Country artist Brei Carter joins me at my home to talk about her new music, being in the Army and her connection to Charley Pride. Plus we get into the kitchen to make one of Brei’s (and my) favorite appetizers, Buffalo Chicken Dip!
Sue Bonzell 00:03
It’s the up and country show where the heart of Nashville matches thrilling adventures with rising country artists. I’m your host Sue Bonzell. Join us as we explore the vibrant Nashville area alongside talented musicians combined with exhilarating escapades with exclusive interviews and energetic live performances. Each week we dive into the captivating world of country music showcasing the next generation of artists who are poised to make their mark on the industry. Let’s get it started. This week you’ll meet country artists Brie Carter, will talk about her new song and video. And we’re gonna get in the kitchen and do a little bit of cooking. And let me tell y’all, it’s gonna be spicy and delicious. It’s the oven country show with me Sue Bonzell Brei Carter is joining me today at my home we’re going to do some up and country cooking today she’s got a special recipe but first we want to talk a little bit about some music you have got a new song
Brei Carter 01:18
out oh my goodness I do Sue straight up country crazy Tuesday I am straight up
Sue Bonzell 01:49
I follow you on your your socials and mail. I’m like girl that she used country crazy. I love it.
Brei Carter 01:55
In a good way. Yes. And a good yes. So it’s upbeat, it’s catchy. It’s really the the country anthem. Just literally saying you know what be true to who you are. Live in your truth. And I think just today in today’s society, I think we need a little bit more Ben straighter pantry, crazy. Yeah, none of us are perfect. There’ll be prim and proper, be ready to get loose, have fun with friends and family. And just honestly, honestly, on a serious note, just taking advantage of our loved ones and the time that we have, because Tomorrow is not promised to any of us. And just making the most of every moment. That’s really what the song is about.
Sue Bonzell 02:28
And I see you doing that in your socials 321 go Are you ready? Are you ready? You really are just having a good time. And you’re embracing exactly who you are, which I love because I love who you are. Thank you. So you are a very talented, beautiful singer. But you have all these other talents. She’s a she’s a doctor, we can call her Dr. Bri. Technically, because you have a doctorate in theology, is that correct? Yes,
Brei Carter 03:00
technically, you could call me Dr. Bri. But just call me Bri. I am truly originally from Louisiana. I’m that downhome girl, where you can just say Bri, we don’t need to have titles or any of that like, but you know, you’ve mentioned theology, I tell people, I’m a god lover, I’m gonna hold you to that, because my faith is everything. And it started when I was a little girl, unfortunately, my parents divorced when I was younger. So having to really deal with that, living in California, leaving my dad there and moving back to Louisiana. Just that. And then just honestly, just a little bit of culture shock when we move back to Louisiana, and just dealing with different personalities, people being raised differently than my experiences. And I think just all of that just led me to know that I was so much stronger than the obstacles and the things that I was dealing with. And it just led me to where I am today. And being unapologetically Bree, you know, be who you are. At the end of the day. You know, I hear people say what, why be a copycat. I don’t want to be a copycat I want to be an original. I want to be who I was made to be flaws, faults, all of it. It’s who I am. And you take it or you don’t that’s just the way God
Sue Bonzell 04:05
made you. Yes. Right. And really embracing that to say God made you in a certain way with certain talents. You have gifts. I don’t have I got different gifts that you don’t have. Yeah, so it’s like we all need to just embrace those things in our lives.
Brei Carter 04:18
Exactly. And I tell people, it’s what’s on the inside of a person, not the outer layer, the color of someone’s skin. That’s right, the shape of them the size, none of those things matter. It’s what’s on the inside, because at the end of the day, we all believe the same that absolutely 100%
Sue Bonzell 04:31
I believe red, white and blue though. Do you have a lot of life experience in general? Talk about your experience in the army?
Brei Carter 04:43
For sure. No, I joined the United States Army Reserve initially when I was in college with two female cousins, one from my mom’s side and one from my dad’s side. And they’re like, hey, Bri, we’re going into the army you should join with us. And at that point, I really needed a little bit of guidance, guidance and just supplanting my life. So I joined with them. And honestly, I tell people, it was the best one of the best decisions of my life. I do it all over again today. And it just taught me so much just the camaraderie standing strong for our country and for freedoms and what have you, I do it all over again. So initially, I was enlisted, came back from basic training, my initial, my initial advanced training, and then I joined ROTC. And then I got my commission as an officer when I graduated, are
Sue Bonzell 05:26
you You are so impressive to me with all the things that you have done. And I want to thank you, number one, for serving our country keeping us free allowing us to be in a free country for sure. It’s because of people like you. So thank you.
Brei Carter 05:38
Thank you. Thank you so much. I just think it’s just so important. And you know, people can complain about you know, where we are no situation is ever perfect. That’s right. So hey, this is where you are, love America live in it. You’re free. And just enjoy the the liberties that are afforded to you. Absolutely.
Sue Bonzell 05:55
So now you have a connection to Charlie pride. Is that correct?
Brei Carter 05:58
Oh, my goodness. I would say yes. Because when I was a little girl, my dad used to sing Charlie pride all the time, all the time. And I was just listening to you know, a lot of his older the older songs and in addition to that, he hops and all those things that my grandma has, and my dad just my family just has always had a love for country music and what have you, I decided to cover his song because an angel Good morning, you, too. And when I did it, it was so amazing. I was so excited gung ho and I’m like, oh my goodness, I can’t wait for Mr. Charlie pride to hear my song. And hopefully someday, you know, really liked it and have an appreciation, we get a chance to perform it together. But unfortunately, he passed away with COVID prior to him even hearing it so. But that’s okay. I mean, his memory will live on. You know, he was a pioneer in country music and all the stories that I’ve just heard about him. He’s just a great person. So I just kind of like to follow in those footsteps in create great music. Let color not be an object and just love on people. Yeah, absolutely.
Sue Bonzell 07:26
Your style is kind of I mean, you’ve kind of got country a little bit of pop the soul like you’ve got a little bit of everything I do. What’s kind of your your favorite.
Brei Carter 07:35
You know what my favorite truly is traditional. That’s what I grew up on. I love that. But also growing up in the church, choir and church. Once again, that faith comes back into play. I would probably say maybe a little bit country soul. That’s probably where the root of a lot of my music going forward. That’s probably the sound that we’re kind of leaning towards. But I’m still trying to find that sound. So if you guys have ideas, suggestions, send them my way. Maybe I’ll put something out and we’ll
Sue Bonzell 08:00
see. Yeah, you never know. It’s fun. And it’s fun to experiment.
Brei Carter 08:03
It is been an independent, I think you get a chance to do that right now. And I’m still finding myself and I’m still recreating
Sue Bonzell 08:08
myself. Now we are going to get creative here in my kitchen today. Yes, you’re going to be making something special for us. Tell us what you’re going to make.
Brei Carter 08:17
I am I’m actually going to make a homemade buffalo chicken dip. It’s my own special recipe. You guys might do it the same, but that’s alright, you’re gonna see how I do it in my special ingredients. Plus, I may throw something else in there, but I can’t eat share with y’all. But you’ll see how I do it
Sue Bonzell 08:33
anyway. A little secret. Okay, well, when we come back, we’re gonna get into the kitchen with free Carter buffalo chicken. Yeah, it is so amazing. And it’s sort of healthy. It is because look, we’re gonna do vegetables. That’s what we’re doing right now to invest. So you’re gonna cut up some vegetables for us. We already got the celery done. We’re gonna get some veggies cut up. I’m gonna open the wine because you like wine.
Brei Carter 09:02
I love wine. Please open it. I could use a little bit right now as I make this I do tend to like to have a little as they say a little nip little a little
Sue Bonzell 09:11
while you’re while you’re cooking. The cooking. It’s kind of makes it fun. Now, tell me about this wine you brought this name of
Brei Carter 09:19
the wine is called Morningstar. But it’s from a winery down in Southern Illinois called Star views Darby winery, they have some of the best wine. And obviously some people say oh, it’s not California. Honey. Let me tell you Illinois got some good wine. And this is one of them. So this is more of like a blush. If you’re more like so typically I am a cap drinker. Right. And I love Chardonnay is if I’m gonna go white typically, but I love this. It’s like having the best of both worlds of the reds and white. Yeah,
Sue Bonzell 09:44
but it’s not technically white wine and red wine mixed together just so we’re clear. Oh, definitely people think that no, it’s not but typically with a Rosae is it’s made with red grapes. Yes. And then they pull it off the skins quickly because if you leave it on the skins that It’s where you get the dark color of the red. That’s where you get your color in your wine is from your skins. So for sure, so there we go.
Brei Carter 10:07
How about we take a little sip? Okay, well, cheers.
Sue Bonzell 10:13
I like that because it’s, I usually like a drier Rosae. But this is the semi sweet, which I kind of like it’s not overpowering. It’s, it’s pretty good.
Brei Carter 10:23
It’s just enough. So that’s why I said you get the best of both worlds. Yes, so we’re gonna have some cucumbers, we’re also going to do a little bit of celery. So I actually love peppers. I love red. I love green. I love orange, all different colors. So we’re going to add some of this to the mixture.
Sue Bonzell 10:39
Okay, so this is a great dip. If you are going to be going to a friend’s house for sure. We need to bring something for like a football game. Bring an appetizer, then you bring this to one of those parties. And you’re the life of the party. And you everybody’s like, whom are the right.
Brei Carter 10:59
But you know what, if there’s a lot of if there are a lot of people at the party, you got to make sure you can get placement for the dip. That’s true. This is true. So people actually know what’s there.
Sue Bonzell 11:09
And sometimes I think, have you ever made diff and then you make a little sign to go with it? Yes, because people go want to know what that is. Somebody tries it. Somebody’s gonna say, Oh, you got to try
Brei Carter 11:19
this dip. Right. And then everyone wants the recipe and you share a little bit of the recipe, but you can’t give
Sue Bonzell 11:24
them all the goods. So are you gonna hold out on us today?
Brei Carter 11:28
Just a little bit, but I’m gonna give you most of the tea. Oh, okay. Most of the tea for the dip. All right. Now what kind of cooking do you do at home? Normally, you know what I could some of everything. I can press some chicken, I can do lasagna spaghetti. I can do gumbo. Today. I love doing salmon dishes. And what have you sold just a variety honestly. But unfortunately, sometimes just being out doing music, sometimes you can’t always there’s no time to cool it to make we have a little bit about Philadelphia cream cheese, you want to make sure you leave it out for a little bit just so we can kind of soften up just a little bit.
Sue Bonzell 12:02
Now I noticed you did get the third less fat.
Brei Carter 12:06
Yes, it actually you know what? Every little bit counts. You can’t tell the difference, though, right cannot tell the difference. You cannot tell the difference. It is so good.
Sue Bonzell 12:15
If you cut out a little bit, a little bit a little bit, then you can have a little bit more wine.
Brei Carter 12:19
Yes. And a little bit more depth. Okay, and then I love the Swansons. Okay, chicken breast.
Sue Bonzell 12:26
Well, this makes it easy and fast. It’s
Brei Carter 12:29
Premium Plus it’s it’s water. Okay, so once again, healthy, we’re gonna pop this open. And then the other thing we’re going to do, we’re going to make sure that we drain it, you gotta drain it.
Sue Bonzell 12:38
So okay, so this is one way that you can do it with chicken in the can write
Brei Carter 12:42
Yes, the other secret to the recipe is actually taking a rotisserie chicken that you’ve done and take it and fill it from the bone. And then you can actually shred it, and then you actually prepare it that way as well. So just you have options, you have options. But if Hey, if you’re in a hurry, you got a party to go to you got to get it done. You do what you need to do. So if you could open the Frank’s hot sauce. Let’s start with that. We’re gonna start mixing this all together. And you also can do this in the crock pot. Today we’re going to actually do on an oven, but you can so I like to kind of break it down. So are we We’re measuring. We’re not measuring we’re gonna be very generous. Okay, you know what sometimes the best recipes they’re not measured.
Sue Bonzell 13:19
You’re you’re you’re cooking with your heart right?
Brei Carter 13:21
Oh, for sure. So I prayed over this before I started before I came here today. There you so what’s made with love, honey, you got to add some more. She’s like not
Sue Bonzell 13:29
enough. Yeah. Hey. Let’s get some more. Oh boy. No more. No more. It is Buffalo movie. Oh, of
Brei Carter 13:37
course. It’s gonna be good though. Mild chatter. Okay, you want to add that and then we’re going to also save some because we’re going to top it off at the very animal with them. We’re just kind of mixing it so you got some noun, cheddar and then I also like to use a little bit of sharp cheddar as well.
Sue Bonzell 13:52
You know it’s never too much cheese.
Brei Carter 13:54
There’s never too much cheese that’s just like someone saying too much baking There’s never too right and so no being from Louisiana originally Texas is right there on the border. Here we go. I love that. Texas Pete, Texas. The Texas so this is
Sue Bonzell 14:06
kind of your secret ingredient.
Brei Carter 14:08
It’s one of them. It’s why can’t be given everything to you. That listen, I can tell you offline later.
Sue Bonzell 14:14
Oh, okay. She might I don’t know. I might have to give some more truth serum and some more wine. You will have to do that. Okay, how much a little bit more. Oh, okay. We’re going hot sauce. Now Oh, okay. Well it looks very buffalo II.
Brei Carter 14:29
Oh, it’s gonna be that’s that’s why it’s called buffalo chicken.
Sue Bonzell 14:36
No buffaloes were harmed in the making of this video.
Brei Carter 14:38
Exactly. preheated the oven to 350 which is perfect to do what you need to do.
Sue Bonzell 14:44
Now. I think that I probably could eat that whole thing myself. Oh, hands down. It’s just that good. It really is. And I have no guilt because there is vegetables.
Brei Carter 14:53
Yes, there are vegetables plus, remember once again. We use the less
Sue Bonzell 14:58
fat crunchy Yeah, so we can have extra. Plus this
Brei Carter 15:01
is made with love. Yes. So a lot of the calories were taken out. Just like in the army no man left behind. There was no cheese left behind the ball. To top it off, the last little bit of mild in the last little bit sharp. And then we’re gonna put this in the oven to bake about 20 to 30 minutes
Sue Bonzell 15:26
okay, it’s ready to go in the oven and we don’t
Brei Carter 15:33
I’m gonna have to try I’m sorry, but this was really good. was always in my oh my goodness. It is ready. Buffalo Chicken dip that we made. But before we dig in and sample we have to do something. Okay. Hands plays hands. Please pray. Yes. Proceed with hands prepared and others can receive it wasn’t for the nourishment of our bodies. In Jesus name. We asked him pray. Amen. Amen.
Sue Bonzell 16:07
Yes. Dig in. There we go. You go first. All right. What’s with the little little crispy on the top? That’s good.
Brei Carter 16:15
Yes, we want it crispy on the top. It’s hot. It’s hot.
Sue Bonzell 16:18
Hot, y’all. It’s steamin. Right now,
Brei Carter 16:22
if you can see that. We have to chip so obviously, Buffalo Chicken depth. You can go with veggies. You can also go with chips. You can go with crackers. Honestly, it’s so good. You can just go with getting this bone and digging it. So
Sue Bonzell 16:35
here we go. They’re getting cheers so good. Okay, that’s cool. Being from Louisiana, I want to kick you like a little spicy. That is really good. This is gonna be a hit no matter where you go. If you take this dish, you’re gonna be the fan favorite. I think I actually like it best when the cucumbers cucumbers have that like Chris cool down. Eat. Like it’s kind of a great balance. Like I love crispy and creamy and it’s great. So is it just YC for you know, really good. No, I like it. It’s got the right amount of kick to it. This is what I equate to like the mild Nashville hot chicken.
Brei Carter 17:35
But the difference is, this has flavor. So it’s not just hot. This has flavor. So I’m gonna
Sue Bonzell 17:43
say you’re not a fan of the National Hot Chicken.
Brei Carter 17:46
I like it. But it just doesn’t have just, it’s just hot. So there’s a difference being from Louisiana. We like it spicy. We like it flavorful. Here you have it.
Sue Bonzell 17:54
This has got the flavor for sure.
Brei Carter 17:58
Okay, so we’re cooking and eating today. Obviously having drinks. Next time we’re gonna have to ride horses with me.
Sue Bonzell 18:06
Okay, what do you think you’ll think we should go ride horses. I think though.
Brei Carter 18:12
Friends that cook together. drink together. Eat together. They stay friends forever. Yay. No, I’m sorry.
Sue Bonzell 18:18
You’re stuck with me now. I’m all down for it. Truth or truth? That one was calling your name for some
Brei Carter 18:26
reason. What is the strangest rumor? You’ve heard about yourself? The strangest thing that I’ve heard about myself, is that I’m married. And I have like five kids.
Sue Bonzell 18:37
That’s really? Yeah, like somebody just said that randomly?
Brei Carter 18:40
Yeah, they thought that I think I get mentally they mixed me up with someone else. They were like she’s married? Yes, my kids. She’s not a singer. And I’m like I am so a singer. I am still not married. I still do not have five children.
Sue Bonzell 18:53
But do you have you have animals of animals?
Brei Carter 18:55
So, um, a dog slash cat. Okay.
Sue Bonzell 19:00
And how many of them?
Brei Carter 19:02
Two dogs, two cats. How about you? What’s the strangest rumor you’ve heard? I don’t know.
Sue Bonzell 19:07
I don’t listen to rumors. Now we’re gonna do cowboy wisdom. So this is my new deck of cards.
Brei Carter 19:15
I’m nervous.
Sue Bonzell 19:16
Oh, no, this is just a little inspiration. These are just inspirational cards, no questions on the answer anything you just kind of maybe tell us how it applies to your life.
Brei Carter 19:24
Okay, take risks. A field that has rested gives a bountiful harvest. Oh, wow, this is so appropriate. So what this says to me is that girl, you’re doing a little bit too much. You know what you need to slow down, you know, focus on the things that are most important. God’s got you and as you do that, you’re going to be able to actually give more of yourself and you’re not going to be spent running around. So thank you. I needed that. Yeah, see? Oh, can I have some more wisdom? Yes. Talk to me.
Sue Bonzell 19:56
There’s a whole deck.
Brei Carter 19:58
We’re real cowgirls. I don’t need to correct people. They just smile, nod and say yep, each to his own. That’s the cowgirl way. What this means is mind your own business. You don’t need to have an opinion about everything or everyone you’re not a man you’re not the judge of the year God has the final say and we just live our lives to the fullest and worried about what what’s in our own world.
Sue Bonzell 20:22
So we want to thank you for joining us, Ricardo, thank you so much
Brei Carter 20:25
for having me. It’s been amazing Great food, great drinks, great fans, great audience and great person to be here with I love sushi is so amazing. And I’m looking forward to spend more time with you. Oh, we’re
Sue Bonzell 20:38
definitely going horseback riding it’s happening.
Brei Carter 20:41
I can’t wait. And whitewater rafting too.
Sue Bonzell 20:43
Oh, got to put on the list. Join me Sue Bonzell every week for interviews and adventures with rising country artists on up in country
Brei Carter 21:04
buffalo chicken dip let’s get you a Mac. That’s not a knife I’m sorry I’m not talking too much now. I’m supposed to be talking.
Sue Bonzell 21:25
Well be eaten run out Yes.
Brei Carter 21:39
Super good.
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