Page 63 - The Hunt - Winter 2023/24

(Above and below) Carly Simmons at Maryland’s Elkton Music Hall.
Meanwhile, Rosen and Verchick were working on their own country group, Sour Blossom, which they pitched to River Entertainment, home to country star Kelsea Ballerini. The Nashville label was initially hesitant, until Rosen threw “Whiskey Kisses” into the mix. Now
they were interested, but only if the group included Simmons. She reluctantly obliged, sharing lead vocal duties with Verchick.
With sponsorship from Taylor Guitars, Sour Blossom performed at the Hotel Cafe, No Vacancy and other well-known L.A. venues. They attracted an investor and made the trip to Nashville to make an album at Sound Stage Studios. “We recorded in rooms Morgan Wallen and Kacey Musgraves had played in,” Simmons says.
All seemed well. But behind closed doors, all wasn’t well. Locked in a power struggle, Simmons and Verchick were constantly at odds. Eventually, Simmons was out of Sour Blossom and contemplating her next move. Enter Lauren Jones, a young singer/songwriter who’s now a third of the rising girl group Trousdale. “I remember just sobbing at one of her songs,” Simmons says. “We ended up writing together and becoming really good friends. I learned so much about writing from her.”
The feeling was mutual. “I’m always amazed at how effortless it is for Carly to come up with incredible song titles and ideas,” says Jones. “Every writing session I had with her started with a clever idea and ended in an afternoon of love, laughter and something true.”
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