Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Blake Myrick
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started playing more guitar and singing more at home as a way to cope with being stuck at home during the pandemic. I was going through a divorce and living alone with my two cats while hundreds of miles from family. With gyms and hiking trails closed, music became my primary outlet.
When things started opening back up, a friend invited me to play a few songs with him at a dive bar. I was terrified, but I’m so glad I had that encouragement and opportunity. I slowly got more confident playing in front of people.
About three months after that first gig, I moved to Texas for a new full-time job opportunity. After years of trying to write music but never finishing a song, something clicked here. I have written dozens of songs since I moved to Texas, recorded an EP of original music, and started playing gigs around the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has been bumpy. And expensive. I don’t regret any of it though.
Sometimes I listen to some of the songs I have released and wish that I had changed a few words; but I also know that if I over-analyze every word of every line I write, I may never release any music.
Do I hear room for improvement when I listen to my music? Absolutely. But I would rather perform and record music that I am 90% happy with (or 25% happy with on some days) than never share any music at all.
Also, it’s a struggle to balance any creative, unconventional pursuit with a full-time job and family priorities. I work full-time in higher education and also teach online college classes part-time. Sometimes music slips through the cracks; but even the most stressful, busy work day is made better if I make the time for at least a little music in my day. I imagine that almost any musician can relate to that struggle on some level.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a singer and songwriter. People who don’t listen to country think I’m really country, but I don’t think of myself as a country artist. I think of myself as straddling the lines of country, folk, and rock. I guess my genre will become more defined as I make more music. Regardless of how my genre may change over time, I strive to be authentic.
I’m proud of being bold enough to pursue music later in life. I don’t know where this journey will take me, but I know that music is a huge part of who I am and who I have always wanted to be.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
If something is important to you, you have to work on it even when you don’t feel especially motivated or inspired. I have a stack of notecards with inspirational words I have written – some are quotes from others, and some are just lessons I have taken away from life. I flip to a different card every morning as I start my day. One of my favorite cards in that stack reads, “Don’t live for the moments of inspiration. Appreciate them and work between them.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.whitneyblakemyrick.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitneyblakemyrick/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitneyblakemusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@whitneyblakemyrick
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2FikCAvpK13FNgbT0JKRkD
