NATHAN Carter hit the big time in Ireland with a mixture of hard work, gigging over 200 shows a year, and “that song” you will hear everywhere from a country dance to the town’s biggest nightclub.
Bob Dylan wrote a chorus called ‘Rock me Mama’ that he discarded and never released. Songwriter Ketch Secor found that song sketch on a bootleg tape, wrote some verses around Dylan’s chorus and ‘Wagon Wheel’ was born.
Nathan’s version of that song has made him a household name all over Ireland.
by Eric FitzGerald
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The genial Nathan Carter (25) is currently touring in England and Scotland when he takes a call from Limerick Post Newspaper. He says he is very much looking forward to coming to Limerick this Friday.
“We’re really looking forward to getting over to The Milk Market in Limerick, its one of the major dates on the tour for us because it was such a good gig last time.”
Nathan Carter’s new show is his biggest production yet with a 15 strong touring crew and a seven piece band. Among that motley entourage is his grandmother who is his musical inspiration and sells CD’s at his gigs and by all accounts is the life and soul of the party.
“Yeah she is still there,” he laughs. “She celebrated her 75th birthday recently and thinks she is 25 like me. She stays up every night and is the last to go to bed.”
Nathan is now signed to Decca Records (home of Tom Jones and Rod Stewart). The new album ‘Beautiful Life’ features new songs and remixes of ‘Caledonia’ and ‘Wagon Wheel’ with a more mainstream edge for pop radio as Carter pushes for international success.
Nathan has collaborated with Limerick hit songwriter Don Mescall on four new songs.
“Don really got my confidence up and hopefully the new songs will be on the next album. I am getting into it more and more, jotting down ideas all the time.”
Building on his superstar status here in Ireland, signing to Decca Records in the UK and now writing music with Don Mescall, it is only a matter of time before Nathan becomes the unstoppable hit machine.
Support comes from Lisa McHugh from Glasgow/Tyrone who has had great success with ‘Applejack’ an old Dolly Parton song.
Nathan Carter and his band play Live at the Big Top, Limerick Milk Market this Friday May 1.
