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Local Kyle Cartner is serious about a career in music and, to help make that happen, he’s recently moved to the country music capital, Tamworth.
“When you want to make a career in this industry, you need to move to where you will be seen,” Kyle told The Cobar Weekly.
“I want to play with the best of the best, I want to be seen.
“This is my dream and I will do everything I need to do to make this happen.”
The 23 year old said he grew up listening to his father’s country music collection on long family trips in the car.
“You could say I was forced to listen to country music and, for a long time I hated it,” Kyle admitted.
“It wasn’t until I lived a little and could relate to the lyrics that I really fell in love with country music.
“I have every word from George Strait’s 50 Number Ones album memorised, thanks to Dad,” Kyle said.
From a young age, Kyle said he knew that country music was his calling.
His father and older brother Jesse gave Kyle some early tuition on how to play the guitar.
He also studied music throughout high school and started singing.
Kyle credits his former high school music teacher, Katrina Becker, for helping him get to where he is today – “I am very grateful for all she taught me. I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he said.
Kyle has been writing his own songs mainly ballads.
“They’re songs that people can sit back and say ‘I’ve been there’.
“If I play an original song and have someone come over to me at the end of the show and say that they relate and could picture my story, I know I’ve done my job.
“That is something I think every songwriter strives for,” Kyle said.
He has already started making a name for himself in Tamworth having opened for country stars Beccy Cole and Sara Storer, as well as playing alongside Christie Lamb, The Viper Creek Band and Drew McAlister.
Kyle has also performed a few gigs at this year’s Country Music Festival and plans to release an EP album this year.
