Chester, Virginia doesn’t have a reputation for producing country music stars. Singer/songwriter Brinn Black is about to change that.

I saw Brinn perform for the first time during the 2010 Country Radio Seminar at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Nashville. For those of you who have never had the pleasure of attending CRS, there are private shows held in the hotel rooms throughout the night. I stood elbow to elbow with a small crowd in a room overlooking Nashville. She sat on a stool and confidently sang with a smile, backed only by an acoustic guitarist and drummer who, for the night, traded his throne for a cajone. It was immediately clear that I was in the presence of something unique. As I turned to inspect the crowd, the mutual look of pleasant surprise on every face confirmed my gut feeling. Evidently we all became a bit too lost in the music…and our loudness. Midway through Brinn’s third song, several Nashville Metro Police officers had to ruin the party.

A few weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of spending an afternoon with Brinn on a stroll through Nashville. Once again, I was pleasantly surprised. Brinn has toured nationally and has even made her mark in many parts of Europe. The surprise was that her accomplishments have left her small town charm absolutely unchanged. Commuters slowed to get a second look as we made our way past the traffic circle en route to Music Row while arguing the intricacies of college football. In the end, we agreed to disagree – her with the chomp of orange and blue, and I with the roll of the crimson tide.

“I’ve been a singer my whole life,” she remarked. Born to a classically-trained opera singer, it’s easy to see where the talent comes from. Her sound is a little bit country, a little bit pop. “It’s like Sugarland meets Kelly Clarkson,” says Black. At 16, Brinn earned the opportunity to sing at the 75th annual D-Day celebration in Normandy, France. “That opened my eyes and I fell in love with performing,” she remarks of the experience. A little more than two years later, Brinn found herself making the 13+ hour move from Chester, VA to Murfreesboro, TN where she enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University to study Classical Voice.
After performing in a few operas and other MTSU productions, Black made what she considers “the best decision…since coming to town.” After studying classical voice for more than four years, Brinn changed her major to the newly created “songwriting” concentration in the Recording Industry department at MTSU. Through her newfound major, Brinn was mentored by many of the top songwriters in the music business and earned an internship with Bug Music here in Nashville where she was given a songwriting room session every week to book co-writes and hone her craft. When asked about her experience, Brinn says: “The entire music community in Nashville has been nothing but supportive throughout these past four years. I have been completely blessed.”

With so many new opportunities, Brinn decided the timing was right to make the move to Nashville.

Though the grass looked greener in Music City, Brinn quickly learned that success doesn’t come without sacrifice. “When I first moved to Nashville, I was completely overwhelmed,” she explained. “I played the hall of fame lounge, Douglas Corner, The Commodore… anywhere I could, five nights a week, sometimes to only one or two people.” She confesses, “I didn’t really know what I was doing. It was completely overwhelming because I never said ‘no’ to anything. There were times that my body would just physically shut down because of everything that I was trying to keep up with.”

Relief would come as unexpectedly as the opportunities keeping her overwhelmed.

Through what they both may argue was by divine appointment, Brinn met her manager, Art Wasem, at church. She explains: “We would meet every few months and he always gave me awesome ideas on my career and what I was doing with it. Him becoming my manager (last July) was a God-send…things still get overwhelming, but now we have a plan for it,” she says with a laugh. “Every day after I get in from the gym, we sit down and make a list and check things off as we finish. One thing (Art) has taught me is that successful people make lists,” comments Black. Apparently, Wasem is on to something. Though her music is no stranger to radio, Brinn’s single “Not That Girl” has recently earned substantial airtime here in Nashville. When asked about her support staff, Black says, “I feel incredibly blessed to have them in my life.”

Newly equipped with a support team, opportunity came knocking once again from MTSU. Brinn was approached by a group of students who were interested in using her career as a case study in the international marketing of a rising country music star. Noticing the potential, Black welcomed the opportunity and as a result, traveled to Cannes, France to attend the international music conference, MIDEM (short for Marché International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale). Being the only country artist in attendance, Brinn wowed the attendees and returned to the states with more than ten equipment and apparel endorsements including ProDance Footwear, and Gator cases. “It was a great way to start of 2010!,” she said with a smile.

The success continues to roll in for Black. Most recently, she has begun to attract the attention of several well-established record labels. When asked about the recent successes, she says: “I keep pinching myself…there’s no way this is really happening to me!” Dream Row will be home to her upcoming video blog – bringing you live updates on her career and some of her personal life. Brinn is playing select dates in and around the southeast before heading out on her summer tour. Until then, she is the Wednesday-night performer at Cadillac Ranch in Nashville.

Take advantage off the opportunity to see her while it’s easy to do so. I have a feeling that those days are numbered.

Be sure to check out brinnblack.com and myspace.com/brinnblack. Her album,“Places She’s Never Been” is available on iTunes and CD Baby.