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500 S. Union St., Spencerport • Mangia-Foods.com
August 18, 2019
Issue No. 33
www.westsidenewsny.com
NORTH EDITION
Distributed
to
Hilton-Parma
The view through a window of the barn by Tami Raco A homegrown musician’s dream of buying and renovating an old hay barn into a fully functioning production studio, concert house and home finally came true for Chris Wilson and his family. In 2013, this dream began to unfold into a beautiful journey of struggles and challenges leading to triumphs and, ultimately, a barn of blessings. The old hay barn located on Reed Road in Churchville was built in 1849 and after many trying years it is now the home, the studio and the house concert location for international musician and recording artist Chris Wilson. Chris Wilson was born in Albion and spent most of his early years in Holley and Brockport with his mom, Mallie Goeller. Chris’ childhood was heavily influenced by music. His mom wrote songs, performed in folk groups and at her church. The first memory Chris has of performing was when he gave an impromptu performance singing “How Great Thou Art” when his mom’s folk group was performing at her Catholic church in Holley. Chris had unknowingly memorized the lyrics after hearing his mom practice it. One day at church when he was only four years old and the folk group was performing the song, Chris started singing along with them. Once everyone heard this young boy singing out, they began clapping and that moment was one of the first moments where Chris’ musical passion shined out from his soul. Through his younger years, Chris played several instruments including the violin and the trumpet. “I was terrible at the trumpet. I did not like playing instruments where I could not sing,” Chris said. His passion was to sing, and as a young boy he dreamed of playing the guitar, but was too small.
Chris Wilson strumming his guitar in front of the print that provides a daily focal reminder of his gratitude. Photo by Julia Mungenast.
During his freshman year at Brockport High School, he walked in the choir room after hearing one of the students playing guitar and singing a Paul Simon song. “I was so enamored,” he said. This student was BHS senior Chad Leverenz. Little did Chris know at that time that Chad was not only going to be a significant influence in Chris playing the guitar, but he would also one day become his brother-in-law. Later that year Chris met Carrie Leverenz, Chad’s younger sister. “I knew she was the one,” he said. Chris and Carrie are now married almost 20 years and are blessed with two beautiful daughters, Gracie and Emilia. After Chris graduated from Brockport High School in 1994, he went on for professional training at Long Island University. At the age of 19, he moved to Los Angeles, bringing only two duffel bags of belongings and a guitar case. He lived in a pool house of a friend who was a SONY engineer. While in L.A. his musical talents were getting noticed. He was on the MTV music show The Cut, won the viewers choice award and 2nd place overall in this pre-American Idol type contest. Chris’ genre was folky-pop. He performed a lot of his own original music. Record deals were offered to him early in his career. “I was naive and not sure who I really was yet,” Chris said. He and Carrie married in 2000 and she moved to L.A. to be with him. He performed extensively
in California and went on to perform internationally in Hong Kong, Beijing and Croatia. He often played six nights a week. He and Carrie made the decision to move back to Brockport in 2007 to begin a family. Carrie and Chris purchased a home on Centennial Avenue and had their first daughter, Gracie, in 2009. Chris continued performing and traveling but he began to dream about starting a place to host “house concerts” in the area where his roots began.
Continued on page 9
“We each have an ability to do something special and something unique… Do that thing. What’s your hallelujah?” – Chris Wilson
The Barn; Chris Wilson in front of the original 1848 hay barn from the Reed Farm; transformed into his home, recording studio and “home concert” site. Photo by Julia Mungenast.