By Elise McArdle

Some kids dream of being movie stars or astronauts. Some even dream of being musicians. Guitarist and singer Cas Haley didn’t just dream of it, he became it.

“I remember being a young teenager saying, ‘Hey, this is what I want to do, and I never did anything else,’” Haley said.

Haley said he had a lot of support at home in pursuing his dream.

“Both my parents are musicians, and they definitely encouraged me to play music when I was young,” Haley said.  “I grew up with a lot of southern soul and southern blues and a little country, rock and roll, of course, as well.”

Haley’s guitar-driven melodies have become known for their upbeat feel and varied vocal styles. The soulful guitar and ukulele songs blend reggae, blues, soul and pop. His CD, “La Si Dah,” released this summer, has been hailed for its personal lyrics and authenticity.

“It’s sort of a blend of reggae, blues, soul,” Haley said. “What I do is sort of a mixture of that and things that I fell in love with growing up.”

“I take it song by song—some are funky southern rock, some are reggae. It’s sort of whatever I’m feeling,” Haley said.

Haley’s voice has been praised for its ability to handle and blend these diverse styles. His guitar playing is strong and upbeat, and some of Haley’s songs feature ukulele.

Haley was heavily influenced by Hawaiian music while hosting a clinic there during their music awards.

“I always loved the sound of Hawaiian music and the ukulele and the way they sing,” Haley said. I was invited to come over; I ended up falling in love with Hawaii, their whole culture, the whole aloha thing and the spirit that they live.”

Haley’s experiences in Hawaii inspired him to bring the ukulele into his music.

“Falling in love with the people and the culture made me want to play it more because it’s such a joyful, lighthearted sound,” Haley said.

Haley’s CDs and concert repertoire include some covers but are mostly comprised of songs he’s written.

“Most of the stuff I play is all my own stuff,” Haley said. “For me to cover a song, it has to be a song that I love; that’s really just it,” Haley said.

Haley said he draws inspiration for his own songs from the realities of everyday life, as well as his friends and family. Haley and his wife of 15 years have a son, 7, and a daughter, 3, who affect Haley’s music in a personal way.

“Most of my songs are real autobiographical, emotions of how I’m feeling, about different things happening in my life,” Haley said. “I try to write songs from very real-based experiences, and my family is a very big inspiration to me”.

“They [the songs] are about life and family and trying to make it in America,” Haley said.

Though he’s toured extensively throughout the U.S., Haley said he always enjoys playing at universities.

“I really enjoy colleges because it’s such a different environment,” Haley said. “The audience, their minds are in a completely different spot. It’s great to be playing in a place where the people are receiving the vibes.”

The performance is at 8 p.m., Nov. 21 at the UC Down Under. Whitewater students can look forward to a lot of heart from the down-to-earth Haley.

“They can expect to have all of me,” Haley said. “I put every bit of soul and effort I have into every performance.”

“I love the state of Wisconsin,” Haley added. “You can look forward to meeting a new friend.”

Freshman Brett Fritz said Haley’s music sounds like something students would be interested in.

“It sounds really cool and progressive,” Fritz said. “Something I would really like to hear.”

Fritz said he believes the concert would be a good experience for Whitewater students.

“It’s something I would consider seeing,” Fritz said.  “I’m really into music, and it sounds interesting and different. I definitely think Whitewater could use more events like this.”