Let Me Tell Ya About Carrie Sue
Let me tell you about Carrie Sue.
Trying to sit down and have a talk with Carrie Chandler is a chore. She is the super woman that does it all. Her schedule is tight and her free time is sparse.
Most of you know Carrie as the lead female in her band The Bashful Youngens. Her and bandmate Aaron Short have released two albums and earlier this year released the single When I’m Dead and Gone from their upcoming third album. (Go to bandcamp right now and listen to it. Don’t even finish reading this. Stop here, go now and listen to that new song. You can thank me and finish reading this later.) The Bashful Youngens are favorites on the festival circuit, playing Pygmalion, Moccasin Creek and more. At some of these events Carrie can be found assisting in operations of the festival and not just as an artist. She also plays in duo Dearie with Kayla Brown and occasionally shares the stage with musician Sass.
Carrie is on the governing board on Girls Rock! Champaign Urbana, a non-profit organization that teaches music and the in and outs of the music industry to girls, transgender and gender non-conforming youth. They hold events such as summer camps and open mics for ages 8-18, using music as a means to empower and educate young minds.
For years, Carrie worked at the U of I Veterinary Hospital as a rehabilitation practitioner, specializing in physical therapy. She currently teaches in the vet department at Parkland. Recently, she decided to take a step back from the vet world and focus on her music and pursue a MFA in creative writing. She was offered a few bar shifts at Rose Bowl to help her pay the bills while she chased those dreams. A stepping stone turned into the next step on her journey. Mere months later and Carrie is now in charge of keeping our venue booked. And quite well, I will add, bringing in acts from all over the country, maintaining a broad spectrum of genres in the lineup.
(BTW, y’all have been sleeping on Thursdays. She’s doing an Americana Happy Hour every week with amazing singers and songwriters from all over. The evening show that follows is usually in the same wheel house. A lot of Thursday acts, I’ve never heard of before, but immediately become a fan of as they rarely disappoint. It’s probably my favorite day of the week.)
So, yeah, finding time to actually sit down with super woman Carrie Sue was hard. Although, I also suspect part of the problem was, in all of her greatness, she is incredibly modest and humble. She has little interest and no patience to ramble on about her success and accomplishments. It’s not her thing and frankly, she ain’t got time for that shit. We compromised on an email exchange and a promise I would keep it short.
When asked about her goals as a talent buyer for the Rose Bowl she stated “to continue its reputation of being a fun, welcoming, down-to-earth venue dedicated to inclusivity, diversity and a damn good time.”
She added “I also just really love bringing people together through music.”
I asked her how it is being on both sides of the industry, as both a musician and a venue manager. I was really hoping she would spill some tea, like so and so is a real diva to deal with onstage but great backstage. Or maybe talk trash about another venue. Instead, she had a much more wholesome reply. “It’s given me a whole new appreciation for the promoters, venues and buyers I’ve been lucky enough to work with.”
She continued “I think maybe the most fun part of my new role with the Rose Bowl is realizing how small of a world the music industry really is and reconnecting with musicians, promoters and agents I’ve met through the years of performing in a whole different way.”
On my list of top 3 favorite covers is The Bashful Youngens doing The Beastie Boys “Fight For Your Right.” I’m told it was actually Aaron’s idea, but they take a generational anthem from the 80’s baby of a hip-hop scene, make it sound like a timeless, sensual, folk-based ballad and it absolutely lands. Listen when I say, this woman knows music, as an artist, as a fan and as a business. Keep a tight eye on our schedule and check out bands you don’t know. Because Carrie is bringing it and she’s bringing it hard. Like everything she does, she is excelling. You don’t want to miss out.
