Chris McCarty, the dreadlocked singer-songwriter and Gainesville native, is on the tip of a major breakthrough into the national music scene.
For the short time that he has been touring, McCarty has made a name for himself. He performed at Gator Growl in 2002, opened for Dave Matthews Band and has been approached by major record labels such as Atlantic.
McCarty hopes to bring his high-energy harmonies to the table to compliment his feel-good tunes infused with reggae, pop, Latin, hip-hop and even funk influences when he plays at Common Grounds Friday.
Coming back to perform in Gainesville is the totality of everything, he said. It's like coming full circle.
The self-proclaimed "acoustic-rock-soul" artist said he created his own genre because he couldn't stick himself in one genre.
"People, regardless of how old you are, what color you are or what sex you are, everyone can connect to it," McCarty said. "It's art. It's my sounds, my own expression."
McCarty said he's been approached by nine music labels this year, including major labels and lesser known labels such as Slot-A-Lot, which is hip-hop artist Chingy's record label.
"Right now, I'm just doing my own thing," McCarty said.
Throughout his career, McCarty estimated that he's been approached with 16 different offers, but he said he hasn't taken any because they "haven't felt right yet."
"I'm not going to settle or sell out," he said. "I'm just going to keep doing my thing."
McCarty said he's a firm believer in his good karma and the idea that things end as fast as they begin.
"I want to keep going," he said. "I know something is around the corner."
UF student and singer-songwriter Zack Yanger is opening for McCarty Friday night with his band, A to Z. Yanger said the band has a somewhat mellow and beachy sound.
"We write all of our lyrics from real life experiences," he said. "We try to tell real stories."
Yanger and friend Adam Niedzwiecki, A to Z's lead guitarist, started jamming together about a year ago, and the pair just recently picked up a drummer, bass player and keyboard player.
Yanger said he thinks starting a music career in Gainesville is great because of its rich music history, boasting artists like Tom Petty and the members of Sister Hazel.
"Chris McCarty is definitely Gainesville's next big thing," Yanger said. "He's amazing."
Doors at Common Grounds open at 9 p.m.
