Artigo - "Brandi Carlile: A Big Fan of Elton John"

April 09, 2009

By Amanda Dyslin, The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.

Apr. 9--B randi Carlile and her band were in the middle of sound check at the Sasquatch! Music Festival in George, Wash., when a familiar face drove up in a golf cart.

Carlile was opening for the Dave Matthews Band, despite having not met them, and immediately she recognized the face of Matthews, himself.

"He rolled up in a little golf cart," she said, "grabbed a couple of CDs and rolled back down."

Carlile, 27 -- whose music has been categorized as pop, rock, alt -- country, indie and folk -- would find out later that Matthews had heard the band's music and wanted to send the CDs to his agent. With Matthews' recommendation, Carlile signed with the agent, which led to more doors opening.

That was one of many acts of kindness Carlile has seen since entering the music industry. Yes, there is competition among artists, she said. But there are many more people who simply have an interest in keeping " legitimate music alive."

"I've absorbed so much of that and learned so much about that," said Carlile, whose band will perform at the Alltel Center Friday. " There are so many people that just want to help."

Now Carlile is one of them. Incidentally, Carlile finally did meet Matthews at a Ray LaMontagne concert. She approached him and told him he had done a really nice thing for her band, and she thanked him for being a really big part of the good fortune that came after.

"He looked at me and said, 'You did it, man! You did it!'" Carlile said. "I knew he had no idea who I was, but it didn't matter."

Carlile plans to use her success in the same way, to help make room for new and emerging artists and make the industry a welcoming place for true talent. It's certainly been welcoming of Carlile and her band.

Born in Ravensdale, Wash., she taught herself to sing and play guitar as a child. She was inspired to sing by her mother, who is a country-western singer.

"Her parents had the same influence on her in the same way," Carlile said. By 15 or 16, she was performing with her best friend's father, who was an Elvis impersonator. They'd go on the road, and for 25 bucks a show, Carlile got her first big experience in front of a crowd, learning how to get them going and keep them entertained.

Carlile joined up with twin brothers Tim and Phil Hanseroth and performed in Seattle clubs, such as The Crocodile and Paragon, where they sold their self-released recordings. Just a short while later, performing at the Sasquatch! festival, the band was discovered by Matthews.

The band sent some of their home recordings to Los Angeles, and it landed in Rick Rubins' hands. Based on the strength of those recordings, alone, Columbia Records signed the band in 2004 and put out the album.

"Brandi Carlile" was the band's 2005 major-label debut. And by the end of 2006, Carlile had toured as a headliner and with Ray LaMontagne, Johnny Lang, Hanson, Indigo Girls, The Fray, Chris Isaak, Tori Amos and Shawn Colvin. " The Story" was released in 2007 and includes a collaboration with the Indigo Girls on "Cannonball."

"Every show and tour we've done with the Indigo Girls has been a favorite of mine," she said. "I was truly inspired by seeing Ray LaMontagne perform."

Carlile's dream collaboration would be with Elton John, her all-time favorite artist whom she often talks about in interviews -- so much it prompted him to call her to say hello. She wouldn't be a songwriter without his influence, shesaid.

"He knew I was such a big fan," she said. "I can't shut up about him."

While Carlile believes her biggest breakthroughs into fame have occurred on theroad, she knows how big of a boost "Grey's Anatomy" was for the band's career.

The ABC show -- which Carlile is addicted to -- featured her songs " Tragedy," "What Can I Say" and" Throw it All Away." The show also debuted a version of the video for the single " The Story" in 2007, which also was featured in a General Motors ad aired during the Beijing Olympics.

http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/yb/128567595