‘Catch of the Day’ – Heidi Raye – “Worth A Shot” [AUDIO]
It's Thursday, and that means its time to introduce you to another of Nashville's uber talented unsigned or indy label artists. Today we feature an artist from Canada, who started playing guitar when she was just 12 years old, immediately becoming enamored in all things music.
Heidi Raye is this youngest of three children who grew up in the farming community of Dawson Creak, British Columbia. Early on she was obsessed by music and was determined to become a star. After learning to play guitar at 12, songwriting became a passion that enveloped her high school years. But, during her senior year in high school, she decided to Nashville dream on hold, accepting a full scholarship to the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, to focus on nursing.
During the 4 years of college, Heidi continued writing, performing when her schedule allowed, and making the occasional trip to Nashville. But as soon as that sheepskin arrived in the mail from UNBC, Heidi packed her bags and headed to Music City. It was October of 2010 and as soon as she arrived in town, she started banging on doors. Every chance she got she took the stage for open mic and writer's nights. She wrote with anyone that would sit down with her and take pad to paper. George Strait's manager Erv Woolsey was so impressed by her tenacity, that he signed her to a management contract. But in less than 2 years, which Raye spent honing her writing and performance skills, she was dropped by Woolsey in 2013.
It was back to knocking on doors, one of which belonged to the offices of hall of fame song writer Harlan Howard. Melanie Howard, Harlan's widow, now ran the publishing company and after hearing Heidi play her song catalog, signed the you Canadian on the spot to both a management contract, but also a publishing deal.
In 2016, the singer and songwriter found herself in the legendary Sound Stage Studios in Nashville, with equally legendary producer Chuck Ainlay, who had come across Heidi playing at the Bluebird Cafe. The result was her debut EP, Worth A Shot, released in late 2016. The lead single and title track from the EP in our spotlight today, Heidi Raye and "Worth A Shot" is today's Unsigned/Indy Artist Thursday Catch of the Day. It's new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again, and it's brought to you by All American Car Wash of Lawton.