Casey Stark

Stark, who has worked as a staff writer for Charlie Daniels Band Music in Nashville, comes from a long line of musicians, singers and songwriters, including her Uncle by marriage, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Drummer, Hal Blaine (“The Wrecking Crew”), and distant cousin, multi-award winning songwriter and producer, Keith Stegall (“Alan Jackson, The Zac Brown Band, etc”). Her father, Don Stegall, was a professional guitarist and her Aunt, Vicki Young, was an artist with Capitol Records for 9 years. Stark’s latest album, “For Your Song”, is now available for digital download on i-Tunes, Amazon MP3 and more. As if songwriting weren't enough, Stark's stories, "Travels of a SongMom", which follows her crazy-busy, magic and sometimes tragic journey as singer/songwriter, wife and mother of 3 in the O.C., have been featured in Laguna Niguel's Patch.com. On her facebook page, Stark poignantly describes how fate finally drove her to embrace her love of music again:

I am a Singer/songwriter for radio, film and television. Mostly though, I am a mom. I grew up in the music business, with my dad and his family band, "The Stegalls". I didn't have the most normal of lives, and in many ways it was unbelieveably tragic. I would grow up never realizing my dream of being a cheerleader, or one of the popular girls. Instead, by 1982, we were dirt poor, living on food stamps in a trailer park in San Bernardino. I was a dork, and the only place I belonged and the only way I would get out was to keep my head in a book! I always kept a positive attitude though, and figured everything happened for a reason. Over the years, I took many steps to avoid being in the business myself, but strangely always found myself presented with opportunities, including winning a scholarship for piano and songwriting awards in my teens. I played in a few bands in college, did some recording, but pretty much had decided to stick to a nice cushy legal job. At age 20, my nice, safe and normal job as a legal secretary was nearly de-railed when one of the attorneys I worked for offered to play my songs for his good friend...who just so happened to be Quincy Jones! I was incredibly insecure in those days though, and unfortunately kept my demo tape in my sweaty little palm, deciding to return to typing legal briefs instead. Two years later, the then LA tour manager for Fleetwood Mac moved in to the office next door, and once again I was presented with an opportunity. This time I didn't chicken out. Unfortunately for me, he passed, and I decided right there and then that I SUCKED! So, I did the nice normal safe thing, kept to school, became a paralegal for an aviation litigation law firm, got married to a man who adored me and started a family. It was during my job at Magana, Cathcart, McCarthy & Pierry when once again, fate knocked on my door. Ricky Nelson had perished in an airplane crash, and his family retained our law firm to represent them. I ended up meeting Gunnar and Matthew Nelson, who at that time were starting their own music career. By then, I was still convinced I sucked, so I never told anyone about my music. It would take the death of both my parents, a reconnect with a highly successful, long lost Stegall relative and two towers falling in NYC to finally convince me that life was too short to not do what you love. Since then, God has truly blessed me with the desires of my heart. I've seen and done some amazing things. Things I only dreamed of. I have overcome all my fears, and while I still struggle like most with insecurities, I do my best to listen to my heart. 2010 was my test, my trial by fire. Did I truly want this dream? Then I had to fight for it with everything I had left within me. 2011 was the promise of that dream - if I wanted it bad enough - so I sit here amazed at what has happened since January. So the beat goes on - and If you read this far, well then by golly you rock!