52 www.CharlestonWomenPodcast.com | www.ReadCW.com | www.Instagram.com/CharlestonWomen HOW DID MUSIC ENTER YOUR LIFE? As a young girl I would stand on the ottoman with a taper candle, pretending it was a microphone, and sing shows for my family. I began piano lessons at 7 and was in choirs, music camps and voice/ guitar/dulcimer lessons all throughout my school days. My favorite present as a child was a toy microphone with a real speaker. My family would volunteer at homeless shelters and medical clinics performing music for needy people to give us a platform at a young age. I began songwriting very young and would take old hymns and write my own additional verses. Eventually I began composing both lyrics and melody. My love for songwriting is what eventually landed me a publishing deal in Nashville as a writer on music row. YOU’RE OPEN ABOUT WALKING AWAY FROM NASHVILLE. TELL US ABOUT THAT. I was cast on a reality show called, “Young Bucs of Nashville.” As the camera lights flashed in my face just testing lighting levels, I started singing, “I Saw the Light” by Hank Williams. I was just joking around being myself, but the producers loved it. I thought, “Great! I’ll tag myself as the Christian girl.” Next, the producer fed me a line that I didn’t agree with. I refused, but he pushed and intimidated me. Inwardly, I justified it saying, “I’m just an actress. Don’t be an uptight Christian. Just say it.” I looked dead into the camera and said as if my life depended on it, “I have no plan B. My plan B is a Patsy Cline record, a shot of whisky and a pistol.” As a former children’s minister, my heart sank at the thought of all the children and parents who looked to me as a role model. They would see me declaring that I would rather commit suicide than not become a star. It wasn’t true, and it wasn’t me. The gospel of Mark says, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?” My soul was too valuable to sell to show business, so I took it off the market and came home. YOU NOW ENJOY WRITING AND PERFORMING FOR CHILDREN. WHERE DO YOU PERFORM? I sing for summer camps, churches, conferences, birthday parties, festivals, corporate events, school assemblies, community fundraisers, business grand openings…you name it. My music is on all major streaming platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and Pandora. YOU’VE BEEN NOMINATED FOR AWARDS. WHICH ONES ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? Last year, I was honored to be nominated for a Josie Award at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville for a song I co-wrote with country artist Larissa Lundstrom, titled “I Don’t Need a Man.” Attending the red-carpet event and seeing the incredible talent showcased that night was truly inspiring. However, I noticed that there wasn’t a category for children’s music. I decided to take action and approached the awards organizers with the idea of creating one. They agreed—on the condition that I could bring together at least ten nominee-worthy children’s music artists. (For reference, 75,000 people submit and Music to our Ears Meet Irene Rose Charleston Women in the Arts Irene Rose.
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