Carly Black’s debut CD has been a long time coming.

“I’ve been singing since I was a little girl, and I started writing songs when I was 13,” the Pell City musician said.  “Then I took a great hiatus from it until I was in college.  When I’d write a song, I’d have the melody, I couldn’t put music to it, which was very frustrating.  That’s when I realized I needed to learn how to play guitar.”

She picked up the instrument for the first time in 1995, shortly before starting graduate studies in physical therapy at the University of Mobile. “On study breaks, I learned to play songs I enjoyed, which was a lot of Jewel and Stevie Nicks.  I taught myself with a chord book.”

Now there are seven guitars – some of them sporting their own names — in the small studio at her home on Logan Martin Lake, including Big Girl (a Takamine acoustic), Baby Girl (a Breedlove six-string), and Big Mama (a 12-string Ibanez).  

In that musical setting, Black spoke enthusiastically about her band, her music, and growing up in Pell City as Carla Louise Williams.

The CD:  “Some of the songs were written 15, 16, 17, 18 years ago.  I have a lot of originals, so it was hard narrowing it down.  Overall, it has a great sound, and the lyrics are pretty deep.  They all try to provide a powerful message, some even with a Christian twist.  It doesn’t really fit one genre of music, although it’s definitely rock.  Some of the songs are loud.”

The event:  Black and her band will perform at an album release party at 8 p.m. Saturday at Daniel Day Gallery, 3025 6th Ave South in Birmingham.  “There’s an $8 cover to get in, but you get a CD.  And it’s kid-friendly.”

The band:  A Touch of Black includes Bobby Abernathy of Pell City on lead guitar, bassist Tim Kelly, keyboardist Cameron Oz, and drummer George Griffin.  Black sings lead vocals and plays rhythm guitar.  “When the chemistry is right in a band, you’ve got a great thing, and, thank God, I’ve got a great group of musicians to work with now.”

The beginnings of a performer:  “I took 15 years of dance and performance from Charmaine Booker here in Pell City.  She taught me so much about rhythm and coordination, all the things that led me to where I am now.  I concentrated on physical therapy for many years, but I still had the burning desire to do music, and I got on stage for the first time in college.”

Which is her favorite, performing, writing, or recording?  “There’s nothing like live performing.  Of course, I’m too old to do this, but it’s an opportunity to share, and when you see an audience respond, it’s amazing.  I do get nervous, but the adrenaline helps me physically as well as creatively.  It boosts you right up there and carries you along. Writing is a close second, because that’s the creative aspect of music.  It’s fun seeing a song develop.  Recording is just work.”

About her songs:  “They have a very positive message.  I feel like playing them at the clubs may reach a lot of people with the message who might not otherwise listen.  So when they hear the word ‘God,’ ‘faith,’ or ‘love,’ maybe it will plant a seed.  I’m on a mission a little bit, I suppose.”

Her signature cover song:  “I used to be known for ‘Me and Bobby McGee,’ although everybody covers that song.  Once I was at Tootsie’s (Orchid Lounge) in Nashville, and I jumped on stage with the band and sang that song.  Somebody in the back of the room yelled out, ‘Carla Louise!’ It was a friend of mine from college.  I also won a free trip for singing it in a contest.  Bobby McGee’s been good to me.”