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Sunday, 18 November, 2007 12:37 PM
CMA New Artist Spotlight: Carmen
Rasmusen
PHOTO
BY RUSS HARRINGTON
Lofton
Creek recording artist Carmen Rasmusen
| By
Bob Doerschuk |
| ©
2007 CMA Close Up News Service |
Canadian-born Carmen
Rasmusen has pulled off what some artists twice her age have yet
to achieve. She doesn't just stir memories among those who watched
her rise at age 17 to the finals of "American Idol" in
2003 - or, for that matter, those who caught her first stage appearances
when she was just 4 years old. More than that, Rasmusen establishes
herself as a vocal stylist with a sound so distinctive that it can
be recognized almost instantly.
That sound takes full shape on the title track and first single
of her debut album, Nothin' Like the Summer. Over a reverie of mandolin,
acoustic guitar and low-key drums, Rasmusen offers a honeyed, smile-warmed
sound that feels innocent and romantic, young and nostalgic, all
at once. These same qualities permeate the images painted by the
music and lyric, which she co-wrote with Jason Deere and Victoria
Shaw, and flow through the album, like a cool stream through pastoral
fields.
Of course, that stream
picks up a little momentum now and then, as on the rousing "Shine"
and playfully teasing "Spend That Money." It even churns
into a stretch of rapids on the hard-hitting, backbeat-driven "You
Scare Me to Death," another co-write with Deere - but that
only makes the Summer landscape more varied and compelling.
A member of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Rasmusen lives now in Bountiful,
Utah, with her husband Brad Herbert, son of the state's Lieutenant
Governor.
IN HER OWN WORDS
Who is your musical
hero?
"Carole King."
Who is your dream
duet partner?
"Garth Brooks."
What book is on your
nightstand?
"Jan Karon's Mitford Series."
What do you sing
in the shower?
"The national anthem."
What's your pet peeve?
"People who wipe their hands on their pants."
What song do you
wish you had written?
"'From This Moment On,' by Shania Twain and Mutt Lange."
When they look back
on your life in 50 years, what do you hope people will say about
you?
"She stayed true to who she was."
On the Web:
www.carmenrasmusen.com;
www.myspace.com/carmenrasmusenonline
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