Tammy Cochran: Where I Am
By Janelle Landauer
"Music is a form of therapy for me... It is a way to get my feelings out."
Sometimes you're just in the right place at the right time... Tammy Cochran was out at "The Broken Spoke" in Nashville when a friend of hers in the band asked her to get up and sing. "After I sang, a man named Shane Decker approached me and told me he had someone he'd like me to sing for," recalls Cochran. "The next night I went back, and Shane brought with him Blake Chancey from Sony Records. The rest, as they say, is history."
Cochran was signed to Sony Records and released her self-titled debut album in 2001. She had overwhelming success with her single "Angels In Waiting" which garnered her a top 10 hit on the Billboard's Country Singles Chart. "Angels In Waiting" was a song which she had penned for her brothers - Alan and Shawn, who both passed away from Cystic Fibrosis at a young age. "That song has helped me and my family so much," says Cochran. "And, I think it's a way to keep them alive forever, since music is everlasting. It also pleases me greatly that this song has touched so many people, and helped them through difficult times in their lives." Cochran is now a spokesperson and fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis. She adds, "I will always do the best I can to spread awareness about Cystic Fibrosis."
Cochran's new independent project on Straybranch Records, Where I Am includes 12 songs that she either wrote or co-wrote, and was released on February 20, 2007. Though she cut back on her touring schedule the last few years, it was also a time with no regrets because she was able to focus on her songwriting. "I have focused a lot more on my writing in the past few years," explains Cochran. "I think I've grown as a writer and I hope I continue to grow. I still just write from the heart, and I hope everyone can hear that in my songs."
From her own personal experiences or the experiences of others, Cochran is able to find song ideas from every experience in life. "Music is a form of therapy for me," states Cochran. "It is a way to get my feelings out, but in a way that is not confrontational or hurtful. Like so many artists, Cochran also feels the importance of writing songs that her fans can relate to. "I love songs that are real life," says Cochran. "Sometimes they're silly and sometimes they're emotional, but they are songs that people can relate to."
Cochran's dream has always been simply to make it in country music. "My future goals are to keep making music and making people feel something when they hear my songs," adds Cochran. "I love what I do. And I'm so thankful that I get to make a living doing what I love."
Straybranch Records
Added: May 2007
