Charles K. Brown Interview by Arizzona

Charles K. Brown hails from Georgia, USA.

Please tell us how you entered into the independent music industry.

I started recording my original music and then manufacturing CDs and producing music videos.  I sort of entered the independent music industry by default.

Please share with us the creative process that inspired your album  Trouble Is...

I asked Freddy Freeman to produce an album for me. We had been making music together for some time and sort of clicked creatively speaking. When it comes down to it, we just had an amazing amount of fun creating tracks, arranging songs, original and cover tunes as well.

For your CD project Trouble Is…, how did you become involved with the bear community?

Well, it just so happens that Freddy Freeman is the founder of Bearapalooza, a brotherhood of   singers/songwriters and musicians that is more or less fur friendly.

The video for Bittersweet Refrain has been referred to as the "Cat" video.  Please tell us the story behind the video and about the cats.

Bittersweet Refrain evolved from a process whereby a lot of ideas had to be discarded and rethought. The cats are several artful objects that were either made by or belonged to my late mother. They really just ended up being in the video and were not meant to be the subject matter.  It became a bit of a  contest/challenge to count the cats and/or how many times cats appeared in the video, when Unashamed Faith Cafe had a trivial contest.

How many cats do you see?

Bittersweet Refrain by Charles K. Brown

Seven of the songs from Trouble Is... have videos now, what was that process like?

It has been a real seat-of-the-pants operation.  The first video was taken from clips on the road with Bearapalooza. We took ourselves on a tour of the Northeast USA back in 2008 and had many clips of live performances of Moody Woo. This became the first video from the album. The next step was hiring a local production company in Summerville, GA.. who had not made any music videos for clients in the past.  They mainly handled weddings and school events.  I made three videos with You One Productions and one of them was nominated for Best Folk/Jazz Video in 2011 for the RightOutTv video music awards.  It did not win, but it sure made us all proud. Two videos were made by Orlando Santiago, director of the upcoming documentary BearWorld and one video was created and edited by a good friend and amazing performance artist Kendall Kelly.

What other artist have had influences on you and your music and why?

There are too many to even name, if I had to make a top ten list, these are the first names that come to mind;  The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Little Feat, the Eagles, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Carole King, James Taylor, Tom Waits and Stephen Foster. All of the music we grow up listening to becomes the fabric of our creative clothing. I am certainly not a genius with the metaphor here.

Tell us what you go through when you hit one of those challenging periods in making music.

Complete and utter chaos, I have gone as long as two or three years without writing a song. My original songs happen mainly when something happens to me first and I feel an overwhelming need to - let it all out.

  

What is next for you?
 

I hope to start working on a new album soon.  I have most of the songs in mind and even some of the arrangements and the players. I am doing some executive producing in the documentary world now too.

Fun stuff:

If you were not creating music, what would you be doing?

I always dreamed I would be an actor and I spent 5 years as a professional, card-carrying stage actor. I think, if I were free to do it or felt free to do it, I'd still be pursuing parts in plays.  At one time, it was my ambition to play in all the works of William Shakespeare. I let go of that dream several years ago.  I think it must take some kind of intestinal fortitude that I simply did not have to be an actor.

  

What would folks be surprised to find your fridge?

They would be shocked to see there was nothing in it, but some condiments, some bottled water and some cans of ginger ale for medicinal purposes.  I eat out most all the time or carryout, as the case may be.

Where can folks find your music and more about you?

The CD is available for download or for physical copies at most digital outlets, primarily at Cdbaby, Amazon and  iTunes. We started a blog for the album, but have been lax at updates. The videos for Trouble Is... can be seen on YouTube, if you search Charles K. Brown  Trouble is... It makes the world go 'round. One of them was nominated for Best Folk/Jazz Video in 2011 for the RightOutTv video music awards.  It did not win, but it sure made us all proud. Two videos were made by Orlando Santiago, director of the upcoming documentary BearWorld and one video was created and edited by a good friend and amazing performance artist Kendall Kelly.

Charles K. Brown's websites:
Charles K. Brown 
Facebook 
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Thank you Charles for taking the time to speak with us!
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"Finally" with Kim Wisdom by Arizzona

Finally" is Kim Wisdom's first CD. She believes that the message through these songs are continuing to be revealed in her own path on this journey.

Kim shared - “Her greatest pleasure is singing gospel and choral music for the greater good of the community. Nothing makes her happier than  to touch our community with song.”

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Please tells us how you how you entered into the gospel music industry.  

At the age of 10, my mother entered me in a gospel singing contest. Needless to say I won that event. There was a country gospel band attending that contest and asked if I would go on the road with them as a featured artist. Thus, I joined the group and began touring and singing with the “Born Again Gospel Singers" and 4 years later the manager of the group decided that I was talented enough to sing on my own, so we began the process of recording my first solo LP. At the age of 15 I had successfully recorded my first Album. I eventually came into my own and performed primarily as a special music artist while ministering to teens. I toured Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

 

On your CD “Finally” - how did you decide what songs to include?

You know that is when the power of God just takes over. When I decided to move forward with this CD, I had no idea where to start on song choices… I was going through a very rough time in my spiritual life and the songs just started coming to me. If you notice, the songs I chose are all about realizing that I have a friend in Jesus and everything is going to be alright. God gave me a couple of songs of gratitude by bringing in “How great thou art” and “You are Holy” making sure that I remain humble and grateful in all things. However, with songs like “Daystar” and the “Lighthouse”, those were my vision of help and love that God sends to us all as a reminder that God is omnipresent. So, this whole process was God’s message to me…. If someone else were to be blessed by my message & song then that is a blessing in and of, itself.  But this project and these songs were a direct message to me from God and that message continues to evolve on this spiritual journey.

I am also a southern Gospel singer, and southern gospel needs to be kept alive. I have chosen to stay with this genre, because let’s face it, it is hard to take the country out of the girl, but the message that these old songs provide; that the hope and love that we all yearn for needs to be kept alive. They are truly the genesis from which Christian music has come.

 

What was the recording process like?

The funny thing about the recording process was that I chose the songs that I believe God called me to choose but it was not until I heard the first playback of the entire CD that I went AH HA!  That is when I realized that God was speaking to me and only me. The process was easy… I felt so comfortable and knew that I was doing was what I was supposed to be doing. I only spent 12 hours in the studio for the recording time. That was a blessing as well. God took my hand and said Kim, let’s get er’ done.

When you look back on the recording experience for “Finally”, what memory immediately comes to mind?

I brought in a very talented friend of mine, Lynne Weynand, to listen and critique me during the recording process.  Her spirit and the synchronicity of understanding what I envisioned as an outcome, was unbelievable. When she could tell I wasn’t where I wanted to be on a particular song, she just knew when to step in and talk to me about the song and the message I wanted to share.  Numerous times, she was able to bring me back to that place in the song and the spirit and with that centering we came up with the sound that I wanted.

What other artist have had influences on you and your music?

The Gaither Vocal Band with their beautiful harmonies

Cynthia Clawson the purest voice and incredible message

Janet Paschal unbelievable spirit and sultry voice

 

What would folks be totally surprised to learn about Kim?

I started singing when I was 10, by the age of 15 just after I finished recording my first LP,  I became very ill. I had to retreat for 6-8 weeks and just rest. Seems God blessed me with a few talents, as I was also a very good softball player.  Planning for the future and college, I was forced to make the decision to sing or play ball. There was just not enough time in the day to do both. Decidedly, there was not a college scholarship for a country gospel singer; so I chose to concentrate on my athletic career. It paid off and a scholarship to Sam Houston State University followed. One of the greater misfortunes in my life was that I became involved with the wrong crowd and soon lost everything. I began doing drugs; my family cut me out of their lives, not only because of drugs but also because I came out as a lesbian. It would take years for me to get my life back in order and to start singing again. I am so blessed to have that second chance to utilize the gift that has been so graciously given to me by God.

Currently, I am on the Executive Board of Directors for a choral group, Resounding Harmony. It is a 150 voice mixed chorus that sings only to give back. We choose charities and raise funds for them by performing two concerts a year. We have averaged $20,000.00 per concert to donate to the beneficiary charity.This chorus is a blessing and a great way of becoming a philanthropist through beautiful music. www.resoundingharmony.org

What is next for Kim Wisdom?

I just want to continue to share the message that God provides to me. I will continue to sing for myself and hope that maybe I will touch lives and help someone out there that finds fulfillment & healing in the message through song as I did and still do. It is truly, why I did this …. Not for glory or fame. God knows how to speak to me and that is through music… and for once I listened and I continue to hear the message. Sometimes the message is not always the same, so I continue to keep my heart open as well. I will continue to be a voice through choral music with Resounding Harmony and work on raising funds for notable charities.I do have a Christmas CD on the horizon… I will keep my heart open about that possibility and see where God directs me on that path.

Kim Wisdom sings "God is Still Doing Great Things"

Time for shootouts to anyone and anything that matters. Where can folk find your album for sale?

I am grateful For Shawn Thomas and the work he is doing to spread GLBT music. He is a great advocate for Christians that tend to get pushed aside because of their beliefs.I am so grateful for my partner, all of my friends and family and their continued love, friendship and encouragement.

I haven’t quite made it to iTunes, that is also on my horizon.  For now, my music can be found on Facebook at:  http://www.facebook.com/Kim.Wisdom.

Kim Wisdom's song "Morning's Coming"  is on the Spiritual compilation CD -- UP Vol. 2. (Unashamed Praise) http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/upvol2unashamedpraise

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Thank you Kim for taking the time to speak with us!
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