1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: Can'st play around. I'm Buzzsnight, the host of Taking a Walk, 2 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: Music History on Foot. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 3 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts, And on this bonus 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: Friday episode of Taking a Walk, we are here in Nashville, 5 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: Music City, Tennessee, a town filled with musicians of all 6 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 1: types with a story to tell. Sarah Harrelson is our guest. 7 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 1: She's a Nashville based singer, songwriter and producer and she 8 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: has a new project out called Blue Ribbon. And we're 9 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: going to take a walk to the legendary Ryman Auditorium, 10 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: where one day I hope Sarah Harrelson will be playing 11 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: to a sold out crop. Well, Sarah Harrelson, so happy 12 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: that we're taking a walk right near the Ryman. Yes, 13 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: this is exciting because the way I think about it 14 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: is you're going to be playing the Rhymen in the 15 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 1: very near future. And I could say I had you 16 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,839 Speaker 1: on an episode to take in a walk. Yes, let's 17 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: hope for the rhymen and the opery. All right, it's there. 18 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: So tell me, first of all the current state of 19 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: work that you're up to. I know you've had some 20 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: new releases as a singer, songwriter artists, So tell us 21 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: what's going on with that. Yeah, So I just released 22 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: a new single called Blue Ribbon on March first. March 23 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 1: is Coorectal cancer Awareness Month, and I released the single 24 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: in honor of my mother, who recently passed away from 25 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: colon cancer. She bought it for five and a half years, 26 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: so the song's in honor of her, and I just 27 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: want to bring awareness to this cancer. It's one of 28 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: the leading cancers right now, and I think people just 29 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: need to be more aware of it, more aware of 30 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: screenings for it. So it's just a way to bring 31 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: awareness this month and also help people that are going 32 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: through that cancer. That's so great, And I know that 33 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: we talked about this. Your mom before she passed was 34 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: certainly able to you know, know about your performances and 35 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: your work, and that must be special that you know 36 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: that she's aware of what you're up to. Absolutely, And 37 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: I wanted to finish recording Blue Ribbon last year. I 38 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: knew she had little time left and I just wanted 39 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 1: her to be able to hear it while she was 40 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: still around, and she did, and I'm so grateful that 41 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: she did. So tell me about the work that has 42 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: to go into being a singer, songwriter creator in Nashville 43 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: incredibly competitive at a time certainly where you know music 44 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: is certainly always important and critical and a force, but 45 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: that nothing of it is easy. Yeah, nothing about it 46 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: is easy. And especially as an independent artist, you're taking 47 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: on so many hats. You're doing so many things that 48 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: once as a songwriter, as an artist, if you're doing 49 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: your own booking, your own promotion, recording, I do a 50 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: lot of production work myself and do a lot of 51 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: vocal services too, just to keep my own music afloat. 52 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: So I mean, even if you're a signed artist, it's 53 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: non stop busy. Once you're releasing one single, you're going 54 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: to the next, You're already recording your next album, EP single. 55 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: But do community is a welcoming community in terms of 56 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: what creators like your so far up to right, Yes, definitely. 57 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: I've been here almost ten years now and it's still 58 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: a welcoming community no matter who I meet. Compare to 59 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: places like La everyone just kind of brings you in 60 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: with open arms, and if you're new to town now 61 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: people are willing to write with you, mentor you. So 62 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: it's great to see that as Nashville is growing, It's 63 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: still such a welcoming community. So when did you know 64 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: you were hooked on being a musician from an early age. 65 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 1: Songwriting was away for me as a child to express 66 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,039 Speaker 1: my emotions when I felt like I couldn't express it 67 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: at all. It was definitely a therapy for me at 68 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: a very young age. My granddad was a bluegrass musician, 69 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: so he definitely influenced me getting into music piano at 70 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: fourteen and taught myself guitar in high school and then 71 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:46,039 Speaker 1: knew I wanted to move from Knoxville to come to Nashville. 72 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: Was Knoxville a very compelling music community, not obviously, you know, 73 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 1: as much as the Nashville But is that a strong 74 00:04:55,960 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 1: music community. Yeah, I would say like a smaller music community, 75 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: but there's still a good amount of bluegrass and country musicians, 76 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: and I think that's why I fell in love with 77 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 1: country music growing up in Knoxville, and just the storytelling 78 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: aspect of it too. So even though it has like 79 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: a smaller Appalachian music community, it's still very welcoming there too. 80 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: Think of some of the first music that you heard. 81 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: Who are some of those those artists that you've heard 82 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: maybe from your your grandfather or from other aspects of 83 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: being around there. Yeah, so, I grew up around a 84 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 1: lot of different music. My dad was always listening to country, 85 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: playing me the likes of Brad Paisley and the Dixie Chicks, 86 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: and my mom would listen to pop and rock, and 87 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 1: I listened to a lot of Elton John growing up 88 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 1: with her. And then my granddad of course played a 89 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: lot of bluegrass and even poke of music since he 90 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: played a quoreum So I was around a lot, and 91 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: I definitely we fell in love with artists such as 92 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: like Jewel and a lot of spor Said and Wonderd, 93 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: the Dixie Chicks, and I just loved kind of country 94 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 1: folk music and the storytelling aspect of that. And as 95 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: your work has evolved today, where do some of your 96 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 1: other influences come from. Yeah? So, even though my main 97 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: genre is country, I have a lot of sub genres 98 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: and my music, as many artists do now, and especially pop. 99 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:37,600 Speaker 1: You know, I grew up around a lot of pop 100 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 1: growing up, even just listening to modern pop. I like 101 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: to incorporate some of that into my music sometimes. And 102 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: I love rock too, so it depends on what kind 103 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: of song I'm writing. But on my next project, people 104 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 1: will hear a lot of that sub genres. I even 105 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: recorded a Blue Breath song recently, So my projects really 106 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: encompasses everything that I grew up listening to. And do 107 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: you still get nervous when you play live? Sometimes? Definitely, 108 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: not as much as I used to when I started 109 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: here in Nashville. It's more refreshing, I think when I 110 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: get on stage now, But if I'm playing a new stage, 111 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: a bigger stage, or you know, a different audience, I 112 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 1: still get that nervous feeling. But once the first song starts, 113 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: I just kind of fall in love with them. I 114 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: love that fall in love with it for sure. God. 115 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: And when you think about the artists that you collaborate with, 116 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: is the sharing enough where you can be open to 117 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: each other in terms of, you know, learning new things 118 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: or really just trying to be completely honest or how 119 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: do you build a chemistry in a session? Yeah? Sometimes 120 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: it's strange when you're in a co write a session 121 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: with another artist or writer and maybe it's someone you 122 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: haven't met before, and there's just the assumption that you're 123 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: going to open up to the stranger that you've never 124 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: met before in a writing session and it gets easier 125 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: as you get to know a writer, but it always 126 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 1: just kind of feels like a first date and a 127 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: little bit awkward that first time you're writing with someone 128 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 1: because it's like a therapy session and you're being very 129 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: vulnerable about your life. So it always kind of has 130 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: a nervous feeling writing with someone for the first time, 131 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 1: but at the end it feels like you've known them 132 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: for a while. Once you have this work of art 133 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,679 Speaker 1: that has so much emotion and feeling to it, and 134 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: you have another advantage point to your career in terms 135 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:54,319 Speaker 1: of the work that you do for Warner Music. Can 136 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 1: you talk about that, Yeah, So it's kind of different 137 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: for me as an artist and songwriter because I've also 138 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:04,079 Speaker 1: supported myself working on the business side of the industry 139 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:09,199 Speaker 1: working in artists royalties. I worked in music licensing too, 140 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: so I definitely have a lot of knowledge about the 141 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: business side of the industry that a lot of artists 142 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: and songwriters don't already have, so in a since, it's 143 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: been so helpful to have all this knowledge to help 144 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: my own career plight. So from your knowledge and vantage 145 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 1: point with that side of your career, what advice would 146 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: you give to musicians. As far as the business side 147 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,599 Speaker 1: that you've been exposed to it, I would say definitely 148 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: educate yourself, whether you're an independent artist or as sign 149 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: artist or writer, get to know the business side of 150 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:51,959 Speaker 1: the industry. It's so helpful now to learn about royalties, 151 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: to educate yourself making sure you're getting paid, knowing what 152 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: contracts you're getting into as well, because it'll help you 153 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 1: in the long run. And lastly, as someone who's working 154 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: toward your goals of building audience and building your career, 155 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: to that artist is listening to this that maybe just 156 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: questioning their missions. I'm sure you we've all been there 157 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: questioning missions. What advice would you give to those artists. Yeah, 158 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: we actually talked about this earlier about not comparing yourself 159 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: to others, and that's something I've always had to remind 160 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 1: myself as it will always get you down when you're 161 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: comparing yourself to another artist or writer. Just be true 162 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: to yourself, true to your craft and your art, and 163 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: that will help you in the long run. And just 164 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: always put out music that you like. If you're putting 165 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: out something that the label wants you too that you 166 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: don't like, who knows if that'll get you anywhere but 167 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: at the end, and you should be something that you 168 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 1: love that's going out into the beautiful set. I want 169 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: to wish you well on your mission. You're standing in 170 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 1: front of the rhyme and I expect to see you 171 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: on the stage in the near future. I don't want 172 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: to put too much pressure on you. I'm just giving 173 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:19,439 Speaker 1: you my all my good wishes and thank you for 174 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: taking a walk with you. Thank you so much. Taking 175 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: a Walk with Buzznight is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, 176 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.