(CSC) 1. Thanks for the chat! What can you tell us about your highly anticipated debut album “Right Road Now” and when will it be released?!

(Whitney Duncan)

Yeah, I’ve heard its early 2010. That’s all I know right now. Hopefully we’ll get a set date soon but I expect it to be January, February or March. I should say March or April just because I know how it works. Things get pushed back so much you know. But I can’t wait for it to come out. It’s exciting!

(CSC) 2. How has your involvement in the creative process of your album played a role in your strengths as a songwriter?

(Whitney Duncan)

I was very involved with whole production of making this record and I co-wrote every song! It’s very close to me. I couldn’t imagine leaving it for a minute; I was there for every second of its creation. I wanted to see everything from guitars going down to everything else! This is my first record. I want it to be absolutely perfect. Not that I won’t want my second record to be absolutely perfect but your first is very, very special. Being so involved in the whole process was such a blast! Honestly, I was sad when it was finished and so was my producer. It literally was like Christmas every single day: getting out of the bed and being so excited about the day ahead of you. Knowing we were going to write a new song or work on one of the ones we already love. It was a great, great few months of life!

(CSC) 3. Out of all the valuable lessons your grandfather has taught you about music, what one means the most to you?

(Whitney Duncan)

Well he was the whole reason I started singing. When I was little he showed me who Elvis was. He played Elvis’s classic movies and performances and that’s what honestly made me. I wanted to be that. I’d watch them over and over and decided that is what I wanted to do too. Literally from three years old, I said that’s what I’m going to be. My grandfather also showed me other people from Jerry Lee Lewis to Don Williams. You could never make a child to want that but I definitely connected with those people and knew that’s what I wanted to be. And that’s still what I want to be! My grandfather would know when I was a child because I would say “I want to be a singer, a country singer”. Most children change their minds, but I never did.

(CSC) 4. How did you initially attempt to break into the business and what do you attribute to getting your career off the ground?

(Whitney Duncan)

When I was a kid I would play everywhere I could, from church to fairs and festivals, really anywhere. This guy heard me at this competition and he approached my parents and said, “I work in Nashville and I’m a producer, if you will let her come to Nashville I want to produce some sides on her and get her a deal.” Initially, my parents were wondering what it was going to cost and it was going to cost a big amount of money. They didn’t feel completely comfortable about it. So we talked to an entertainment attorney in Nashville and he said “Don’t do it, if they believe in you it will not cost you money. If you want to do this for real, let me set you up with some people I know and get started like that.”

So that’s how it really began. I started songwriting with people Nashville and got my first publishing and record deal at seventeen. I was at Capitol for a few years and did a duet with Kenny Rogers, which was awesome! I loved that. He is an amazing artist! So that’s how it all began. Then I took a few years off to focus on songwriting and figuring out musically in which direction of an artist that I wanted to be. I was just trying to figure everything out. That’s when I met up with Mark Bright my producer. He worked with me for a few years. Then I met my other producer John Shanks. So that’s how it all came together.

(CSC) 5. With plenty of young female artists flooding the airwaves with hit songs and selling out shows on the road, HOW do you plan to make your presence as an artist a significant part of the business?

(Whitney Duncan)

Well all you can do is make great music and just hope; it’s really hard right now at country radio to get played as a new female. I do all I can. I play shows and try to make fans as many fans as possible and that’s all you can ask for in country radio. People know my music and that’s the most wonderful feeling. That’s what you do it for. You do it for your fans. It’s really hard because there are a lot of females out there right now, but the music speaks for itself. 

(CSC) 6. Have you been personally influenced by any particular female country music legend, and if so who and why?

(Whitney Duncan)

I actually have been personally influenced by female artists. I grew up listening to a wide variety of music. My dad was not a country fan. He would listen to nothing but Rock & Roll but my mom would listen to nothing but country. There was always that kind of battle. Of course my mom won!  Tanya Tucker was always one of my favorites and so was Shania Twain and Tammy Wynette. I would say, those three woman in country music have influenced me the most. There are others such as Bonnie Raitt. When I saw her play that strat, I was like “that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to play a strat!” And now I do! So there are definitely other influences as well.

I would say in country music Shania, Tanya Tucker and Tammy Wynette are definitely my biggest influences. I love Tanya’s voice and she’s such a good entertainer. Shania is too and when her CD came out, I just loved her voice. I thought it was just the coolest. All those artists are very distinguishable. You would never ever once hear them and not know who they are. And I’ve always been very drawn to those kinds of voices. I’m not necessarily drawn to those kinds of voices that hit the highest notes. I’m not necessarily into the perfect voices. I like unique, distinguishable voices. So I really feel like that’s probably what drew me to all of those. They’re all great entertainers as well. So I would say that’s probably what did it for me more than anything was their voices and their live performances.

(CSC) 7. What do you appreciate most about being a part of the music community in Nashville and what are some of the highlights that come with living there?

(Whitney Duncan)

I’d say the whole songwriting community is pretty awesome. You just support each other and when people get cuts, you’re excited for them and other artists as well. I feel like I’m getting more into the artist community. I’m doing a lot of shows with a lot of different artists. For the most part, everybody I’ve met in country music has been genuinely nice.

(CSC) 8. What are some interesting or fun traits about yourself that people would be surprised to learn about you?!?

(Whitney Duncan)

You know I think everybody always expects when you do this, that you’re a night owl that you stay up all night and party. That is not me at all. I’m very organized and scheduled. I go to bed early, when I can, after a show. I get up early. It’s just like the direct opposite of what you think. I think everybody expects you to stay up all night and sleep until noon and some do! A lot of them do! But I like having a schedule and getting up early and working. I like my time at home. But I also love to travel, which is what I do most of the time. I’m pretty laid back. I love reading and doing things outdoors. I’m big into sports. I love playing softball and basketball and hiking. The morning is the most productive part of my day. When I get up and have my cup of coffee, I’m returning emails. I work constantly so I can’t imagine going to bed so late that you would get up at three in the afternoon. It would ruin the day. I work too much for that. I don’t just play shows, you know what I mean? There’s a lot of stuff that goes on behind the scenes that you have to deal with as an artist.

(CSC) 9. What motivates you in life and where does your drive to excel originate from?

(Whitney Duncan)

I‘ve always been a hard headed, driven person. My mom has always told me to not take no for an answer. If it’s something you really love and something you really want to do, you keep going after it. That’s what I’ve always thought. I’ve been going to Nashville since I was fifteen and I’m twenty-five now. It’s ten years into working hard and making music. I think my parents have always been supportive and that helps me having such a supportive family. I think that’s what helps the drive for sure. 

(CSC) 10. Being a new artist, what direction of music will you choose to head towards in your career for the listeners who aren’t familiar with your style just yet?

(Whitney Duncan)

Well I’ve definitely been influenced by a lot of people. It’s definitely a mix of country, a little bit of rock and a little bit of pop. So I’ve definitely been influenced by a lot of different artists. I love blues, so there’s a lot of that, all of that, in my music. I’d also be interested in doing Gospel. We’ll just see where the road leads!

(CSC) 11. What are THREE important qualities that an artist must abide by to achieve longevity?

(Whitney Duncan)

I would say number one, being a hard worker. You absolutely have to be a hard worker. There is no room for lazy people in this business. You also have to have a lot of patience and be able to draw the line as far as being too pushy. There’s a fine line of pushing enough but not too much and being patient with people. You have a whole team of help. It’s not just all about the artist. It has to do a lot with the record label, management, publishers and producers. It’s the whole group of people that are working towards success of an artist and putting together a good team. If you put together a good team working towards the same goals, then you’re set.

(CSC) 12.  If there was one thing you could change about yourself, what would it be and why would you change it?

(Whitney Duncan)

I wouldn’t have such a sweet tooth, ha!  Because if I keep eating ice cream & chocolate like I do now I’m going put on major pounds.  But really, I wouldn’t change anything.  If I did, I wouldn’t be me.  If I start picking myself apart, I wouldn’t be so happy.  So I don’t allow myself to think like that. 

(CSC) 13. With the Christmas season here once again, what does this time of year mean to you personally and how do you plan to celebrate Christmas and New Years Eve?!

(Whitney Duncan)

This is my favorite time of year!  I love Christmas!  It’s a very special holiday to me because I spend it with the people I love.  I plan on doing some snowboarding in Colorado, then home to open presents with the family.  I don’t have any New Years plans yet, but it will probably consist of playing Cranium & drinking wine.  

(CSC) 14. If you had ONE wish to better this nation, what would you choose?

(Whitney Duncan)

I wish we would stop hurting each other.  If everybody had a bigger conscious and stronger morals, this world would be a better place.  J  I could be a preacher, huh?!  Ha. 

Keep in touch with Whitney Duncan here: http://Twitter.com/Whitneyduncan and here: http://www.whitneyduncan.com/