(dramatic music) (water splashing) (bright music) - [Carolyn] I'm Carolyn Currie (bright music) singer, songwriter, mother, and lover of music.

Join me as I listen to and speak with some of Maine's premier musical artists on "Sound Waves."

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(mellow music) (wood tapping) (upbeat music) ♪ You can tell me ♪ That you love me ♪ Say all the words you wanna say ♪ ♪ Truly ♪ Try to reach me ♪ Let's get these words out of the way ♪ ♪ Talk to my heart ♪ Make it stop and make it start ♪ ♪ Speak to the deepest part of me ♪ ♪ Touch my soul ♪ Oh tired and lonely goes ♪ If you really want this love to be ♪ ♪ Talk to my heart when you talk to me ♪ ♪ Write me letters ♪ Send me roses ♪ Do all those things that lovers do ♪ ♪ But remember ♪ Oh please remember ♪ Everyone but message to get through ♪ ♪ Talk to my heart ♪ Make it stop and make it start ♪ ♪ Speak to the deepest part of me ♪ ♪ Touch my soul ♪ Oh tired and lonely goes ♪ If you really want this love to be ♪ ♪ Talk to my heart when you talk to me ♪ (upbeat music continues) ♪ Light a candle, light a fire ♪ Light a lasting flame ♪ Keep it burning ♪ Keep it growing ♪ Through night and day ♪ Show me something, your feeling ♪ ♪ Words can't contain ♪ Talk to my heart ♪ Make it stop and make it start ♪ ♪ Speak to the deepest part of me ♪ ♪ Touch my soul ♪ Oh, tired and lonely go ♪ If you really want this love to be ♪ ♪ Talk to my heart when you talk to me ♪ ♪ Talk to my heart when you talk to me, yeah ♪ ♪ Talk to my heart when you talk to me ♪ - [Carolyn] You were brought up in Canada.

- I was.

I am from a large family of eight children.

- Where were you in that?

- I was the baby.

- Were you really?

- I am the baby.

And we were brought up in this little rural town in New Brunswick and my parents had a group in the fifties and then my brothers and sisters in sixties and seventies.

And then, then I came along and started recording in the eighties, actually.

I've been recording since the eighties.

- So back up before you started recording.

- [Joan] Okay.

- Because you guys were all singing?

- We were all singing.

- Okay.

- We were the church choir.

- Okay, great.

(hands clap) - We were, I mean, the community was, you know, we were the voices of the community pretty much.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- And we sang and played and just, music was just a big part of our lives.

A big part of our home.

And you either taught yourself how to play guitar or you didn't learn, so.

(Joan laughs) - So you taught yourself?

- Yeah, I did.

Probably not very well, but I did.

(Joan laughs) - Why do we always do that?

Don't do that.

- I know, I know.

But we grew, but we grew up- - Yeah.

- Just in a really loving family- - [Carolyn] Mm-hm.

- And the love of music just kind of brought us all together and it still does today.

- [Carolyn] Mm-hm.

- I did lose my mom.

I've lost my father 16 years ago and my mom a couple years ago.

And she was, anytime I would go home to do shows and festivals, my mom was right there.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- And she would get up and perform with me.

And people remember her probably, she had- - [Carolyn] Mm-hm.

- She had more Facebook likes than I did.

She had like 30,000 likes and I had, I dunno how many, but anyways, yeah.

So, she- - [Carolyn] Popular.

- She was pretty proud of that.

(both laugh) - So you started recording in the eighties?

- Yes.

- Okay.

And how did you get to the point where you were able to record?

- Well, I was fortunate to get involved in a contest.

There was a gentleman by the name of Wayne Estes, and Wayne was a dear friend.

- [Carolyn] Okay.

- And Bob Cleghorn.

Bob was a songwriter, singer songwriter.

- [Carolyn] Okay.

- And Wayne came to me and he goes, Joan, I think you should get into this contest.

'cause he had seen me sing at the Playhouse, our local theater.

And he said, I think you should be in this contest.

And I said, oh, no, Wayne, I am not.

I don't wanna do that, that's not me.

I'm not competitive that way.

I just really don't wanna do it.

And he said, but I think you should.

I think you should.

So I kind of, I said, okay, I'll do it.

But before I was able to, I went through all the different contests because they had finals and semi-finals and quarterfinals.

So I got through all of those things.

And then before I went to the final to consider whether I was going to win the National, Wayne and his son were both killed in a car accident.

- [Carolyn] Oh my God.

- So it was very devastating.

I didn't really want to go on, I didn't want to go play.

And, but something inside of me just said, you know, he would've wanted this for you.

And so I went to Regina, Saskatchewan.

(Joan laughs) I had never flown before.

I had never been away from home before.

I was this country pumpkin that- - [Carolyn] And were you by yourself?

(Joan laughs) - I went, I was with someone at the time.

- [Carolyn] Okay.

- And he went with me.

- [Carolyn] Okay.

- And, but my family, they all came to the airport and sent me off, you know, on my way.

And I got to Regina and I ended up singing a Janie Fricke tune that Wayne loved her.

He, that was one of his favorite singers.

And so I sang, "It Ain't Easy Being Easy", which was an oldie and "Rocky Top".

And when I got to rehearsal, I ended up being the last person there.

We got hung up at a Chinese restaurant or something.

So, but I had a fortune cookie that said, you know, all doors will be, what was it?

All doors will be open to you.

Something like that.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- On this fortune cookie.

So I get there, I'm the last one.

I'm the 12th contestant.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- My favorite number's 12.

- [Carolyn] Okay.

- I love this hockey player, he didn't know I existed.

Anyway.

(both laugh) - Does he now?

- Yeah, he does now.

(both laugh) - So I ended up going and I dedicated the song to Wayne and got pretty choked up on stage and, but got through it and ended up winning the contest for Canada.

- Wow.

- So it's kind of equivalent to what your American Idol or your "Voice" is here.

- That launched you.

- And that launched my career.

I had, I was overwhelmed because I had so many record companies and producers and publishers coming to me.

And I was just, I was from the country.

I was overwhelmed by it all.

- Do you think that the intensity of your emotion that day and the fact that the song choked you up, do you think that that just made it more real for people?

Do you think that had aided in- - I think it probably did.

I think that, I mean, I'm an emotional singer anyway.

- Yeah.

- But I think what that did, because somebody else had sung the same song.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

Oh no.

- You know, so I'm going on and I'm singing a song that somebody else had already sung.

- [Carolyn] Right.

- So, but I just had to, I had to go out there and be myself and make it my own and tell my story.

- [Carolyn] Right.

- And I think that that's probably what the judges saw.

They saw me, you know, as somebody that was hurt and was broken and went out there and did the show anyway.

- [Carolyn] Mm-hm.

- So, but it did help me.

- Yeah.

I think sometimes I think that you have that intensity.

You as in people.

- Yes.

- You go, you get on stage and if you've got something that is like verbally inside of you, I just feel like that somehow transmits to the audience.

- Yeah, it does.

- Or, and the judges.

- Yes.

Well, I did a show yesterday.

I've been busy doing shows.

And a gentleman come up to me, he goes, he said, you're just, you're mesmerizing.

He said, you're captivating and mesmerizing.

And I mean, we were just on a deck somewhere, you know, - [Carolyn] Yeah.

- But, you know, you manage to touch people.

- [Carolyn] Mm-hm.

- And that's one of the biggest things for myself as an artist, if I can reach in and touch somebody's soul or to touch- - [Carolyn] Mm-hm.

- Pull at somebody's heartstring, then I've done my job.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- [Joan] As a performer and as a singer.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

(mellow music) ♪ Everyday I wake up in the shadow ♪ ♪ From a dream that I can't recall ♪ ♪ Someone is reaching out to hold me ♪ ♪ I'm lucky the one I ever saw ♪ The only thing that keeps me going ♪ ♪ The old summer we're down this road ♪ ♪ You find the way to call me home ♪ ♪ And he will be my candle in the window ♪ ♪ Shining through the sparkling rain ♪ ♪ No matter how hard the wind blows ♪ ♪ He will tend the flame ♪ I keep looking everywhere I go ♪ ♪ For a candle in the window ♪ A candle in the window ♪ I believe there's better days coming ♪ ♪ I believe there's sweeter nights ahead ♪ ♪ Come a time when I'll stop running ♪ ♪ Find a place where I can lay my head ♪ ♪ And every time I climb another hilltop ♪ ♪ I look across the valley into the night ♪ ♪ I'm looking for my guiding light ♪ ♪ And he will be my candle in the window ♪ ♪ Shining through the sparkling rain ♪ ♪ No matter how hard the wind blows ♪ ♪ He will tend the flame ♪ I keep looking everywhere I go ♪ ♪ For a candle in the window ♪ I keep looking everywhere I go ♪ ♪ For a candle in the window ♪ Yeah, a candle in the window - So I have to read some of the awards and the accolades and because it's just, they go on and on and on.

(Joan laughs) So I won't read them on and on and on and on.

But I'll read a few of the ones.

So you are a seven time Canadian Country Music Association award nominee, a two time Juno Award nominee, a four time country music television award winner, an MCA recording artist, and second only to Garth Brooks as the most played artist on Canadian country music radio.

Okay.

- I'm tired.

- That sounds.

(Joan laughs) Yes, I know.

That sounds like you are tired.

No, you should be.

No, but that's just some of them, they go on and on.

And then there's other ones I'm gonna talk about later.

But- - Yeah.

- You know- - How did all that happen?

- It was, you know, I think, you know, being in music and having the right people around you and the right managers and the right agents and people that are truly, that truly care about you makes things like that happen.

And of course, you know, I have to do the work too.

- [Carolyn] Oh yeah.

- So, you know, as an artist, I mean, you know, it's trying sometimes because you're traveling from one place to the next and you not knowing whether you're gonna get any sleep.

I remember doing a European tour, I went over to Europe for probably five or six, seven years in a row, and I would do a tour over there.

- Mm-hm.

- And we got a, a label, a German label to bring my album there.

A German label called KA International.

And they brought my "Candle in the Window" album over there.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- My first MCA record and, you know, and so you have to go and you have to back it up.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- You know, you have to do the work to- - [Carolyn] Promote it.

- Let people know who you are and sing your songs and play your music.

So it, you know, it just, it's about being dedicated to your art and also being dedicated to yourself- - [Carolyn] Mm-hm.

- For what you have to go through to make things happen and to make things work as an artist.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- And also as a person, you know.

- Mm-hm.

- You don't want to lose any integrity for yourself or for the, for what you're trying to do as a musician or as a singer songwriter.

- Mm-hm.

So were you doing a lot of writing at this point?

- I really wasn't.

I only started dabbling in writing as my career got a little bit more, you know, rooted- - [Carolyn] Mm-hm.

- I guess is the best word.

I started going down to Nashville and doing some writing down there.

And I do have some cuts on my record that I co-wrote or was a part of.

- [Carolyn] Mm-hm.

- But writing never came easy to me.

- [Carolyn] Okay.

- It wasn't the type of thing that I could, I mean, when it does come to me, it comes all at once.

The lyrics and the melody all comes together and, you know, and that's how it comes to me.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- Not all writers or singers are like that, but- - [Carolyn] Right.

- For myself, it's kind of a one and done thing, so.

- Yeah, I know.

(Joan laughs) - Yeah.

- Okay, so.

So at this point you're touring, you are winning awards, you're, how crazy was your life?

- My life was crazy.

It was crazy.

- [Carolyn] How did you balance things?

- You know, I think you just hang on tight.

You just really hang on tight.

And that's what I did.

Like most of the time it was, I didn't really even know what I was doing, but I knew I had to hang on- - [Carolyn] Mm-hm.

- And go along for the ride.

And it was amazing for a lot, a lot of years.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- And then, I, you know, I decided, you know, I wanna have children.

And it got to that point in my career where I had to make sort of this decision.

- [Carolyn] Mm-hm.

- And it was a tough decision, not about having kids, but it was a tough decision to know that once that happened, then my career was going to take a step backwards.

Not backwards, but it was going to kind of be put on the shelf for a little bit.

And, because I can remember having my daughter, Grace, who was on the show with us today.

- Mm-hm.

- Grace was born in October and I had to go do a television show in Saskatchewan.

I used to do a telethon.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- Called "Tele Miracle".

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- And we would raise money for the town, for the province, and all the money would stay in the province, and it was millions of dollars.

There was Bob McGrath, there was all kinds of Canadian artists.

Bob McGrath from Sesame Street.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- And I got to know Bob.

And so Grace was born in October.

I had to go there in February and I couldn't leave her home.

I had to take her with me.

- [Carolyn] Take her.

- So she did her television debut a few months old.

(Joan laughs) - [Carolyn] Right, yeah.

- And was on television with me.

So, but that was the one thing that, you know, I will never regret.

You know, taking that time and having my kids and knowing that my music will always be there.

- Yeah.

- You know, and I needed to be there for them.

- [Carolyn] Right.

- [Joan] Yeah.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

(wood tapping) (upbeat music) ♪ Two young lovers, hold each other tight ♪ ♪ Getting to the heart of the matter ♪ ♪ And the heart of the night ♪ She says I believe in loving ♪ But before we cross the line boy ♪ ♪ I need to hear it from you ♪ I need to hear you say ♪ Everything's gonna be okay ♪ You're never gonna change your mind ♪ ♪ This love is moving fast ♪ Tell me that you wanna make it last ♪ ♪ Say you wanna make it through the hard times ♪ ♪ Say you love me ♪ At the end of time boy ♪ I need to hear it from you ♪ Little baby ♪ He looks so nervous, he's ready to ♪ ♪ Her friends cried, even shaking in their boots ♪ ♪ He set the ring on her finger ♪ ♪ And said I do now honey ♪ I need to hear it from you ♪ I need to hear you say ♪ Everything's gonna be okay ♪ You're never gonna change your mind ♪ ♪ This love is moving fast ♪ Tell me that you wanna make it last ♪ ♪ Say you're ready to make it though the hard times, yeah ♪ (upbeat music continues) ♪ I need to hear you say ♪ Everything's gonna be okay ♪ You're never gonna change your mind ♪ ♪ This love is moving fast ♪ Tell me that you wanna make it last ♪ ♪ Say that we'll make it through the hard times ♪ ♪ Say you love me ♪ Til the end of time boy ♪ I need to hear it from you ♪ I need to hear it from you ♪ I need to hear it from you ♪ Tell me baby ♪ Oh Youve had a wonderful career.

- I have.

- Continue to, and continue to do stuff, So.

- Yeah.

I have, you know, now it's a little bit more relaxed, you know, my career is a little bit more relaxed.

Although I do a lot of shows.

- [Carolyn] Yeah.

- All over the place.

And, but it is just a little bit more relaxed in the sense that, you know, I'm doing it for my benefit and for my audience's benefit and for my family and you know, just being able to go out there and to be able to perform, you know, as much as I want to or as little as I want to, just, you know, it's, the music will always be- - Mm-hm.

- It will always be a part of my life.

It'll always be my go-to.

And I'm just so glad and so thankful that mom and dad encouraged us kids to go out there and live your dream.

- Well I am so glad to hear your story and thank you for sharing it with us.

- Thank you.

- And I look forward to seeing you around the block.

- [Joan] Okay.

- [Carolyn] Oh, thank you Joan.

- [Joan] Thank you very much.

(wood tapping) (upbeat music) ♪ Hush, hush ♪ Everyone who had a great big crush just hit the ground ♪ ♪ That sound of hearts breaking all over town ♪ ♪ Hey, hey girls, see what the news ♪ ♪ Sooner or later, she had to choose ♪ ♪ Yeah, we all thought he might be the one ♪ ♪ Now he's gone and tied the knot ♪ ♪ Everybody looks so stunned ♪ Hush, hush ♪ Everybody who had a great big crush just hit the ground ♪ ♪ The sound of hearts breaking all over town ♪ ♪ He has looks in such a charming way ♪ ♪ Guys like him don't come along everyday ♪ ♪ He casted spells, you could not resist ♪ ♪ Now all of us are moping around ♪ ♪ Cryin ‘bout the chance we missed ♪ ♪ chance we missed ♪ ♪ Hush, hush ♪ Everyone who had a great big crush just hit the ground ♪ ♪ That sound of hearts breaking all over town ♪ ♪ Woo, yeah ♪ Hush, hush ♪ Everyone who had a great big crush, just hit the ground ♪ ♪ That sound of hearts breaking all over town ♪ ♪ Hush, hush ♪ Breaking all over ♪ Hush, hush ♪ Breaking all over town, yeah ♪ Hearts breaking all over ♪ Woo (upbeat music continues) (music fades)