The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

September 4, 2009

Singer to perform free show

By Mary Catherine Brooks

Cody McCarver sings about real life, in most instances, his own life.

“I write a lot of it,” McCarver said of his recordings.

A small-town boy, he grew up in Dunlap, Tenn.

“We have two red lights,” he said of his hometown. “It’s nothing fancy, but it’s home. They’re my people.”

McCarver returns to a small town today; he will be in Pineville as part of the 2009 Bail Out Tour.

He will have copies of his new CD available for sale during the Wyoming County Labor Day Celebration.

The new CD includes his version of “White Trash With Money,” written by a member of Confederate Railroad. McCarver has been a member of Confederate Railroad for nine years.

Two years ago, he had the opportunity to perform as a solo.

Since that time, he’s had a string of successful videos and recordings, including “Red Flag,” “Through God’s Eyes” and, most recently, “White Trash With Money,” which is currently climbing the charts.

He’s also earned Music Row’s Independent Artist award as well as Music Row’s Independent Breakout Artist of the Year as a solo performer.

“Confederate Railroad are a great bunch of guys,” he said. “I had this opportunity and they said, ‘You need to do this.’

“I perform about five out of 10 shows as Cody McCarver. I perform about five out of 10 shows with Confederate Railroad,” he said.

McCarver is currently producing a documentary, “Cody McCarver: Behind The Walls,” which is being filmed in the Tennessee prison where his father is incarcerated for murder. He shot the man with whom McCarver’s mother was having an affair — on the young McCarver’s birthday.

Visiting his father in jail was extremely difficult for McCarver.

“I was 29,” he said of the first visit. “And, man, it was tough.”

Knowing how difficult it was to see his father incarcerated, McCarver believes it is much more difficult for young children.

That is why he is serving as a national spokesperson for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America.

“I work with this group all over the country,” he explained.

There are currently about 7 million children in the United States with inmate parents, he said.

“Seventy percent of children with inmate parents will go to prison. I think that’s staggering.”

McCarver believes he isn’t a “good enough man” to be a minister.

“I’m trying to do some good. I kind of have this ministry,” he said of the national organization.

“I will offer my services every day to help.”

He encourages everyone to come out to see the show in Pineville.

“It’s the best stimulus package of 2009,” he joked.

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