Carson Taare: a young musician who dreams big to get big

Carson Taare and Gray Bartlett.

Carson Taare credits his nana Bev Whitehead for his love of music.

"There was always music playing in the house: Glen Campbell, Roy Orbison or Merle Haggard."

There was also his grandad Les, who played guitar when he was at Palmer Chiropractic College in the US.

Taare is 18 and has taken a gap year, and says he loves that he does not do anything else but play his music.

He never listened to pop in his early teens, it was country or folk that inspired him in his formative years, being cared for by his nana.

"As I grow up I tend to believe I was born in the wrong generation."

For an 18-year old, Taare has musical tastes of the older generation.

"I would have been down with them."

He talks about Bob Dylan, who compensates for his singing ability with his songwriting.

He likes Buddy Holly, Dolly Parton's song Jolene, and America also get the nod from Taare.

This young Manawatū musician has two Auckland managers, who he says complement each other.

There's well-known New Zealand guitarist Gray Bartlett, whose talents Wikipedia lists as country music performer, producer, talent mentor, tour promoter and entrepreneur.

The other manager is Mark Dennison, who Taare says "does the arrangements and is the show director side of things".

The trio played together in 2019 at the four-day Country Music Association Festival in Nashville, Tennessee.

In November Taare will be joined by Palmy drummer Hayden Lauridsen to record his original songs.

"We will spend eight days recording in Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios in Auckland."

Taare mentions two of his original songs, Hundred Floor Hotel and Gas Station Billy, where music and storytelling combine, inspired by Harry Chapin - who he says is the "best storyteller".

"If not physically true, emotionally true."

Dan Fogelberg is another who inspires this musician, and he also listens to the band Bread a lot.

When his gap year is over Taare will likely study for a Bachelor of Music degree in Auckland.

Carson Taare, centre, with his two managers, Gray Bartlett, left, and Mark Dennison at the CMA in Nashville, 2019. Photo / Supplied

Taare, Bartlett and Dennison will be playing together October 22 at the Globe. The show starts at 7pm.

The following night, October 23, the trio will play the Whanganui Musicians Club.