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Sunday, 29 June, 2008 1:46 PM
CMA New Artist Spotlight: Phil
Stacey
Photo
by Chapman Baehler
Lyric
Street recording artist Phil Stacey
| By
Bob Doerschuk |
| ©
2008 CMA Close Up News Service |
It was a tough climb,
not a fast track, that Phil Stacey followed on the way to his place
among the Top 6 "American Idol" finalists in 2007. Diverging
paths confronted him; by following his conscience and sense of responsibility,
he sometimes took the tougher road - but those decisions invariably
strengthened him along the way.
His ascent began on rock-solid
ground, as the son of a pastor. Moving from one congregation to
the next, through Kentucky, Ohio and Kansas, Rev. Stacey encouraged
his children to embrace music along with faith as sources of stability
and assurance in their mobile lives. As a result, Phil joined with
his brother and sister to form The Stacey Trio, whose victory in
a statewide talent contest led to his first crossroads.
Electing to stay in high
school rather than drop out to perform full-time, he would soon
make other, equally
correct choices: to decide on the night he met his future wife that
they were fated to be together; to perform with the Lee Singers
while earning a degree at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn.; to
enlist in the Navy after September 11th and become part of the Navy
Band Southeast; and to fulfill military obligations rather than
attend a friend's wedding as best man - and then to accept that
friend's challenge to atone by auditioning for "American Idol."
Taking note of his technically
assured and emotionally inspiring style, Lyric Street Records signed
Stacey and introduced him to producer Wayne Kirkpatrick. The fruit
of their collaboration, Stacey's self-titled debut, featuring the
first single, "If You Didn't Love Me," written by Gary
LeVox of Rascal Flatts, Wendell Mobley and Jason Sellers, heralding
a presence as powerful on disc as it was during Stacey's "Idol"
run on screen.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
MUSICAL HERO
"Rich Mullins."
INFLUENCES
"Garth Brooks, Tim
McGraw and George Strait."
CD IN YOUR STEREO
"Little Big Town's
A Place to Land. I'm working with their producer, Wayne Kirkpatrick,
and he's such a master at that elemental, organic sound."
DREAM DUET PARTNER
"I'd love to record
a duet with Carrie Underwood."
BOOK ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND
"The Bible."
FAVORITE MODE OF
TRANSPORTATION
"Forget planes,
trains and automobiles. I'd rather walk."
HOMETOWN
"Jacksonville, Fla."
On the Web: www.philstacey.com
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