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Neil Carswell

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Neil Carswell
Carswell singing with Copperhead in 1992
Carswell singing with Copperhead in 1992
Background information
Birth nameNeil Loyd Carswell
Born(1968-10-06)October 6, 1968
Lake James, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedJanuary 23, 2024(2024-01-23) (aged 55)
Burke County, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
Instruments
Years active1990–2012
Labels
Formerly ofCopperhead
Websiteneilcarswell.com

Neil Loyd Carswell (October 6, 1968 – January 23, 2024) was an American singer-songwriter, best known as the lead singer of the southern rock band Copperhead signed to Mercury Records in the early 1990s. With Copperhead, Carswell released their 1992 self-titled debut album that spawned four singles with the singles "Whiskey," and "The Scar" achieving exceptional success on R&R's AOR Tracks Charts in 1993. After Copperhead's disbandment in 1995, Carswell resumed his career in the early 2000s as a solo artist and released two full-length solo albums and a handful of singles, and also curated the release of a new Copperhead album Live & Lost in 2002 that featured previously unreleased songs recording during the same sessions as the band's 1992 album Copperhead and live tracks recorded during their 1992 tour.[1]

Early life

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Neil Carswell was born in Lake James, North Carolina, located within Burke County on October 6, 1968, to Bland and Breda Carswelll.[2][3] Carswell became interested in music from a very early age, revealing that when he was 12 he picked up a guitar for the first time which led to him to begin singing in church and by junior high, had begun to write his own original songs. Over the course of the next six years before creating his own band, he gained inspiration from and was influenced by bands and artists like Ronnie Van Zant, Jim Croce, Bob Seger, Otis Redding, and John Lennon.[4]

Copperhead (1986–2003)

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Formation, signing to Mercury Records, 1992 debut album

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In the mid-1980s while attending high-school in Morganton, North Carolina, Carswell co-founded a band with guitarist Jon Byrd, bassist Tony Hawkins, and drummer Eric Suttlemyre whom were all good friends and schoolmates. Originally performing under the band name The Past, the band changed its name to Copperhead in 1990 under the guidance of manager Dirk Peterson and added keyboardist Brad Durden from Asheville into the band's lineup. The band earned a devoted local following through outdoor shows held at Carswell's family land at Lake James, sometimes drawing crowds of 700, which were Carswell described as often being shut-down by local police due to noise complaints.

After recording a demo with producer Ely Bail, the band was signed to an eight-album and $1,000,000 record deal by Mercury Records in early 1991.[5] Their debut single, "Long Way from Home," appeared on the soundtrack to Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man in August 1991.[6]

Copperhead's self-titled debut album was released on July 10, 1992, with Lynyrd Skynyrd producers Tom Dowd and engineer Rodney Mills. The record blended southern rock with hard rock and blues rock. The album featured the singles "Long Way from Home," "Busted," "Whiskey," and "The Scar". The album and its singles received favorable reviews and regional airplay. "Whiskey," peaked at #17 on the AOR airplay charts and received MTV airplay, while "The Scar" reached #56 on Radio & Records.[7]

The band toured nationally with .38 Special, Molly Hatchet, Outlaws, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foreigner, and The Kentucky Headhunters.[8]

Born Loser, unfinished live album, and Carswell's departure

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The EP Born Loser was released in 1993. By late 1993 internal tensions within the band members were at an all-time high and Carswell's struggle with drug addiction and alcoholism along with his deteriorating mental health reached a boiling point as to where the band could not finish their planned full-length live album and work together in the studio to begin recording a second Copperhead album, resulting in the band's longtime manager Dirk Peterson to quit as their manager. With the band's internal conflict along and the rise of grunge, pop, and hip-hop led to Mercury and PolyGram terminating the band's record deal in 1994 with Carswell announcing his exit from the band shortly after citing spiritual burnout and artistic differences. He was briefly replaced by a new lead vocalist, DB Bryant in early 1995 but that lineup didn't last and Copperhead disbanded completely shortly after.[9]

Live & Lost

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In 2002 after nearly seven years of inactivity, without any other members of the band being involved with the project, Carswell curated and released a new Copperhead album titled Live & Lost. The album compiled with previously unreleased studio tracks that were recorded during the same recording sessions from the band's 1992 self-titled debut album produced by Tom Dowd and Rodney Mills.[10] The album also features live tracks that were recording during the band's 1992 tour dates that were intended to be released on the planned but cancelled live album that was in works before the band members' fallout. Live & Lost was released January 29, 20002 by the independent label "Eastwinds Records". Since its release in 2002 and a reissue in 2005, the album has received critical praise from southern rock enthusiasts and music critic alike, and also has developed a cult-like following in Europe during a brief rise of popularity in southern rock music in those regions.[11]

Solo career (2004–2010)

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Carswell launched a solo career in the mid-2000s. His debut solo album, A Good Man's Journey was released in 2006 and featured contributions as session musicians from Chris Anderson from the band Outlaws and Blakehawk, Barry Goudreau from Boston, Johnny Neel from The Allman Brothers, and other members from the Charlie Daniels Band.[12] Songs like "The Cane Preacher" and "Ruby Jane" explored themes of redemption, faith, and personal hardship with blends of southern rock, gospel, country, and Bob Dylan-like singer-songwriter sensibilities.[13]

His second solo album, Keep You Guessing was released on April 21, 2009 via Aspirion Records Group. The project was mixed by Grammy Award winning producer Ben Fowler and mastered by Richard Dodd.[14] Carswell described the album as "southern soul" influenced by his time with Tom Dowd during their recording sessions together back in 1992. The album featured two singles titled "Altar Call" that gained limited airplay on regional satellite radio in 2008 and "Bright Light" that was released as a maxi-CD single in March 2009 as a promotional single, however it failed to chart on any major music charts.[15] The track "Big Sky" was featured on an episode of the History Channel's TV show Ice Road Truckers, and was featured on that seasons soundtrack album "Trucker Tracks, Vol. 3: Ice Road Trucker" released on April 20, 2010.[16][17]

Career hiatus, recent years, and death (2011–2024)

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After the release "Keep You Guessing" in 2009, Carswell remained mostly inactive within the music industry with the exception of sporadic live performances in the early 2010s as a solo act and as touring support for other artists by playing the slide guitar as well as a few recording sessions for other artists as a session musician.

In 2012 Carswell created and launched Carswell Construction, his own construction company, dedicating the remainder of most his life to owning and operating it himself with other family members.[18]

Throughout the rest of his life away from his music career, Carswell continued to struggle and be plagued with his alcoholism which led to him being arrested for a DUI charge in his hometown of Burke County on June 14, 2022, less than two years before dying of liver failure.[19]

Neil Carswell died on January 23, 2024, at the age of 55 due to liver failure.[20]

Discography

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With Copperhead

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Solo

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[21]

References

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  1. ^ "Neil Carswell Discography (Solo Career)". allmusic.com. Allmusic. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Neil Carswell was born in Burke, North Carolina on 6 Oct 1968 to Loyd Bland Carswell". ancestry.com. Ancestry. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  3. ^ "Obituary For Loyd Bland Carswell". Sossoman Funeral Home. Sossoman's Funeral Home. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Interview with former Copperhead singer Neil Carswell, discussing influence, inspiration, new music". Sweet Home Music France. Luc Brunot. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Deep dive into the story of Dirk Peterson, manager of the Southern Rock bands Copperhead and Coyote". psychedelicbabymag.com. Josh Robertson. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  6. ^ "Harley-Davidson and the Marlboro Man (Movie Soundtrack Album) – Release Data". theost.com. Staff. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  7. ^ "Neil Carswell's 1992 "Copperhead" Album Background". MTV Uutiset. Sami Ruokangas. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  8. ^ "Shortt Bio: Copperhead (Southern rock band)". thejewishnews.com. The Detroit Jewish News. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Mercury's southern rock band 'Copperhead' breaks up for good (1995)". spirit-of-rock.com. Spirit of Rock Staff. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  10. ^ "Southern Rock And Country Music Singer Neil Carswell Revives 90s Era Rock Band "Copperhead" With New Album Of Unreleased Material". swampland.com. Johnny Williams. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  11. ^ "Copperhead Is Alive With "Live And Lost" Album Featuring Previously Unreleased Songs And Live Outtakes". Step By Step. John. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Neil Carswell Biography". sonichits.com. Web Staff. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Neil Carswell Solo Album and Solo CD Reviews". Sounds of South. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  14. ^ "Artist Profile: Neil Carswell". Airplay Direct. Airplay Direct Staff. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  15. ^ "Neil Carswell – Bright Light (CD Single) – 2009". discogs.com. Aspirion Records Group, Inc. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  16. ^ "Neil Carswell – Big Sky (Trucker Tracks Vol. 3) Ice Road Truckers: Soundtrack Album". Amazon. History Chanel. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  17. ^ "Various Artists Truckers Tracks, Vol. III: Ice Road Trucker Spec / Spec Records". Allmusic.com. Spec Records. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  18. ^ "Carswell Construction has over 14 years experience in the southeast, with offices in North Carolina and Tennessee. Our areas of service include the Unifour area, Morganton, North Carolina and the Nashville area". Carswell Construction. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  19. ^ "MUGSHOT & CHARGE: CARSWELL, LOYD, NEIL 06/14/2022". Burke-NC Mugshot Zone. Burke County Police. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  20. ^ "ANNOUNCEMENT: Neil Carswell, former lead singer of the 90s southern rock band 'Copperhead' dies at age 55". Neil Carswell. Neil Carswell Estate. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  21. ^ "Discography: Neil Carswell (Southern rock/Country music singer)". neilcarswell.com. Neil Carswell. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
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