back to artist biographies

CHAD BROCK

Chad Brock has been singing his entire life, but the former athlete didn't realize how unique his musical talent was until he met Florene Gabriel Reese, his high school chorus teacher and perhaps the biggest influence in his life. "I elected chorus because I wanted an easy A," the native of Ocala, Florida now admits. "The next thing I know I'm the one singing the solos in the Christmas pageants and all the other big choral programs."
While the experience helped to make him comfortable in front of crowds, it also brought out his desire to pursue his love for music. The ace linebacker even turned down a football scholarship so he could continue his pursuit of performing and song writing.

"Ms. Reese didn't care about your race or background," Brock continues, "all she cared about was music, She kept inviting me to perform in her programs long after I graduated. Her last words to me days before she died of cancer were: 'All you need to do is sing."

Brock, the son of a schoolteacher and railroad worker, took her advice to heart. He sang at her funeral and soon packed his bags for Nashville to chase his dreams of becoming a country music star. One of Music City's most talked about new acts, Chad Brock's self-titled debut album for Warner Bros. Records is dedicated to the late, great Florida chorus teacher who nudged Brock to follow his heart.

Norro Wilson and Buddy Cannon produced Chad Brock's ten tracks, building upon the success they've created with such stars as Sammy Kershaw, Mindy McCready, Kenny Chesney and country legend George Jones. "The artistic chemistry between Norro, Buddy and me shows in the energy of the music," Brock notes. "All the players in Nashville love to work with Norro because he's fun, full of life, and he brings out the best in everybody. Norro later brought in Buddy, who has an exceptional ear for music."
"The first single is a song everybody can relate to," Brock explains of the Cajun-flavored "Evangeline." "It's a very visual song - summertime at the lake. While growing up, everybody knew 'that' girl at the boat dock. It also has the 'sing factor,' meaning it is a tune you enjoy singing the very first time you hear it."

The simplicity and unpretentiousness of a song like "Evangeline" is what attracted Brock to country music as a kid. "Even at 12 or 13," he says, "I felt country reflected real life more than other musical forms. I could see that my mom and dad had lived some of it, and the parts they hadn't lived, they knew people who had. I found it more soulful than music based on loud guitars and screaming."

The realness of "Ordinary Life" cut straight to Brock's heart the first time he heard the Bonnie Baker/Connie Harrington composition. The ballad is the story of a man who, feeling the rut of domesticated life, leaves his wife, son and 'ordinary life' behind only to find out the grass is not greener on the other side.
Album closer "I Wonder Where Love Goes" (one of three tracks co-written by Brock) is equally stirring. "I had my heart broken," Brock explains of the heartfelt lyrics. "There was a girl I fell in love with when I was 11 years old. She was 13, an older woman," he continues with a chuckle. "I was crazy about her all through high school, but she moved away after she graduated. I didn't see her for 15 years. Then we ran into each other in Atlanta and we started dating and eventually got engaged. It didn't work out. The lyrics of that song stem from the heartache I felt: 'Is there a place in heaven for love that's gone to hell/Does it turn to dust, just like us, and live again somewhere else/Oh, there's no doubt spring will bring new life/I wonder where love goes when it dies.
"Emotion is what draws me into music," Brock continues. "Am I going to laugh? Am I going to cry? How does the song make me feel emotionally? The song has to make you feel something, that's the way I chose the tunes for this album."

In addition to the emotional factor, Brock has come up with ten solid tracks tailored for his personality and artistry. "There are great songs I passed on that may end up being No. 1 hits for other artists," says Brock, 'but they just weren't me. I'm constantly looking for songs that suit me, songs that reflect who I am. I want to be known as a great song guy. I really love the way Conway Twitty, for instance, was known for choosing captivating and appropriate song material."

Chad Brock is the first chapter in what is bound to be an enduring legacy. Brock's debut, like Twitty's best albums, will undoubtedly touch the lives of those who hear it with its heartfelt honesty and personal depth.

back to artist biographies