Cas Haley

By: Danny Klein | Photos By: Steven Lippman | March 25, 2008 | Music

Steven Lippman

When singer Cas Haley decided to audition for the hit show America’s Got Talent (NBC), he didn’t really know what to expect.  After all, he and his band, Woodbelly, had already achieved notable success playing shows all over the country, sharing the stage with the likes of Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms, and Jurassic 5.  Cas wasn’t sure how competing against martial arts dancers, a ventriloquist and a beatboxer on national TV would fit into his master plan, but he followed his heart, picked up his guitar, and blew away the judges (Sharon Osbourne, David Hasselhoff, Piers Morgan) half way through his first verse.  Though he didn’t win first prize on America’s Got Talent, Cas had already won something more valuable: the hearts of America. 

Staying true to his instincts, Cas walked away from the run-of-the-mill record label and management package put together for him by the TV show executives.  Instead, he aligned with visionary music mogul Griffin Guess, who had worked with top artists Good Charlotte, Kanye West, Jay-Z and others.  Through Guess’ Cartell Records (Cartell Management Inc.’s label division), he placed Cas into a uniquely pro-artist position on iTunes, put the record into Best Buy locations nationwide, and tapped into Cas’ growing fan base.

The partnership with Guess paid off.  By the end of the first day of its release, Cas Haley’s self-titled album sold nearly 30,000 singles and 10,000 albums on iTunes.  The record peaked at #8 on the Billboard Top 100 and continues to reign at #1 on the Reggae charts.

Cas Haley’s success is the result of spending a lifetime doing what he’s passionate about. Musicians themselves, Cas’ parents had encouraged him to pursue music at an early age and to always follow his dreams. Today, that boundless creative energy gives Cas a voice that flows from pure freedom.

Danny Klein: Hey Cas, how’s it going? 

Cas Haley: Just another in beautiful Malibu. What can I say? This is awesome.

DK: No such thing as a bad day in Malibu.

CH: Not that I’ve seen.

DK: Tell us about the journey.

CH: It’s been awesome. It’s a huge blessing. It seems more real every day. I am going down the path that I envisioned earlier. It’s working and I am excited and pumped up about everything that’s happening, and most of all thankful that it is happening.

DK: How did it feel to go on national television and just sing your favorite material, straight from the heart?

CH: Yeah, you know. That was one of the main factors for me wanting to do that show. I knew on that show that I could go on just with me and my guitar and just sing the song that I chose. And it was cool because before I walked up to do Walking on the Moon, I had done that song a lot. I played it at my shows. It was just what I did. It worked. People dug it. It’s really cool.

DK: Brilliant.  You just released your record right?

Steven Lippman

CH: My record dropped Valentine’s Day. The 14th of February, as you know. And it’s doing really good. In its first week it peaked at #9 on the top albums on i-tunes, which blew us away. I never expected that fire to be there. And it’s number one on the reggae digital cell, so it’s still hanging in there. It has been about two weeks. And it’s hanging in there. And we’re just getting started. We’re going to be hitting Kimmel at the end of March and we’re going to be hitting our tour.

DK: Great, what’s happening with the tour?

CH: The live shows, man. We’re fixing to explode on the nation with live shows. I want to do about 100 to 150 shows for the next year. I really just want to give everybody and anybody an opportunity to see us, with good ticket prices and good opening bands. And it’s going to be a great tour. I’m really excited we’re going to be hitting everywhere. All of California, New York, Midwest. We’re coming to your town, I promise you that.

DK: Do you plan to go outside the US?

CH: Yeah if it works I really would love to do it. I’ve dreamed about going to the United Kingdom and just go all over. I know that reggae is a big deal over in Europe, so hopefully our path will take us there.

DK: What would you say to people who have dreams and refuse to let them go?

CH: You know what, no matter what anybody says, no matter how you feel down about it or anything, that little spark inside you is the key to happiness. You following that road is the one thing you can assure yourself that is going to lead to peace and lead to happiness in your life and lead you to a position that’s going to make it better for yourself. And really, ultimately, make it better for the world. My whole thing is just follow your dreams, everybody.

DK: Any thoughts on the political process that’s happening right now?

It’s just important to follow your dreams. I’m going to lead it into this. The man that I feel like needs to be President is all about that. Mr. Obama. He is all about inspiration and following your dreams and creating a better reality for us. And it’s for real, man. And we are in control of it. We are in control.

Steven Lippman

To see and hear more about Cas Haley and his band Woodbelly, go to http://www.cashaley.com and http://www.woodbelly.com.  His recently released self-titled album is available online at iTunes and at Best Buy locations nationwide.

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