Country newcomer Mitch Rossell got his start in 2007, when he uploaded a cover of him singing Brad Paisley’s hit song “I’m Still a Guy”. He has worked his way through Nashville by building what he calls an “organic fan base” by releasing those covers and writing his own songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5sDOAm_E6g
Rossell’s hard work and dedication has led him to realizing his dream of making music that touches people. After releasing cover after cover on his YouTube, he has independently released up to date four albums, as well as an EP and four singles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x-rj10RZxU
Rossell has been producing music ever since his 2010 move to Nashville, while getting to sing and talk to some of his favorite artists. In 2011, Rossell and his good friend Trevor George met country music legend George Jones in his home and Jones wished him luck and told him “Because in this [music] business, you’ll need it”. Later that year, he teamed up with Eric Church for the ACMs “Duets” series and sang Church’s hit song “Smoke a Little Smoke” with him.
Rossell’s journey has been a long and tough one, with no shortcuts to what he has accomplished. Four albums in, his latest CD Raised By the Radio was released in late July. The eight song record is his most polished to date. Part of that sound is attributed to another country music legend, Garth Brooks, taking Rossell under his wing and mentoring him.
“He’s really helped me grow as an artist, and really inspired me and he had some great input on a few of the songs on this record,” Rossell says of Brooks.
In addition to co-producing the new album, Brooks has also invited Rossell to open for him recently in shows in Las Vegas and San Antonio. Although he has had great opportunities coming newly to him, Rossell is always working harder and harder, especially in his songwriting, and not taking anything for granted.
“I’ve never been a guy that wanted the snap of a finger success,” says Rossell “because typically anything you do in life that’s that quick up you lose just about that quick down.”
Raised By the Radio reached #17 on the iTunes country charts in its first week, on July 22nd. Throughout the album, you can hear Rossell’s clever songwriting. In the title track, in which he uses well known country songs like “Love Like Crazy,” “Live Like You Were Dying,” and even Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” to demonstrate how much the radio, and music in general, has impacted his life throughout the years.
The rest of the album is also well written, produced, and a good mix of uptempo songs about a girl coming into his life and changing his perspective (“All About Me,” “Sent From Heaven”) to various songs about dealing with hardship [“The Rain”] and wishing for a simpler way of life [“Mine Was a Backroad].
After having over 35,000 YouTube subscribers and 15,000 Facebook likes, Rossell is still about the personal fan experience. Especially on Facebook, Rossell tries to respond to each fan who comments.
“I have so much admiration and respect for people taking their time out for me and spending their money on what I worked so hard to create,” says Rossell.
Rossell is promoting Raised By the Radio right now, working on getting more radio stations across the country to play it as well as continuing to tour. You can follow him on Twitter at @mitch_rossell or his Facebook at www.facebook.com/officialmitchrossell, or his website, mitchrossell.com.
You can also listen to the full interview with Mitch Rossell below by clicking the Soundcloud link. The 28 minute program features Marty Kurtz speaking to Mitch about his songwriting and what it’s like to be mentored by Garth Brooks, as well as some songs off of the record, Raised By the Radio.
The cover to Mitch Rossell’s new album, Raised by the Radio
Thank you to Mitch Rossell for talking to WMCO about his incredible journey. Listen to WMCO, 90.7 and hear live DJs play more songs off the new album.
