Interview with Casey James

Casey James is a singer/guitarist from Cool, Texas. Casey was a contestant on American Idol this year and finished third. Casey James is very talented and an all around good guy who I am sure will see much success post Idol. I recently was able to interview Casey James and it was a great interview that I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed speaking with Casey James. Casey is a very thoughtful person and I am sure he will have great things happen for him in life. Now let's get on to the interview.

How is rehearsal for the tour going?

Casey - It's going really good. I have had only one rehearsal so far, but it was good.

How many songs are you going to sing?

Casey -- I get to do three and a duet.

Is the duet with Michael?

Casey - I can't say.(Laughing)

So it is a surprise.

Casey - You have to wait and see.

Any song that you're singing that wasn't on the show?

Casey - I will do songs from the show. I just figured that the crowd is going to be people that were watching the show. They will probably want to hear me do a song from the show. So I'm going to do a little bit of both.

What was the best thing about being on American Idol, other than millions of people seeing you?

Casey - The best thing is what it brings for my future. Being able to do what I want to do, what I love to do for the rest of my life. I think it has given me that opportunity, for me that is the best thing.

What was the worst?

Casey - The worst is being separated from your family, my dogs and my friends. You know all the things that you are use to; it is also what makes it so exciting and life changing in that you not doing what you normally do. So even though it is a negative it can also be a positive. That for me was the hardest part. It makes you appreciate things more also. Where I come from the air is so clean and everything is just different where I come from. Everything that you had taken for granted, you definitely appreciate it when it is taken away.

How does it feel knowing Bret Michaels picked you as the winner and thinks you have amazing talent?

Casey - Oh wow, you know I did not know he said that. But it doesn't surprise me he is such a nice guy. He is an amazing individual. I was just really impressed with everything about him and to be able to be on stage with him and coming back from everything he has been through. What an honor.

Bret said he told American Idol to have a backup plan in case he couldn't make it, what was the backup plan if he would not have made it?

Casey - No idea, I don't even know. I'm kind of in the dark most of the time.

When did you first start playing guitar and singing?

Casey - I've always sang. I have sung my whole life. As far as playing guitar, I don't think I played until 13 or 14.

What was first song you learned to play on the guitar?

Casey - Well the first one I learned to play and sing at the same time I think was The Dance by Garth Brooks.

How many instruments do you play?

Casey - Guitar, bass, mandolin, drums, tiny little bit of piano, I can fake some things on a trumpet and I play a mean kazoo.

Do you have a Pre-Idol CD of music and if so where can fans get it?

Casey - I sold a bunch of CD'S; I don't like any of them (laughing) I don't want to say. I do have quite a bit of music out there. Production has always been an issue, you know of the CD and the sound quality because you just don't have the money to do what you want to do. I have never been really happy with what I have put out. Now that will change. I will have the time and the resources to do a nice album. I am really just looking forward to my first album here on out.

Have you gotten a definite record deal yet?

Casey - Things are looking good. I won't say that I have got one, but I do go Wednesday to talk with some people and if things go well there, which I have a good feeling about it then an album won't be far behind.

You have a twitter account now, how is that going?

Casey - I still don't know everything about it, but I do know how to actually make a tweet and read some of the responses of people. I am learning as I go but I was shocked, I only made it a couple days ago and I have got like 6500 people following me or something. I don't know exactly how it works. I tried to answer some people's questions and they started coming in like lightning fast. Then I had to take like one every hundred or so.

Did you see the tweet you got from Aimee Mayo?

Casey - No I am not good at checking out the tweets.

Do you know who she is?

Casey - I sure don't

She is an award winning song writer and she sent you a tweet that said "I want to write some songs with you. I know your gonna make an amazing record. When you get a chance message me, have fun on tour" She has written for artists such as Lonestar, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Kellie Pickler.

Casey - Awesome and her name is Aimee Mayo. Umm I'll have to look and see. I'll definitely check it out now.

If we switched places and I was the artist and you were asking the questions, what is one question you would ask me?

Casey - I guess I would ask you why you did it, why you tried out for the show.

Ok, why did you try out for the show?

Casey - For me it was a combination of a lot of things. I have spent so much time playing music and not really getting anywhere. I am 28 years old now and I think about the things I want to have, like a family and I want to be able to support a family and when you work for ten or eleven years and you are still in the same place that you were when you started it just doesn't really give you a lot of hope. I think that coupled with looking at musicians I have played with and these are really, really amazing musicians and never really got anywhere. I just took all that in and I thought why not give this thing a shot. It is not goig to hurt me and best case scenario I will be able to do all the things I have wanted to do all my life and support a family. Also to be able to have people that want to listen to my music instead of just talking over the music that just happens to be where they are at.

What music do you listen to when you are having a bad day?

Casey - I don't think I've had bad days. But what music I listen to day to day changes very, very much. I can go from bluegrass to heavy metal, to blues, to classical and big band and then go to pop and rap. Texas country is one of my favorites and blues, old rock and soul. I love it all, I really do. If it's got the feeling, if the music moves you or not, it doesn't matter what the genre is to me.

If you had your life to live over again, what one thing would you change?

Casey - That would be a risk that I wouldn't want to take. I would not want to change anything. I am way too happy and lucky and my life is way too good to want to change something. Even if there is bad that happens I wouldn't want to change anything at all. I've got good family and good friends. I love my life I am just happy to be alive and if I change one thing I might not be here. The most important thing in life is you have to learn from everything, not only your mistakes but everything. I have had to learn the hard way a lot of times but I was stubborn in my younger days.

Heard somewhere that you're growing your hair to donate to Locks of Love, to benefit cancer patients. Is this true?

Casey - Yes that is correct.

Are you still planning to donate your hair?

Casey - Absolutely, absolutely, my brother did as well and he has got nicer hair than I do for sure.

Your fans have mentioned donating to the society for you to keep your hair.

Casey - Oh no, no, no it is not about money whatsoever. My family has had a lot of trouble with cancer in particular. There are a lot of great causes out there but for me to pick one I would say anything that is cancer related. My brother did the Locks of Love and I am going to do it as well, if I am able to get into a position where I can make a difference by starting a foundation or a charity than I am definitely going to do that.

What hobbies do you have?

Casey - I love to play games. Anything that is competitive. I love to play darts, shoot pool, any video game or board game, anything like that I am all about. For me is more about spending time with somebody, hanging out and enjoying yourself. I don't really drink, a lot of people use that as a way to hang out, I don't do that so playing games is kind of how I do that.

Casey's Crew fan site would like to know if you got the guitar strap they had made for you and if you wear or plan to wear it?

Casey - I did get it and I have to figure out which guitar to put it on. I will use it. Let them know I was really touched, they sent me something where people had made some remarks and they put them in a book and it was so nice to get to know just a little bit about my fans and get to know something about their personalities. I felt really good about the type of people that are being drawn to my music and to me. I think they all are really good people. It was just really nice and I wanted to thank them for that and I didn't know how.

I will make sure they know.

Casey - Thank you so much.