Candace Campana’s debut CD was more than a decade in the making.

“Everytime I See a Truck,” the first single she recorded for the album in 2020, was written in 2011. The title track, “Goodie Two Shoes Girl,” was written in 2013.

“Everything in music is about timing,” Campana said. “I never had the right group of people to put something like this out until now.”

She’ll celebrate the release of the album with a show Friday at Westside Bowl in Youngstown. Big Pop from Akron will open.

Campana will be backed by Pete Drivere on guitar, Jesse DeLorenzo on drums and Gabriel Davis on bass. Drivere, best known for such bands as Infidels, Deadbeat Poets and Pretty Demons, produced the album at his Ampreon Recorder studio and plays on all 10 tracks. DeLorenzo and Davis each appear on seven of the 10 songs.

“I’ve been going to Pete for recording since I was 12,” Campana said. “I never thought we’d be best buds in a band.”

“Goodie Two Shoes Girl” has gotten a lot of airplay on The Summit public radio station in Akron / Struthers, even though the upbeat country pop tune isn’t the kind of song normally associated with adult album alternative radio.

Campana sees her audience as the same folks listening to Carrie Underwood or Shania Twain, but getting the attention of commercial country stations hasn’t been as easy.

“Any stations that aren’t local require you to be signed, don’t take unsolicited material. I’ve heard it all,” Campana said. “It’s hard to get heard if you’re not on Universal Music. But I’m doing what I can to get them to pay attention.”

Campana said she believes “No Average Joe” and particularly “Rise” show her growth as a songwriter.

“‘Rise’ is so much more than a guy-broke-my-heart song. It’s an anthem for anyone who’s struggling with anything. Before, if anything was bothering me, I kept it bottled up. I didn’t want anyone to know I was hurting. By letting them know how I’m feeling, they know they’re not alone.”

Two of the last songs recorded for the album were “Chasin’ Benny” and “I Don’t Feel Like Songwriting.” She liked both of them enough that she decided to include them on “Goodie Two Shoes Girl” and bump two already-finished tracks to what will be her second album.

The CD release show follows a concert last week as part of the Canton Symphony Orchestra’s Divergent Sounds series, where area musicians play their original songs accompanied by members of the orchestra.

“Seriously, I’m still not over it,” Campana said Monday. “It’s just enchanting to hear these songs that were written in my bedroom that way. It’s such validation that the Canton Symphony took notice. I can hear from my friends and family, ‘Your songs are great,’ but the Canton Symphony had no reason to embrace my songs. I got chills singing ‘Pink Ink’ (a song about breast cancer). It was so much more emotional than it already is, and the talent in that room was amazing. I won’t forget it.”

If you go …

WHAT: Candace Campana CD release show with Big Pop

WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday

WHERE: Westside Bowl, 2617 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Tickets are $10 in advance through Eventbrite and $12 at the door.