Photo credit Courtney Denelle
Tell us about your tour vehicle. Any notable breakdown stories?
My 2012 Black SE Toyota Yaris is my favorite vehicle to travel and tour in. It has approximately 241,304 miles on it. This vehicle has been the best car I’ve ever owned. I have explored mountain backroads, desert highways and some of the gnarliest unpaved side streets without breaking down.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
I’ve learned pizza is enjoyable both hot and cold. You can eat it for a couple of days and it generally stores well. I usually keep it simple with classic cheese pizza or if I want to spice things up I add pineapple to it. Another favorite road snack is Uncrustables. It can be tricky to eat “healthy” traveling. It is definitely nice to treat yourself once in a while to a good meal or breakfast. I also find Whole Foods to be a healthy spot to frequent.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
Actually I have never broken a string, except for when changing them. I tend to wait until my strings are dead to do so. The high E strings can be very temperamental and patience is key. I usually go through five sets of stings a year, so the cost is pretty low. I get a lot of use out of my strings because I don’t play very heavy handed.
Where do you rehearse?
When practicing alone I do so in my room, in front of a mirror. It’s something I’ve been doing now for a few years. Helps me “face” myself and stay focused. When I practice with Nick Mercado (Electric guitar player) it’s in my living room. My dogs Izzy and Tuckerman love to listen and take afternoon naps during this time. Sometimes my light grey cat Freya will come out to grace us with her presence. When there is a full band practice it is usually at Rusty’s Recording Studio in Salem, MA. We use in-ear monitors to practice, which helps everyone hear themselves and zero in on certain parts. Haven’t had anything crazy happen at a rehearsal yet!
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
The title was “Smile.” Here are some sample lyrics:
Always happy endings
Never raindrops fall
No one is pretending
No one does at all
Chorus:
Why can’t it be this way
Why do these skies turn gray
Love makes life with worthwhile
You’ll feel better if you smile
Describe your first gig.
My first gig was performing “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music at the fourth grade talent show. I have a tendency to turn beet red when I am really nervous. Looking back at photos from this performance my face was the color of a ripe tomato. Luckily this is something I’ve grown out of. Despite my nerves I faced my fear and have been hooked ever since. ?
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
My last non-music job was being a waitress at a local restaurant. My favorite non-music day job was being a dog walker. It was so much fun taking dogs for walks, while spending time in nature, and I found this time to be grounding and peaceful.
How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?
This is the first year I’ve based all of my income on my music. When I first made this decision a tremendous amount of fear arose. I was waking up in the middle of the night in hot sweats. I stuck it out and ever since two of my songs are set to be included on Dutton Ranch “Ramble On Man” and Ransom Canyon “Countryside”. This is the first time I’ve ever had sync placements. I also feel a lot lighter and like a free bird. This decision has also taught me a lot about faith and trust.
I have no idea what to expect from the future. I’ve learned my mind can create stories and expectations, that can lead to disappointment and fear. I focus on taking it all one day at a time and being present in the moment I am in. This is where my true power lies. If I can be present, the past and the future are irrelevant.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
A career in music isn’t about being rich and famous. When I was a kid I got into music, because I noticed people treated my differently after I performed. It sort of felt like a super power. In scenarios where before I could’ve been rejected or ignored by people, after a performance extra attention was given to me. I also thought that if I became famous that all of my problems would disappear and I would finally feel truly loved and accepted. This mindset came from my wounded inner child.
As I expanded into my music career I learned the real reason why music had chosen me. It was because music was a part of my heart and soul. For a long time I was doing music to please other people and to be accepted. When I finally let go of this, music became fun again. Now I feel like I am serving when I sing. Whether we want to accept this or not we are all cut from the same cloth.When we learn to love ourselves we become who we were originally designed to be. After years of soul searching, music and singing is how I feel my soul shine most. We all have a unique calling for what lights us up inside. Music is my calling.