Q&A: Fiddlin’ student has eyes on fame

PNT staff writer

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Coby Carter, a freshman at Eastern New Mexico University, may be headed for the big time as a member of StateLine, a country music band from Eastern New Mexico and West Texas. The youngest member and only Portales native has been playing the fiddle for the group for only a few months, but has held his own, while working full-time, and starting college in August at ENMU. StateLine recently won the state competition of the 32nd Annual Texaco Country Showdown, a national country music talent search that country stars such as Brad Paisley and Garth Brooks have participated in, according to the web site of the event. If StateLine wins the regional event Oct. 19 at the Shuler Theater in Raton, the band will win an all-expenses paid trip to Nashville to compete for the title of “Best New Country Act in Music.”

link Eric Norwood Jr.: Portales News-Tribune

Coby Carter of the State Line Band jams out on his fiddle on Monday in Portales. Carter, a 2013 graduate of Portales High School, is the only member of the State Line Band from Portales.

How did you join the StateLine Band?

I had known Matt Wolfe, one of the lead guitarists, for as long as I could remember. At the beginning of the summer they kind of called me up, and asked me, and that was how it happened.

What’s your musical background?

I been playing the fiddle for ten years. I started out as a little kid on the piano, and one day I just asked my parents to play the fiddle. They got me a fiddle and a teacher and it kind of took off from there. I also play the mandolin, and a little guitar. I’ve also played the aIto and tenor saxophone and I sing a little bit, too.

Where are you trying to take your music career?

Well right now, being in this Texaco Country Showdown, our main goal is to get to Nashville for nationals. That is pretty much our focus for now, to make it big. Everybody has dreams.

Did you always have musical dreams?

Pretty much, ever since I started music it was a dream, but it was at the back of my mind. I’ve seen how rough of a road a musician’s life is and I don’t really know if that is where I want to go with my life. I think I’d like to get a degree and a career as a back-up plan and if we go big, great and if not, I’ll have something to fall back on.

How is college life so far?

College life is hard. There is a lot of homework involved with college. It’s tough to balance everything, going to school fulltime, and working fulltime, and we’ve got band practice and performances and church, so it’s a little tough.

How do your parents feel about your musical career?

They are behind me 100 percent. They are like me they’ve seen what its done for some musicians as far as that long road, and they don’t want that to happen to me, shoot I don’t want it to happen to me, but as long as I keep my head on straight and keep everything in line they are fine.

Who is in your IPod right now?

I listen to the Randy Rogers Band. Of course George Strait. We might not have enough time to go into all my music, I’ve got about 6,000 songs on here. Alan Jackson, Stoney LaRue.