On campus, there are many artists you can find that will suit your interests.
There are rappers with quick rhymes, country artists with baritone voices and soft-spoken singers who cover the latest pop hits.
But one artist is unique among her peers. She isn’t separated by genres of music; in fact, she bends them most of the time to her advantage. This singer is senior Rachel McCamy, who has performed at Austin Peay and other venues for the past four years.
McCamy started singing when she was just 4 years old and said her parents were a big influence on her passion.
“My dad was a professional drummer and my mom had moved to Nashville originally to be a musician,” she said.
“My mom has sung to me since I was a little kid and if it was not for her, I would not be a singer. I even sometimes play duets with her on stage.”
Rachel has had many celebrity influences on her way to becoming an artist — Hozier, P!nk and Led Zeppelin, to name a few — but the most profound of these was her mother. With their influence, it’s not a surprise that she has a deep love for music.
McCamy performs in venues and bars in the Clarksville and Nashville areas. Out of the many places she plays, her favorite is Clarksville’s Beachaven Winery because of its overall scene and hospitality.
She mostly covers rock songs but doesn’t limit herself to one genre; McCamy uses a blend of chest and mixed voice in country, pop, jazz and blues covers as well.
“1970s classic rock is my favorite genre to perform,” she said. “It became that when my stepdad introduced me to it at 11 years old.”
Rachel already has many musical accomplishments in her career, but her most cherished ones were when she opened for Miranda Lambert at the Fontanel Mansion and when she opened for Sammy Hagar — a former member of the three-time Grammy nominated band Van Halen — at the Wildhorse Saloon.
Though she sings professionally now, she is still a student first and takes her academic work very seriously. She said being a student in the APSU music program has taught her how to bend genres throughout her career.
Once she graduates in May, she hopes to become a music education teacher and wants to make that her primary career.
Even though she will be busy teaching students in the classroom, that doesn’t mean she will stop singing any time soon.
“Well, my weekdays will be teaching, while my weekends, breaks and holidays will be performing,” McCamy said, adding that she would one day like to be recognized as a successful songwriter.
“Maybe one day I can make it big.”
Chalise Miller contributed to this report.
