We were lucky to catch up with Carson Beyer recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carson , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Learning my craft is my favorite part of the process because It’s ever-changing and always challenging. Figuring out what you’re not too bad at, what you might suck at, and seeing how far you are from where you want to be is the coolest thing to me. It could be becoming a better vocalist, writing better music, performing it better, all the things that come with an artist. There are so many areas for improvement in my craft and that is what lights my fire and gets me out of bed each morning and I wouldn’t trade it for nothing.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

In country format which has expanded in all directions, far beyond its former borders, it may seem like there are no new roads to travel. But rising star Carson Beyer has found uncharted territory within, connecting past and future with a dose of mindful soul.

Blessed with a sleek, effortlessly-smooth vocal, and a deep sense of self combining traditional values with a modern mindset, he’s an accomplished singer-songwriter mixing classic elements with an adventurous spirit, now poised to make a new, lasting impression in country music. And when it comes down to it, he’s a guy who knows one thing for sure.

“There’s people in the music industry, and there’s people on a no-name backroad in Kentucky, and they all say the same thing,” he explains. “It’s hard to get behind music if you don’t believe the artist. … Luckily, I’m not so good at faking it.”

A Kentucky native from the Paducah area, that trend toward honesty comes naturally for Beyer – and so does a knack for building on tradition. Raised on a multi-generational family farm, Beyer grew up working a cattle operation, praying for rain and becoming deeply entwined with 200 acres of river valley soil. Along the way, he learned some lessons that never had to be taught – they were just obvious, because you lived them.

“Food tastes better, and beer tastes colder when you break sweat to earn it,” he says as an example.

Still, farmers know the only constant is change. Old enough to see the toll taken by breakups and struggle, Beyer ached for the troubles all families shoulder – an ache often softened by country music. Without even knowing it, he was immersed in country; especially ‘90s icons like Tim McGraw and George Strait, and the deeply emotional soul of ‘80s legends like Keith Whitley, who his dad idolized.

According to him, country was constantly in the background, whether he was riding out to the barn, taking a tailgate lunch break, heading in to town or working in the shop – where an old radio buzzed day and night, no matter what. “There was a country station on 24/7. It never turned off,” he says with a laugh. “We didn’t even know the buttons on it.”

But meanwhile, Beyer was also a standout athlete, and playing football through college let him meet people from different walks of life – friends with different musical tastes than his own.
Drawn to artists like Usher and Justin Timberlake, Beyer quickly fell in love with modern R&B, and when his team discovered he could sing, they’d get him to serenade the locker room – or on a dare, have him catch the attention of the local girls.

“Other people saw a singer in me before I saw it myself,” he admits. “It was just a subconscious, natural thing for me – almost like an outlet from other things in my life. Music was always there, and eventually it was like ‘I would hate to get to the end of my life and wonder if I really maximized that gift that was given to me.’”
After football, his music career started – but Beyer admits it was “half hearted” at first. Despite a dynamic, all-natural vocal, he did not quite “feel” the R&B songs he sang early on, and considered a medical degree instead. The hard-working talent was even accepted to a program, but still felt like he was leaving something on the table. Then he watched the 2015 CMA Awards, where Justin Timberlake teamed up with fellow Kentucky native Chris Stapleton, and suddenly, he knew why.

“It was a definite moment of ‘Shoot, maybe there is a lane for me,’” Beyer explains. “I can’t be George Strait or Tim McGraw. Even though I grew up on a farm, I never wore a cowboy hat – I always looked silly. I can’t be Timberlake or Usher either – you don’t want to see me dance. But that moment happened and I realized, I could be me.”

Moving to Nashville to build on the creative awakening, Beyer dedicated himself to writing songs and playing guitar, learning to capture feelings with real sincerity – and a bit of enlightened electricity. He found early success with the track “Bones.” Written to help Beyer connect with the grandfather he never met, the big-picture anthem has now been streamed over 4 million times on Spotify alone, proving his vision’s potential.

“It’s hard being vulnerable. I don’t like opening up and sharing a lot of myself,” he admits. “Like a lot of people, I’m guarded from some of the things life has thrown in my direction. But when you’re in a room with songwriters you trust and respect, it just frees you up.”

“Bones” represented the first taste of that revelation, and it has now led to a whole new chapter. With fresh material and a brand new EP set for 2024, Beyer has finally found his calling. Tracks like “Next to You” (co-written with Clayton Shay and Andrew Peebles) mix blazing-hearts romance with vivid lyrics and a hard hitting country-rock sound, as Beyer lets his voice loose for an awe-inspired tribute to true love – and the optimism of what could be.

“I don’t know what this forever thing’s all about,” he admits. “But if and when I do find it, I hope it feels and looks something like this.”

Elsewhere, others like “In the Dust” help connect yesterday with tomorrow, an upbeat tribute to the examined soul. Co-written with Steve Bogard and Michael Wilkes, the feel-good country anthem features down home touches of dobro and Beyer’s rich Kentucky twang, but also buzzes with thick harmony and modern vocal flow, its irresistible melody framing a call to embrace what matters most.

“In a way, it’s my story,” he says. “The things that are in the past? They mean something, but leave ‘em in the past. Take what you learned forward, and try to be a little bit better.”

Beyer’s influences collide all throughout his new music, as he takes that message to heart. Country roots and downtown soul. Heartland reverence with a sense of excitement. And enough creative space to let some magic happen. He put in the work to find himself, and now, all he has to do is be honest. And for a guy like Carson Beyer, that won’t be a problem.
“I’m not an actor, so if what I sing is believable, it’s because I really believe it,” he says. “I think people deserve the best, and I definitely didn’t turn down the things I turned down to come here and half ass it. I trust people will find that guy in the songs.”

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The biggest story for me pivoting my direction would be when I turned down getting my master’s degree in medicine to pursue music. I was doing well in school, and of course, Mom and Dad liked that plan a lot better, but the music bug grabbed a hold of me and wouldn’t let go. I started playing some shows locally and came out of my shell a bit, finally singing for people in bigger settings and I thought it felt like a whole lot of fun, not work. Then once I started writing my songs and seeing how therapeutic that was for me, and how it could impact others, the decision was a no-brainer. I chose to pursue music full-time and never looked back.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

A particular goal or mission I have driving my creative journey is being able to write and record songs that find people right where they’re at and make them feel seen or understood like so many great artists did (and still do) for me. Putting real life into songs: successes and failures, mountaintops and valleys, ‘I love yous’ and heartbreak tunes, goodbyes, and ‘see you again’ to help people not feel alone in what they’re going through. Music was meant to be shared with others, and as difficult a challenge as that is to find songs that relate to people now and for years to come, that is a big driving force for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carsonbeyer.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carsonbeyer
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmCarsonBeyer
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/carsonbeyer
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarsonBeyer
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@carsonbeyermusic

Image Credits
Hannah Gray Hall