DISCOGRAPHY
 |
|
 |
|
Carried Away
Carried Away has gone through a couple changes since their start as an all female trio in 2000. After opening for the likes of Casting Crowns and Avalon, along with appearances at several Women of Faith conferences and Jump5’s prominent farewell tour, audiences across the globe have fallen in love with the spiritually centered threesome. While the group continues to experience success with numerous nominations and awards led by cousins Pam Walker and Christine Prankard, its freshest face just so happens to be a guy who’s a talented musician and seamless harmony vocalist named Tyler Seidenberg.
“In June 2008, Colleen came to us and said she really felt like her time in Carried Away was finished and God was calling her to move onto other dreams,” explains Pam of her sister’s departure. “At first it was quite a shock to us, but surprisingly, Christine and I had such a peace that we weren’t worried or concerned. God still had us involved in this ministry and we even went out as a twosome for a little while before we brought anyone else into the mix.”
Perhaps that comfort was God’s way of confirming Carried Away’s calling, coupled with prospects of a new member popping up shortly after the dynamic shift. Pam and Christine just so happened to attend the same home church as fellow Canadian native Tyler and quickly became friends with him which led to discovering their similar musical backgrounds.
“I've been playing piano since I was five, and I actually recorded a solo album with nine original songs when I was twelve years old,” Tyler recalls. “When I was a teenager, I performed with GODROCKS, a children’s music ministry and animated series. I performed in shows on stage for about three and a half years and also appeared on the Saturday morning series, which was part live and part cartoon. From there, I studied music theory and arranging and business at the Azusa Pacific University for about two years before returning to Toronto to take a recording course at a studio downtown.”
Pam and Christine can relate returning home after their stay in Nashville during their Jump5 tour. Though both parties loved two music capitals, each felt a pulling on their hearts to return home, which soon became a clear component of their God ordained paths.
“When we first approached Tyler, he thought we wanted him in more of a sound and production role, but we laughed and said ‘no, we actually we want you to join the group,’” offers Christine, referencing the previous all girl dynamic. “He’s honestly such a phenomenal musician and singer who stepped into the role of piano player and harmony vocalist, which is truly a perfect match.”
As Carried Away’s exposure continues to escalate, so do their level of performances, which currently include a significant spread of Brio events for teen
girls (put on by Focus on the Family). In fact, one of those outings was the first testing ground for this fresh collaboration and the audience didn’t just accept the new incarnation, but rapturously responded to re-arranged versions of familiar favorites from 2004’s Closer To You and 2007’s I Want You.
“When we first started practicing the material, we threw in several little changes that might lend to a song or make them more interesting in concert,” exclaims Tyler. “And now that we’re on the road, we’re finding these different arrangements and live acoustic versions are getting people really excited, especially those who already own the CDs are looking for some variety at a show.”
People also got excited about “More Like Christmas”, Carried Away’s 2008 Christmas single. It was their first collaboration with Tyler in the mix as well as the first time one of their songs stretched past Christian airwaves to mainstream radio.
“We are still singing three part harmonies but with a new dimension of sound now that there is a guy in the mix,” notices Pam. “There’s going to be some changes but we are excited to see where our sound has matured to and where it is going.”
Amidst all the changes, one element has remained exactly the same – Carried Away’s heart. Their uplifting songs and unwillingness to compromise their positive message still influence old and new fans alike.
“We want to encourage our generation to get more out of life and get to a point where they want nothing else in this world but Jesus,” Christine concludes. “Even if you’ve grown up in church, we want you to reach that individual decision, while we want to also help others who are hearing that message for the first time to know there’s nothing more important than your relationship with Him.”