Singer/songwriter/instrumentalist, Alisa McCance, is releasing singles from her debut album, Crossing Rivers, produced by country music legend Radney Foster.
Crossing Rivers an Americana/Country album with Bluegrass influences. Alisa co-wrote a number of the songs with Radney and her husband Greg Bieck (known for Hall & Oates, Little Big Town), to name a few. The album features guest vocals by friends Marcus Hummon, Greg Barnhill, Chris Roberts, Joanna Janet and Steven McMorran.
Though Alisa is announcing her debut album, she is not new to the country music scene. She has shared the stage with some of country music’s finest, such as Luke Bryan, Alison Krauss, Josh Turner, Ken Johnson, Gary Nichols and respectfully, Radney Foster at the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium. Alisa has been the featured opening act for Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Clay Walker, Asleep at the Wheel, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and was the featured violinist in Keith Urban’s tour video.
“Having worked with Radney on the stage, it is such an honor to now work him in the studio and hear my songs come to life,” says Alisa. “He is someone I’ve admired for years. Radney produced the album I’ve always dreamed of creating. It all magically came together.”
Explain the title of your song.
“Every Road” is a song I wrote with three other songwriter friends many moons ago. We took a writer’s retreat to my parents’ cabin in the Blue Ridge mountains. This was one of the songs we left with for my duo at the time. Fast forward years later…it is still a song that I hold dear to my heart because it became a song dear to my mom. Around the time we wrote it, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and given a very low survival rate. I felt like this song had been written for her (without us even knowing about her diagnosis!) and for anyone else battling a challenge in life. It became her anthem and she’s expressed it kept her going and to fight the cancer. Against all odds, she is a survivor! I’ve had other close friends who were not so lucky on their battle. I hope to share this song with others that need to know even if they don’t like the road they are on, it will lead to another road and there is hope in some form.
Does your album have an overarching theme?
It does. Every song on Crossing Rivers has a story behind it that pulls from parts of my life or if it is one of the ones I didn’t write, like “Fall For You,” written by my husband Greg Bieck. It grabbed me and felt like it was meant to be. The songs can also be interpreted from a spiritual perspective too. And I don’t necessarily mean religious. It’s really up to the listener. Three of the songs on the album I wrote with my friend Rob Wolf. He passed away from cancer a few years ago and these songs radiate the themes. These I hold especially dear to my heart and the stories they tell.
What are some of the best venues you’ve played? Why?
My all-time favorite venue to play is the Ryman Auditorium. It is the home of country music and you can feel the presence of all the greats who have paved the way. I’ve never felt so nervous in my life to play somewhere and then never felt so at home the second I played my fiddle! Another favorite is years ago I played fiddle for an artist at the Nashville 4th of July celebration on the Riverfront. And I got to the be the fiddle player with the orchestra. It was so amazing to have my classical roots catch up with me by playing next to the Nashville Symphony. In a few weeks, I am traveling out to Red Rocks in Colorado to play there for the first time with our artist friend Mark Mackay and I have a feeling that it is going to become one of my favorite venues quickly!!
What’s the first concert you ever attended? What do you remember about it?
My first country concert was Trisha Yearwood with John Berry opening! It was at a fair in Macon, Georgia. Oh my goodness it was amazing and I knew for sure that it was exactly what I wanted to do. I remember hearing song after song being blown away by the story telling. And the voices, they are some of the best vocalist in music and continue to inspire me.
Is there a professional “bucket list” item you would love to check off?
Yes, I would love to sing one of my songs at the Grand Ole Opry! I have played fiddle and sung harmonies at the Opry several times for my friend and producer Radney Foster. And that was a dream come true that I would do again in a heartbeat. But the big bucket list item is to step on that stage and sing in the circle. It just wouldn’t get any better than that.