minded.
WH: What is your favourite part about playing live?
Naomi: I think it’s funny when you can kind of make someone nervous on the spot, a little bit and just kind of tease people or get to hear people sing your music back or dance and the live reaction. When you’re singing in a studio, you’re not necessarily singing to anybody, so it’s fun to get to sing your music to real people.
WH: What has been your music path, and what got you into country music?
Naomi: My dad is a piano player—he plays just like Jerry Lee Lewis—and I think he definitely had some influence. He listened to a lot of 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s country, and my mom listened to a lot of 90s country, so I think it was always there playing in the background. I grew up listening to that as well as some rockabilly stuff and classic rock. I think it all blended together.
WH: Who have been some of your inspirations in your songwriting, and do you have any modern influences that you’ve been loving?
Naomi: I would say, definitely Hank Williams for sure. I’ve been listening to a lot of Lefty Frizzell lately, too. Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, for sure, all those girls. Connie Smith, another good one. She still sings a lot in Nashville, so I’m gonna try to get to see her one day, and then Carter was definitely an influence on me, too. I always say, if one of my friends comes up and tells me about a singer, that’s how I know that they make real country music. Also, some of my friends are influences on me, too; my buddies at the Steel Guitar Club are really good. My friend Caleb Coots is pretty cool, and Quincy Lancto. Those are guitar players who definitely influence my sound.
WH: Can you describe your songwriting process and what that’s like?
Naomi: I think there’s either two ways it goes. Sometimes you’re just sitting in your room, writing stuff down, and then it kind of just flows, or I write a guitar riff or something on a piano. I either start with words or I start with the lick. I think it just depends more on what I’m saying. Things come to me, and you have to write them down, record them on a voice memo, real quick. I have a bunch of weird voice memos I need to go through and organize, but I think it really just depends. Songs have come to me in so many different forms.
Naomi: What got you into playing the steel guitar, and how does one go about learning that?
WH: I found a picture of me when I was pretty young and actually the first person to ever teach me a steel guitar was my dad. We had a graduation party out back and they pulled up a trailer and used it as a stage. They hooked up a steel and my dad would sit me on his lap and give me a little guitar pick and I would strum it. I also had this ex-boyfriend who was a really good pedal steel player, and I don’t know if I liked him as much as his steel guitar playing, but I definitely learned some stuff from him.
WH: Lastly, can you tell us about any new music coming out or that you’ve written lately that you’re excited for us to hear?
Naomi: I definitely have a lot of new music coming, and I’m hoping to get something out within the year, so I am excited!
We thank Naomi Carman for this interview, and we can’t wait to hear all of the new music she has coming out. Make sure to follow along with her journey on all her social media!
Stay Wild, Stay Authentic, Stay Country
