Note from Amber: Today’s post is written by Edward Hartline, a up and coming singer/songwriter who has been recognized by the guys for his amazing talent. Give him some love and follow him on Twitter @EdwardEnigma.

We went to Florida for a week in June and I took my guitar.  I had learned ‘Who Have You Been Loving?” and was playing it a lot. My mother wanted me to record it for her online friends to hear. One day my step-father set up the camera and we recorded it.  When we got back, my mother posted it on You Tube. The next morning, I woke to my mom yelling that Bobby tweeted about it. I vaguely took this into account and went back to sleep. It didn’t hit me until that next Thursday when we went to Sam’s concert in Birmingham. On his way to the microphone, he turned to me and complimented me on the video. After about 2 ½ songs later, it had hit me, and I’d almost sh*t my pants.

After he & The Men had finished an awesome show, I walked with the crowd to the front lobby and waited in line to meet Sam. After letting numerous girls cut in front of me, it was finally my turn. Sam said, “You!” I said,”You!” He said I was talented and asked me if I had written any of my own music. I told him I had. Then we talked music and guitars. I had worn a shirt that read “Messing with your Mojo”, a reference to his Nashville show in April. He thought it was funny and gladly signed the back. The Men signed it, too.

Later, my sister took my picture with Sam & he made a funny face in the first one. We ended up outside after I was stalked by some scary pedophile in the lobby.  We talked to Sam for a long time and he handed me a Fruit roll-up. We talked about the music industry, recording labels, Bobby and Nashville. Finally, we were the only people left and Sam was still talking to us. The Men were in the van, waiting on him because he was driving them to Nashville that night.  Sam seemed reluctant to leave. We were, too, but eventually, he had to go. He said, “See you next time.”  It wasn’t just a “Thanks for coming,” but more of a promise that there would be a next time. We waved at them as they drove off.

It was an epic night.

And from Edward’s mom and biggest fan/promoter, Bandmum1:

I went to Atlanta to see Bobby’s two shows in August. Neither of them was an All Ages show, so Edward had to miss out. The first night at The Earl, Bobby seemed a little tired. He had just come from Nashville, which I hear was pretty awesome. He chatted a little with the audience, but put all his energy into a wonderful performance. After the show, he came out to meet everyone. I told him I was Edward’s mom and he grinned so cutely. He said,” He’s amazing! He’s very talented.” (I contained myself, barely.) I did manage to thank him for the tweet, which just made him duck his head and grin. Such a sweet guy. It was wonderful of him to pay it forward like that. We hope to get Edward and Bobby together in the same place before too long, possibly on the Fall leg of his tour.

Would you like to see this video everyone is a buzz over? Here it is!

Wow, right?!? You can see why it caught Bobby’s eye. Edward also has covered Sam’s Sea Blue, seen here.

Want more info from Edward? He also conducted a “Twitterview,” answering questions about the guys, his own inspirations, writing, etc. You will love it!

Q: How did you first get into music?

E: From a very young age, I wanted to play percussion. I’ve always done percussion. I sat in on drum line camp when I was in 5^th grade. My school starts band classes in 7^th, and in 8^th you can play with the high school marching band. The drum instructor let me participate in the camp and when they had auditions for high school band at the end, they asked me to join. I was the only 6^th grader ever to play with the high school band. Once I was in, I wanted to learn to play other instruments.

My oldest sister plays trumpet. She handed me hers one day and showed me some basics. That’s what I play in concert band now. She also gave me my guitar when I was 8. It sat in my closet because I couldn’t get my arms around it to play. I picked it up when I was 11, and started to play it seriously when I was 12. I’ve never had a lesson.

Q: Who was your first musical inspiration?

E: Don McLean. His Greatest Hits album was one of the first CDs I ever owned, along with The Monkees, Van Halen and Mac MacAnally.

Q: What musicians currently inspire you most?

E: Neil Young, The Beatles, Sam Bradley and Bobby Long.

Q: What drew you to Sam & Bobby’s music?

E: My mom made me do it. (laughs) She plays their music all the time. I was messing around with my guitar and she asked me to learn ‘Whiskey’, because it’s one of her favorites. I started listening to Sam’s MySpace. I picked it out, but it wasn’t until I saw him play live that I realized he was using a capo. I wasn’t, so I was doing it the hard way.

Q: What influences have Sam and Bobby had on your music?

E: Sam influenced my vocal sound. I like the emotions he brings out with his voice. Bobby has influenced my musical style and my lyrics. He writes such poetic lyrics, and I like to do that.

Q: What kind of music did you listen to or play before?

E: My Chemical Romance, Metallica, Monkees, Kansas, etc.

Q: Are you inspired by all types of music or just those to which you gravitate?

E: I think there is something in every musical style that I can relate to and enjoy.

Q: Do you use your real life experiences to write songs?

E: James Dean. (laughs*) Yes, a lot of things that happen to me or I see in the world, I write about. Music is beautiful. I like the emotions I can express through it.

Q: What comes first, the music or lyrics?

E: The music. I write the guitar parts first. I have to get the sound and the emotion down first before the lyrics come.

Q: What other instruments do you play and what do you want to learn?

E: I play xylophone, bass drum and cymbals in band. I’m teaching myself piano. I‘d like to learn cello and violin, strings. (laughs) That makes me sound burly!

Q: What would you choose to do in college, if it WASN’T music?

E: This is hard! Historical research, I guess. I like historical trivia. I love history.

Q: What would be your dream musical career?

E: I’d love to be able to perform with one of my major influences. That’s a definite dream. Other than that: touring, recording, getting paid to do what I love.

Q: What are your goals?

E: Right now, buy a better capo; my old one is almost dead. And there’s a Dean guitar at the music store that I am in love with!  I really want that guitar. I do want to go to college.

And to meet Ellen DeGeneres.

(* Sam Bradley gave a mock interview in a Land of Dreamers video, in which he answered all the questions with “James Dean.”)

Support Edward by following him on Twitter and checking out his MySpace page and, of course, see him on Youtube. Oh, and leave him some nice words of encouragement below!