NASHVILLE SINGER SONGWRITER
I wrote my first song when I was 15, about a boy of course, and there began my lifelong pursuit of becoming a songwriter. Since that first song, I have honed my craft at ASCAP conferences in LA, studied songwriting at Berklee School of Music and attended countless songwriting workshops from Denver to Nashville.
Leaving my home in the Colorado Rockies, I moved to Nashville in 2009, not to become a “star,” but to immerse myself in the rich musical environment. In Nashville, it is easy to get lost in the sea of musical talent. It’s discouraging when you keep getting asked, “What have you written?” meaning what hit songs have you composed.
Along the way, however, I discovered the true definition of my success is not determined by the hit song I haven’t written or by the balance in my bank account, thankfully. Success in my life has become about making a connection with others through my music. I have been blessed with opportunities to share my music through the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Words and Music program, where I teach children about songwriting and also through Musicians on Call, where I give bedside performances to patients in hospitals. These heart-to-heart connections have truly made my songwriting career fulfilling and successful. Maybe someday there will be that big check in the mail and if so, a celebration is in order, but either way I will just keep showing up, writing and singing songs, hoping that my music will touch another human heart and bring something good into the world.