Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlean Carmon
Hi Charlean, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have had the pleasure of being a professional singer for over 25 years. It’s such a blessing to live out the dream I had as a kid in high school. I’ve had some amazing experiences and met some incredible people along the way, including my amazing husband Tim. Singing on stage or in a studio never gets old for me. I love what I do and I’m grateful for every opportunity!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have definitely been struggles along the way. But that’s how life goes. There isn’t a clear, tried and true path to pursuing a career as a singer in the same way one would become a doctor (go to med school) or to become an attorney (go to law school). There are so many things I wish I had known at the beginning of my career. I thought this would be like other industries , you establish and maintain good reputation and one job leads to the next….. consistently. For the most part , that is true, except the part about being consistent. When one job ends, in many instances I don’t know when the next job will begin. One of the biggest struggles is figuring out how to keep the meantime from becoming a MEAN TIME time. One of my friends said it perfectly, it’s the best job in the world when we’re working and the worst job when we’re not.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I primarily work as a background singer, sometimes we’re called supporting vocalists. On every job I’m there to be supportive in whatever way I can.I’ve been on gigs where the featured vocalist wasn’t feeling well and I had to sing a few notes or lines for the lead vocalist. I worked with a new artist on a promo tour and she was really nervous before her shows. The background singers were there to give her pep talks to boost her confidence before she went on stage. I worked with another new artist on what was her first big national tv performance. She was nervous which is I totally understand. We were asked to sing with her at front of the stage so she’d feel more comfortable. I was on a show where one of the lead performers had to be replaced at the last minute. The music director asked me to rehearse with the new vocalist to help get them ready for the dress rehearsal. I’m happy to share my singers throat spray if I have it. Lead singer doesn’t have a lyric sheet? They can have mine. Other background singers I’ve had the pleasure of working with are the same. We’re a team and we strive to help everything run smoothly. I want to make sure that I add value to every job.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Here are a few qualities that have contributed to my success:
1. Be positive, that includes being kind and considerate. Be a person other people are happy to see coming. It’s really very simple, treat other people the way you want to be treated.
2. Be a team player. When I’m in a BGV (background vocalist) section, we look out for each other.
3. Be professional. Time is money, so be on time. Also, there can be a lot of downtime on the set of a film or tv show. Don’t go too far away from your holding area. You DO NOT want to have anyone waiting for you or looking for you when it’s time to work. When you’re in a recording session keep the chatter between takes to a minimum, stay focused.
4. Be happy for people. There are so many great singers! You can’t be on every gig. What’s for you is for you, what’s for them is for them.
Contact Info:
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/V6aewxTVb5c?si=rPDxUbOltcca0O19. https://youtu.be/yT7b_PjauYE?si=CXLYhzod1oku_IeV https://youtu.be/JmDpCxjNewQ?si=rkzAk9pb2CqAUBDg
Image Credits
Bruce Williams
Valerie Pinkston
