Photo credit Chloe Barkley
Tell us about your tour vehicle.
We haven’t had a consistent touring vehicle. We have an old Ford Econoline van that sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t, so we’ll often take our Subaru if we don’t have to fit an upright bass or drums in with us. Last year we crammed five people, merch, a guitar, and a drum set into the Subaru for a run of shows from Nashville to Denver, and after that I said, “We’ll just rent a van from now on”.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
If we’re going to eat pre-packaged stuff, we try to go for snacks that don’t have a ton of ingredients- yogurt drinks, seeds and nuts, dried fruit. We also tend to keep a cooler with us with cheese sticks and things of that nature, but I have no problem with Taco Bell whatsoever.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
I haven’t been playing guitar live – my partner Luke Krutzke has taken over that role for me. Luke breaks strings rarely. I break them more often when I write on guitar and go into alternate tunings and start effing things up… I am notoriously a little rough on my guitars, which is one reason why having someone else play is a more sustainable choice for me. Also, I struggled to fully focus on my breath when I played guitar for myself- now that I don’t, I’m able to channel my energy 100% into singing, and it’s so freeing. It costs too much to replace the strings, that’s how much it costs.
Where do you rehearse?
When I’m in Nashville, I rehearse at my friend Charlie’s rehearsal space. I feel so lucky to have friends that are so community minded- when I’m in a pinch, help is never too far away! I love how we tend to practice in a big circle and I wish live shows could be like that, too, with the whole band facing each other. When I’m in Denver, my upright bassist Kyle has a space that he lets us use, and it is similarly cozy & makes me happy to be there.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
I wrote my first song in third grade- I think it was something about a cowboy. I remember it because a classmate took my notebook and teased me about it, and it felt very Harriet the Spy, so I can’t say I hated it. The concept of someone reading my diary and knowing my innermost thoughts was always oddly appealing to me- I think because I was a nervous kid and I wanted to be understood- which is why I’ve always leaned into confessional lyricism.
Describe your first gig.
My first gig was at a bar called the Monkey Wrench in Louisville, KY. When I was in middle school, my dad lived in Louisville, and I would often visit on the weekends. I was able to get paid for playing a few hours of covers, and I remember initially hating every second of being onstage- like ohmygod WHAT AM I DOING???!!!- and then immediately wanting to get back up there again the second I got off. There was just a lot of bar hubbub at the Monkey Wrench, and I was kind of grateful that I didn’t have everyone’s rapt attention.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
My last non-music job was working in a yoga studio / float center. It was a really beautiful, quiet space, and although it had its challenges (i.e. people getting it on in the saunas), I did really love it. I loved seeing the same students come into class every night. The building was haunted and there was a tree in the parking lot that was said to be a portal, so it felt like a really magical place to be at night.
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?
My situation has changed a lot over the past several years, but a few years ago I was dead broke delivering groceries and working at a few different places. Slowly but steadily, my music-related income has been increasing. I don’t know what to expect in a few years- I just know what I hope for, and that’s to be able to live fully off of my income from music.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
I wish I’d known that jealousy and comparison only keep us from connection. I struggled a lot with comparing myself to others early in my career, and it kept me too nervous to forge connections with people I thought were really cool. When you see someone doing the thing you want to be doing and succeeding at it, it can be the universe telling you, “Hey! There are people for you! There is a path for you! Keep going!”. I wish I had known that early on – it would’ve saved me a lot of pain.