On stage his presence is energy filled, and full of life. While getting to know his crowd from the very 1st song, he invites everyone to sing along. Professionally dynamic in all that he does musically, off stage his attention is on his wife who is expecting their first baby in November. Codie Prevost is, “Professionally dynamic, with awesome stage presence, who is a musical professional by day, and a family man by night.” Get to know more about Codie, and check out what he had to say during our interview.
When did you start performing music?
I started performing at age 14. A couple of buddies and I started a punk rock band during high school and we covered songs by Blink 182, Green Day, and other punk rock groups. We had a lot of fun.
Which instruments do you play?
I play Guitar and Harmonica. I always wanted to learn to play piano for the purpose of song writing. I may still do that in the near future.
Describe your music interests and abilities.
I am interested in a wide variety of music from Augustana to Keith Urban to older classic Country. Being involved in the music industry has really led me to appreciating all types of music. There is nothing better than going out and seeing an acoustic show or hearing a new band perform live. My strengths in music are song writing and performing. I have always loved to write songs and then play them for a live audience. It has really helped me learn what works and what doesn’t by watching the crowd’s reactions. To me there is nothing better than connecting with people through music.
What famous musicians inspire you?
Some of my inspirations include Keith Urban, Eric Church, Augustana, Train, Matthew West to name a few. In music the one thing for me as a songwriter is to keep an open mind to new melodies and ideas, which explains the wide variety of musical influences.
What is some of your best musical memories?
In high school two buddies and I had a punk rock band called “Blind Hem”. We would learn the intro to about 5 songs and think that sounded so good that we would forget to learn the rest of the song. We had our first opportunity to perform at a school assembly and all we could play were those 5 intros. Thinking back now it was the shortest show I ever played. Good times.
What public events do you have coming up?
We just finished a tour with Ducks Unlimited Canada, which was incredible to be a part of. I have a handful of concerts from now till Christmas. My wife and I are preparing for the arrival of our first baby in November so things are very exciting around home! I will be writing for another upcoming album as well as finishing all the planning for 2015. With tours to Australia, USA, and Canada. There are a lot of plans to finalize.
What would you say to beginners to the industry, who are nervous?
I would say get out and perform wherever you can. I remember starting out and being so nervous but I just jumped in. If I wouldn’t have, then who knows where I would be today. You will get nervous, but that is all part of the journey.
“Don’t be afraid to say yes, and take every opportunity that comes your way.” “You never know where it will lead.”
How do you balance your music with your family and friends?
I’ve been very lucky to have a supportive family when it comes to my music. They have been there from day one. This definitely makes it easier to be an artist. I’ve always been surrounded by people who’ve encouraged me to keep going and I think that is very important in this industry, because they will keep pushing you to be better and further yourself. When I am off the road I love to spend time with my wife, and catch up with friends. I always make a point of doing those things.
Should we be expecting anything new to be released?
I’ll be starting to work on new music very soon with hopes of releasing something from a new album in early 2016! For me going into the studio and making music is such an exciting time, because you get to hear the songs come to their full potential, and take on a new life!
Do you get nervous before a performance?
I always have an initial bit of nervousness, but once I get on stage and get to know the crowd, all the nervousness disappears. The nervousness disappears a lot faster now than when I first started performing in front of a crowd.
Do you attend jam sessions?
I’ve attended some jam sessions and I think the best jam sessions are the ones that were not planned and sorta just happen. I recall performing a concert one evening with a few other artists on the bill. An artist by the name of Blake Berglund was there, and at the end of the night we ended up playing songs until 2 a.m.. We kept in touch after that concert and eventually ended up touring together for a few months. Jam sessions are a great place to meet other musicians and artists.
Is your family musical?
My mom and my uncle would perform at various family functions. I remember seeing the joy music could bring to people when everyone else was singing and having a great time. It was those times that encouraged me to become an artist.
How do you handle mistakes during a performance?
I just keep on rolling. For the most part about 90% of the time nobody in the crowd recognizes the mistakes so you just make a mental note of it, so you don’t make the same mistake again, and keep on going like it didn’t happen.
“Don’t be afraid of making mistakes.”
Where can we follow your career at?
You can get all the info at the following sites:
http://www.codieprevost.com (You can join the mailing list to receive updates)
http://www.facebook.com/codieprevostmusic
http://www.twitter.com/codieprevost (@codieprevost)
http://www.youtube.com/codieprevost
The music is available on I-Tunes and on my website.
Canada:
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/codie-prevost/id111761108
USA:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/codie-prevost/id111761108
About Johnny Naylor:
Johnny Naylor is the founder and owner of 1st Shot Music and a feature writer for Jammerzine. His work can also be found on 1st Shot Music and Naylor’s Notes. You can also get his latest updates on his facebook page.
