Carsie Blanton

Carson Amanda "Carsie" Blanton (born July 22, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter based in New Jersey, who performs on guitar. Blanton has released eight studio albums and three EPs,[1] all with a "pay what you please" pricing strategy. Blanton wrote "My true calling as an artist is to share…What I actually want to do is make beautiful music and then give it to everyone, regardless of what they give me back."[2]

Carsie Blanton
Carsie Blanton at Milkboy
Carsie Blanton at Milkboy
Background information
Birth nameCarson Amanda Blanton
Born (1985-07-22) July 22, 1985
Luray, Virginia
OriginEugene, Oregon
GenresSinger-songwriter, rock music, folk, jazz
Occupation(s)Vocalist, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active2005–present
LabelsIndependent
Websitewww.carsieblanton.com

Fresh Air called Blanton "one of those hard-headed open-hearted protestors who can make revolution sound desirable to your body, even if your mind wants to resist it",[3] in reference to her 2021 album, Love and Rage.

Early life

Carsie Blanton grew up on a former cattle farm in Luray, Virginia. She was a student of unschooling. She began taking piano lessons at age 6, and playing guitar and writing songs at age 13. In 2002, at age 16, Blanton went to live in a group house with other artists and musicians in Eugene, Oregon.[4] In Eugene, she sang back-up vocals for a touring funk band and took up swing dancing.

Career

In 2005, Blanton recorded and self-released her first studio album Ain't So Green, produced by Steve Van Dam of Everything. In 2006, Blanton relocated from Eugene to Philadelphia to pursue her music career full-time. She began working with manager Bill Eib (Amos Lee, Mutlu Onaral), and by 2007 she was playing over 100 live shows a year.

Beginning in 2010, Blanton performed as a support act for The Wood Brothers on multiple tours in the United States, Germany, and The Netherlands.[5]  Oliver Wood produced Blanton's 2012 album Idiot Heart. In 2011, she toured with Anaïs Mitchell's Hadestown, playing the role of Head Fate.[6] That year Blanton also opened several shows on Paul Simon's So Beautiful or So What tour.[7]

In 2012, Blanton relocated to New Orleans, where she lived until moving back to the Philadelphia area in 2020.[8]

In 2019, she released Buck Up, which Ken Tucker, reviewing the album for NPR's Fresh Air, called "delightfully surprising".[9]

In 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Blanton supported herself and her band by playing monthly online Rent Parties.[8]  In 2021, Blanton released Love & Rage,[3] an album of "anti-fascist anthems" produced by Tyler Chester. Her latest album (also produced by Chester), Body of Work, is slated to be released one song per month throughout 2022.

Blanton's albums have all been released independently. She receives direct support from her fans on Patreon and Kickstarter. She typically performs live with her trio, sometimes called the Handsome Band,[10] which includes Joe Plowman on bass and Patrick Firth on keyboards.

Discography
YearAlbum
2005Ain't So Green
2009Buoy
2010Beau EP
2012Idiot Heart
2014Not Old, Not New
2016So Ferocious
2019Buck Up
2021Love & Rage
2022 Body of Work

References
  1. Mindlark. "LOVE & RAGE (2021) | Carsie Blanton". www.carsieblanton.com. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  2. "Free Music Archive - Carsie Blanton". freemusicarchive.org. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  3. "Carsie Blanton's Open-Hearted Protest Album Is Equal Parts 'Love & Rage'". NPR.org. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  4. Writer, JENELLE JANCI | Staff. "Carsie Blanton to show off independent spirit at Lancaster Roots & Blues". LancasterOnline. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  5. "Rising star Carsie Blanton's tour with Wood Brothers hits SF Bay Area". The Mercury News. February 27, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  6. "Songwriter Anais Mitchell brings "Hadestown" folk opera to Norfolk". Daily Press. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  7. Davis, Hays. "Paul Simon still approaches his songs with enthusiasm". NewsAdvance.com. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  8. DeLuca, Dan. "Carsie Blanton and her band threw rent parties to stay afloat in the pandemic. Now they're back with 'Love & Rage'". inquirer.com. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  9. "Carsie Blanton Is Delightfully Surprising On 'Buck Up'". NPR.org. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  10. "LIVE IN CONCERT: CARSIE BLANTON AND HER HANDSOME BAND". Lincoln Theatre. September 29, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
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