Almost a year out of High School, things have happened pretty quickly for the Carter Twins. After a chance encounter with a MTV executive, Zach and Josh Carter were on the road to a record deal with CMT Music/Meteor 17. With their debut single "Heart Like Memphis" now out to radio and CMT, the brothers took time out of their recording schedule to talk to Roughstock.
Matt Bjorke: When did you guys know you wanted to be muscians?
Zach Carter: I’d say we came out of the womb singing, no joke. We were in theater when we were little and we’ve been singing ever since. We knew from the start that we wanted a music career.
Matt: So I guess having parents that worked in the radio industry kind of helped you out?
Zach: It actually did because we actually grew up in the halls of country radio station WGAR in Cleveland, OH. We were immersed in country music…
Josh Carter:…From A young age….
Zach: Yes, from a young age so it was really great.
Matt: How did you guys meet the folks at Viacom/CMT?
Zach: we got the great opportunity to meet with a MTV executive and he really liked what he heard and he was like “you know what, with your roots and your sound and everything, I think you’d be a perfect fit with CMT.” And he introduced us to the guys at CMT and it was just a perfect fit.
Matt: Are you guys the first artists signed to the CMT/Meteor 17 record label?
Zach: Yes we are and we’re really excited about it…
Matt: That has to be pretty cool to have a big company behind you…
Josh: It’s really cool because it’s such a different thing. It’s not a traditional record label but it seems like the perfect fit.
Zach: Yeah, It’s a different way to reach our fans. So we think it’s a really cool, innovative way to keep in touch fans.
Matt: With their huge internet presence and with you guys being younger artists, how has the internet and social sites like Twitter keep you in touch with your fans:
Josh: We Twitter all the time. You know what; the internet has been great because it’s such a cool way to interact with your fans and people who love your music.
Matt: So you worked with Brad Paisley’s friend and producer Frank Rogers what has the experience been like?
Josh: It’s such a blessing to be able to work with frank Rogers, he’s not only our producer but more like a friend to us. When we get into the studio with him it’s like magic.
Zach: Plus it’s cool because it’s combining the old-school country with the new age in country, which is us with Frank being from the old-school, we’ve combined to make a new sound in country.
Matt: Right, that’s one thing that surprised me about him being your producer, with you guys being so young and having, based on the first single, a pop-leaning sound so this different direction probably worked out well for him and you guys, do you feel that way?
Zach: We’re exited about it but I wouldn’t say we’re "pop-country" but more "new-country.” We’re excited to get our music out there and let the people hear it.
Matt: Who are some of your influences when you were growing up?
Zach: there are so many…
Josh: I’ve gotta say that Keith Urban is a hero of mine, not only because he’s a fantastic guitarist but also a great singer and artist and both of us love Brooks & Dunn because of the harmonies…
Zach: We’ve just grown up listening to them, listening to them in the car and our aunt is “obsessed” with them, so I think we’ve heard all of their records. We like Rascal Flatts; we pull from other genres in the sense that we love John Mayer and Stevie Wonder, I know that’s totally random but we love stuff from every genre too.
Matt: I think that’s something about the younger generation growing up now appreciating country music. They’re like that in the sense that they like more than just one genre and appreciate all styles of music. Do you think that helps you in creating your fan base?
Josh: Yeah I think that really does because I think that fans like all genres so when they start to hear things like “oh they’re like a John Mayer of country” and stuff. It kind of makes them more intrigued with you, so it’s kind of cool.
Matt: How many songs have you written for this record?
Josh: A ton….(laughs)
Zach: We actually moved to Nashville last June (2008), and we’ve written about 80 or 90 songs for the record so far. We’ve been lucky enough to get to write with some of our favorite new acts like Lady Antebellum…
Josh: that song will be on our record…
Zach…We’re just written with Sugarland in Atlanta last week. We’re really pumped about that. (click here to watch a video from the session)
Matt: That’s cool. Working with other artists like that doesn’t seem to happen too much so that’s gotta be special for you guys…
Zach: It’s really cool and not only do you get the chance to write a great song but you get to build a friendship with people for the future.
Matt: So perhaps in the future there’ll be a Sugarland, Lady Antebellum and Carter Twins tour:
Josh: That’d be the best scenario possible. I think if I found that out I might pass out (laughs)…
Matt: Here are a couple of goofy questions. There are quite a few sets of twins in my family and they discuss stuff twins sometimes do. So with that in mind, here goes… My twin aunts were able to trick people when they were younger do you have any other stories?
Zach: We were masters!
Josh: We have many but to tell one we actually tricked our teachers one time, we had bowl cuts…
Zach: embarrassing…
Josh: We had bowl cuts and were exactly the same height and looked exactly the same when we were younger and we could fool teachers really easily.
Zach: One time I liked art and Josh liked math so one time we switched classes so Zach went to art and Josh went to math and we got away with it. From that time we never were put with the same teachers again so we couldn’t get away with it again but we had our fun.
Matt: Here’s another one: Twins often have a ‘wavelength’ where they’re able to complete each other’s thoughts. Do you?
Zach: All The Time!
Josh: Everyday!
Zach: With the music, with writing, with life, I’ll say something and Josh will complete the sentence. I’ll be singing a song and Josh will be in another room singing the same song.
Josh: We’ll be singing the same exact part
Zach: The same exact part and I’ll say “Stop, get out of my head.” (Laughs)
Matt: Because you’re new to the national stage, what can you tell fans about what they can expect to see from you in the future?
Zach: Hopefully good music and more good music (laughs)…Really, I’d like to say to just check the music on our MySpace (click here to visit), and check for upcoming tour dates.
Josh: We can’t wait to come to a city around them.
Matt: Thank you for taking the time to talk with Roughstock...
Both: Thank you so much for interviewing us…
Watch the video for their new single "Heart Like Memphis" (click here)
Read the single review by clicking here.
You can support the Carter Twins by purchasing their video for "So What" (click song title) or "Heart Like Memphis
" at iTunes.
You can purchase the Carter Twins singles at iTunes ("So What " and "Heart Like Memphis") as well.
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