Business student wins $10,000 in country music singing contest

As the country music business moves simultaneously in two directions — pulled both toward more…

Singer_WEB

As the country music business moves simultaneously in two directions — pulled both toward more traditional music and the new pop sound — Pitt senior Randy Alan endeavors to, as Johnny Cash would say, walk the line.

Alan recently returned to Pitt with $10,000 in his pocket after winning the “Sing Your Heart Out for a Soldier” competition in Nashville, Tenn. The competition, which was sponsored by Dollar General, took video submissions from amateur artists singing the song “Lucky Me” by Helene Cronin.

Alan won first prize out of 26 entrants with a video he filmed on his cell phone. Country singer Josh Turner awarded Alan his prize in Nashville at the historic Grand Ole Opry stage.

But Alan’s journey to Nashville began long before, on a school bus in rural Saegertown, Pa. When he was younger and still in his “metal phase,” Alan began to take notice of country music as the bus driver played it on the way to school.

“I fell in love with it, because it was songs that were almost word for word about what I was going through or my lifestyle,” he said.

So Alan, who had always liked to sing, decided to teach himself guitar when he was 16. But it wasn’t until his freshman year at Pitt in 2009 that he really decided to take his country music goals seriously. He got on a workout plan, lost 35 pounds and started to write and play music every day.

“When you have a hobby, it’s something you like to do. You do it every once in a while, and you have fun doing it. I decided that I wanted to take this from a hobby to something else. I guess I treat it almost like being an athlete by working on it every day,” Alan said.

Kelsey Hodges, Alan’s friend and occasional collaborator, says this kind of work ethic is what she really respects about Alan.

“A lot of people take [talent] for granted,” Hodges said. “He knows there’s hard work involved.”

Hodges, who worked with Alan while he was in Nashville and sometimes writes and plays with him over Skype, describes his style as a blend of traditional country music and the new pop sound that is currently topping the country charts.

Alan recognizes that these are the two directions of contemporary country music, and he tries to satisfy both demands.

“I really appreciate the traditional style, but I recognize the market for new music and the new audience,” Alan said.

Alan’s trip to Nashville gave him a crash course in the traditional side of the genre. Alan met Ron Harman, a supervisor at the Country Music Hall of Fame, who gave him a tour of country music’s living roots.

“He’s very interested in the history and tradition of country music,” Harman said.

Harman was able to introduce Alan to country music legends like Jan Howard and Jimmy C. Newman and set up a lunch for Alan with Jeannie Seely, who had a Grammy-winning song in 1966.

Seely was very impressed with Alan as a musician and as a person.

“His presence as a person renews all your faith in young people,” Seely said. “He embraces the history of country music, and he can add to its future.”

Alan says he will finish school before moving down to Nashville to try to make it as a country artist. As for the $10,000 prize, he plans to spend $2,000 on a new Martin guitar and has yet to decide what to do with the rest, but he said he is considering saving it to produce a five-song EP.

Until then, Alan will stick it out in Pittsburgh even though the country music scene here isn’t very big. Alan says he finds that country is less popular in most cities he visits, as opposed to their more rural outskirts, but he maintains that everybody can find something to like about the genre.

“Love songs, songs about just having a good time, maybe drinking beer, hanging out with friends — who doesn’t love that?” Alan said.