Tré Corley was born in Missouri where he started his recording career as a young child growing up in his family-owned recording studio. He is best known for his Grammy and Dove award winning work as a producer, songwriter, and musician. One of his most recent accolades was producing the huge Donnie McClurkin #1 hit “I Need You.” He was co-producer on Donnie McClurkin’s album, The Journey LIVE, which won the 2017 Dove Award for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year.

Artist Name:
Tré Corley

Age:
41

Genres:
Too many to count

Hometown:
Joplin MO, now Hendersonville TN

Hobbies/Interests Apart from Music:
Basketball, Love Watching Movies, Playing games with my kids, Concerts

Last Netflix Binge:
Stranger Things, The Walking Dead

Musical Influences:
Russ Taff, TobyMac, Bryan Duncan, Barry Manilow, Chris Botti, Diana Krall, Michael W. Smith, BeBe and Ce Ce Winans, Gino Vannelli, Toto, Harry Connick Jr., Ray Charles

Very First Musical Purchase:
Michael W. Smith, Allies & Petra (All at the same time through BMG music club. 🙂

CCM: What led you to pursue a career or ministry in music?
Tré: After seeing people react to a song you write or arrange and you see that what you did can give them hope or a smile, it changes you. I can’t imagine my life without music. I like telling my story. I love helping people so knowing I actually can do that I couldn’t do anything else.

CCM: Do you remember that moment when you realized you wanted to make an actual career out of music?
Tré: Yes. I was 16. I was making demos for song writers in my home town of Joplin, Mo. Dr. Davis was an older gentleman that wrote songs and I made track after track for him. He would hum a few notes and hand me lyrics he wrote and leave me be. He would come back a few days later and I would be finished. The adrenaline would flow! 🙂 Knowing I had to take a page of sometimes not so great lyrics and make them cool was such a challenge. I loved it! I could hear chords & melodies as I read the lyrics. It just happens that way for me. And wait I can get paid to do this??? Yeah I was hooked.

CCM: What was the last song you listened to on your playlist or stereo?
Tré: Gino Vannelli, “Brother To Brother”

CCM: What was the last book you read?
Tré: The Bible and Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter.

CCM: If you could tell the world about another artist/band to check out, who would it be?
Tré: Ole Børud or Diana Krall

CCM: What has been interesting to you musically lately? Perhaps something new to you in terms of listening habits or influences?
Tré: Because of the Coronavirus I’ve come up with new ways to record people. So I just did a new version of “Hold On For One More Day” with Chyna Phillips of the group Wilson & Phillips. I’ve done several new remakes of tunes with Artist at there house. It’s given people hope and maybe even a smile. Also played “Cat Scratch Fever” with Ted Nugent through Skype. WOW!

CCM: Name a song that you wish you’d written (and why).
Tré: “Holy Spirit Rain Down” from Worship with Natalie Grant and Friends. This song totally helped me through one of the toughest times in my life. I listened to this record on repeat and I truly believe if it wasn’t for this record I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today.

CCM: How important is your faith or spirituality within your music?
Tré: Extremely. I work in Secular and Christian markets. Because of that I have been given the opportunity to show people Christ in a different way. I have always said there is no such thing as Christian music and Secular music. I believe it’s positive and negative. I think people get caught up in the fact the music has to be spiritual all the time. Before you think I’ve lost my mind just hear me out. Sometimes just some relaxing music can set my mind at ease and I can focus. Sometimes “Don’t Worry Be Happy” needs to be on 100 in the mornings to wake my kids up to go to school. I believe sometimes we can get so caught up in the spiritual world we don’t even enjoy the incredible thing called life that God gave us. Yes I love God and yes I love spending time with Him but he also created these people that are all around us that make music as well. Maybe they don’t sound like you, maybe they don’t look like you but God did create them. If it’s positive I’m in.

CCM: What message do you hope listeners will take away from your music, regardless of what they believe?
Tré: I hope that they see you can live life to the fullest and be a Christian. I hope my music cuts through walls of hurt and helps heal. I believe you are just one song away from entering into a place of peace and rest that can give you the encouragement you needed to make the next decision that changes your life. Music is powerful and when God touches it, it can be life changing.

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