Country Newcomer Opens for Leon Russell
MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE: Rachele Lynae and Leon Russell performed for an eager crowd April 6 for Russell’s Birthday Bash at the Brady Theatre.
Leon Russell’s Birthday Bash, on April 6, was opened by a country fireball and relative newcomer on the country scene, although, at 25 years old, singing and performing is anything but new to her.
Rachele Lynae hails from Kodiak, Alaska and moved to Nashville after high school where she attended Belmont University, following in the footsteps of country greats Josh Turner, Trisha Yearwood and Brad Paisley. Lynae gained experience performing at local Honky Tonks before recording a five-song EP that eventually found its way into the hands of Jamie O’Neal, who now manages Rachele.
She has made waves on the country music scene with her first single, Party ‘Til the Cows Come Home.
In 2012, Lynae was listed in Nashville Lifestyles’ Top 20 Musicians to Watch.
: When did you first become involved with music?
RL: I am told that I started singing at the same time as I started talking, and it is all I’ve ever wanted to do. I don’t really remember ever not being involved in music.
: How long have you been performing?
RL: I sang my first public solo, that I can remember, when I was six years old. By the time I was 10, I had my first recording studio experience which made me fall more in love with making music. At 15, I recorded my first EP of my own songs and began to play full concerts.
: Why did you choose country music as your genre?
RL: Growing up, my dad always said, “I love both kinds of music: country and western.” After dinner, he would pull out his guitar and play Willie Nelson and Dan Seals songs while I sang and danced along. Country music has always been my home.
: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
RL: There is something about hearing your song on the radio… it’s like all that hard work has paid off. And knowing that enough people believed in the song to get it on the air… I’m really proud of that.
: What are your future aspirations?
RL: I want to continue to write and record great music and to someday be able to sing it to arenas full of people who have been touched by my songs.
: What are your musical influences?
RL: My producer and mentor, Jamie O’Neal, was a huge singer/songwriter influence before she and I ever started working together. Of course, there are many others who inspire and influence me, like Garth Brooks, Reba, Shania Twain, and, more recently, Jason Aldean and Miranda Lambert.
: Is there anything involved in your line of work that has surprised you?
RL: As someone who didn’t know most name brands until moving to Nashville, it surprised me how important image is, particularly on the clothing side.
: What do you love most about what you do?
RL: Music! All of it! I love being on stage and interacting with people and seeing how the songs reach them. I love writing songs and sharing them with people. I love traveling: hotels, buses. What’s not to love?
Updated 05-03-2013
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