had never even sang in a band. It’s kind of funny now.
Did you visit and “check it out” before hand? No, my sister and I came to see about houses but we ended up on Broadway and got nothing accom- plished.
How do you find Nashville as far as from the perspectve of a writer/per- former trying to be heard? That is a tough question because a lot of my own struggle has been my own fault. It's taken me years to realize this but I do now. I have been lucky because I do think I stand out so people know who I am, but at the same time, I have boxed myself in to an extent. I didn't do it on purpose, all of my songs are from the heart and just who I am but I think people assume it's all I can do and that is just not true. I write a ton of different stuff but have been so stubborn - way too stubborn. I have recently decided, as long as I am true to myself, it's not a sell out. I have had several very important people tell me lately that I am missing the boat by being so stand-offish and by being so dead set to change the opinions of alternative country - I have many radio friendly songs just sitting her and that is just stupid.
You have written some great songs al-
Kara with a favorite artist, Edwin McCain.
ready. Have you been pushing songs to the publishers of Music Row? I have never pushed for a writing deal, I think I have been so focused on the artist "Kara Clark" that I just let the songwriter take the backseat. I knew nobody was gonna cut any- thing off my records, so I just would write "pitch" stuff and let it sit here. I taught myself piano, mainly be- cause I wanted to play "I'm Not Lisa" and after I learned it, a flood of songs came to me and I really like playing the piano. It also brings out a dif- ferent style in me, a more vul- nerable Kara,
and that is okay with me. I am ready to pitch songs now.
I hear you have done a bit of co-writ- ing. Who are some of the folks you’ve written with? The majority of my stuff, I write by myself or with David Walker, who plays in my band. I wrote "Relapse" with Travis Meadows, he is amazing. I have written a couple with Jeremy Bussey. Again, I fault myself for not being in the "Nashville writer circles." I haven’t net- worked or reached out to other writers but this is all changing now.
Do you do the songwriting sessions, where you go into a room with others at a designated time and hammer out
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