Hi! I’m Candy Fernaux, and I’m about to take you on a wild adventure into my world, a place you will come to know as “Candy Country”. I suppose I could give you descriptors and titles that attempt to define or “label” who I am, but that would put me in a box and I tend to get claustrophobic in small spaces!

The cliff note version of who I am;  I am a creator. A creator of lyrics and song, rhythm and rhymes, good vibes, lifestyle entrepreneur, fashionista recreator, furniture bedazzler, interior designer, merchandise connoisseur, diva brand builder, and the list goes on…

In my previous life as a Nebraska farm girl, a strong work ethic was engrained into my bones as with most country kids. I escaped (mentally) from the stresses of farm life by writing poetry, playing the piano and the saxophone. My love for music began at age 4 when I asked for a record player and microphone for Christmas. My grandfather was a music man, and he left a mark on my heart encouraging me to keep my music alive and a part of my life.

I left home for college, with a fire deep inside of me, and a driving force to be a strong, independent, successful woman. A few years after college I found myself in the big state of Texas, searching for a job in Big D. My creative soul wanted daily sunshine and freedom, not be cooped up in an office. Punching a time clock, sitting in traffic 2 hours a day for 2 weeks annual vacation on a fixed salary was not going to work for me.  I wanted to create a business model that would allow me to go home to see my family whenever I wanted to. I knew that meant being in sales, and straight commission sales was the path I chose that lead me to being an entrepreneur.

I’ve spent most of my career building that very business and I now run it from my gadgets anywhere in the world. It provides me freedom I could not have ever imagined. While that seemed luxurious at first, instead of taking vacations, I merely would operate from “another location” still tethered to my laptop. I’m so blessed with wonderful clients that have become my friends it really doesn’t seem like work most of the time.

So, while I found myself traveling down the highway to a tradeshow, flying to a conference, or planning a work opportunity around a beach trip (yes, I love to do that) my escape from hard work was the same as it was when I was a kid… writing songs. I love to tell stories, make people laugh, shed an occasional tear and touch someone’s heart with a song.

Many only knew me as a world traveling, risk-taking business woman because my singing, writing, and music took the back burner as I continued to build my company. If only hard work and travel could satiate my soul, life would be perfect! But something BIG was missing and for years, I felt the pull to make a huge change in my life.  As a single woman I told myself it would make sense to relocate for love or an irresistible opportunity. But from my frequent travels, I learned that there are no “geographical fixes” for discontentment. I knew I needed a shift from the inside out.

In November of 2013 while hosting a women’s business retreat in my home in Houston, I became keenly aware of what was truly missing from my world. I could not ignore my truth another minute. It was time to do what truly lights up my soul and bring to life the music I had been writing my whole life. It was time! No more back burner and making everything else more important!

After visiting Nashville only a few times,  I fell in love with the trees, the hills, the people, the creative vibe and… the small town feel moved me, literally.  I packed up my life and my dog, left all my exes in Texas (ha ha ha) and moved to the country music capital in November of 2016. Many people have asked ‘What are you doing in Nashville?’ My answer, “Whatever the heck I want!”

I am living on Diva Time (new song coming) in my CREATIVE ZONE becoming intrenched in this musical community, writing every week, pushing my songs out to radio, co-creating Song Travelers Writing Retreat, not to mention painting and designing merchandise for Candy Country! It all feels AMAZING! The very thing that has been on the back burner of my life…… is now center stage.

So sit back, relax and enjoy some Candy Country music… y’all.