www.stevecurnutte.com/index.htmlHot News!enjohn@twistedsun.netCopyright 2008 John2008-03-31T00:35:59-04:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:49:53 -0400john@twistedsun.netStories2008-03-31T00:35:59-04:00www.stevecurnutte.com/stories/files/097e19b11a4caf3c7a2b6edf25746d4a-0.html#unique-entry-id-0www.stevecurnutte.com/stories/files/097e19b11a4caf3c7a2b6edf25746d4a-0.html#unique-entry-id-0It All Starts With A Story

A Quick Introduction
Hi, my name is Ken Carey. I have been involved in the music industry for almost 40 years and for the last 30 years have been the owner of a regional sound production company located in Greensboro, NC by the name of CareySound. Over the years I've have worked with many artists and performers both nationally recognized and obscure, great and not so great. Every once in a while, if you're lucky, you have the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time and magic happens. What follows is the sharing of one of those moments.

How I Met Steve
Steve could tell of our first meeting better than I, because, quit honestly I can't actually remember that first meeting. Maybe I can coax the whole story out of him again sometime but the short version is that he came from Winston-Salem with his college friend Matt to check out some of the items we had on sale at our store. It was actually the second or third visit that I remember well.

He did one of those things that I always dreaded. He gave me a copy of his first newly minted CD and asked me if I would give it a listen and tell him what I thought. I just hate that. I've stubbornly clung to the declaration that my favorite artists are the ones that pay me to work for them. Please don't put me on the spot and ask me what I think about them or their talents. Anybody that has ever met me knows that I have an opinion on just about everything and I don't censor my opinions. Not especially profitable if you want to sell a guy something.

So I did what I always do with unsolicited gifts of music, I politely accepted the CD, said I would give it a listen sometime when I got a chance and then tossed it onto my cluttered desk to ignore or so I thought.

I Drank The Kool Aid
Time passes. On a nondescript weekend my wife Lynn and I had decided to visit her Mom out in the country so we bundled up the kids and loaded up the mini-van to visit grama. Having forgot to pick up the CD case on the way out of the house we stopped by the store on the way out of town so I could pick up a few discs to listen to on the trip. Once at the store the only CD I could put my hands on quickly (did I say my desk is cluttered) was something titled Think Again in a totally unremarkable black and white cover. What the heck - the trip would only take an hour and there was always the radio.

By the time we got back home late that evening we had listened to that CD at least a million times and the kids had most of the lyrics memorized. The production was typical of vanity band projects but the music - the music - the lyrics (lyrics to a soundman are generally just another sound in the mix) were - well - something magical. I couldn't get enough of it. Upon returning to work on Monday I did something I had only done two other times in my life.

I actually couldn't wait. I was that excited. I NEVER GIVE UNSOLICITED PRAISE to a musician but I HAD to talk to that guy - what was his name, Steve Cursomething. And I called the number I was given and, trying to not to scare the poor guy away, I said something like "I listened to your CD and if you have some time and are in the neighborhood I'd love to talk to you about it." Not a day later Steve and Matt showed up in my office. And I asked a few questions. "Are you guys serious about music? Maybe thinking about making a living with it? Did you write all of the songs on the CD? Do you have more songs? Enough to fill a nights worth?" Yes - Yes - Yes - Yes & Yes. Then came my opinions, "your music has a special mature, ageless quality" and my advice "don't play covers as Curnutte & Maher again, only originals" and my suggestions "get yourself a computer and keep a record of everything from session notes to address of everybody that comes to your shows".

That was just the beginning of my friendship with the truly amazing person, Steve Curnutte.

But That's Not Why You Are Here
This site is the Carey's contribution to Steve's creative side as John (remember, I said that my kids were in the car that day) and I (the SoundMan) share our unique perspective on Steve's musical career from the inside. The music, the lyrics, the photos, the scoop- On with the show.]]>