3 Days and the Truth

Another New Roots weekend experience has just come and gone, and I am once again left in awe of the transformations that we witnessed in just a short 3.5 day period. 

5 women from around the country (Montana, Virginia, New Jersey, Iowa) descended upon Music City, USA on a Thursday afternoon where they all nervously met each other, eager to see what type of experience they were in for. Would they feel competitive around their fellow artists or would they come out with new friends, a valued sense of community, and the support system to pursue their OWN version of success? As you can probably guess, it was the latter. 

“I’ve never felt quite as accepted with other people as I did with these guys. I’ve always been the outcast or the one people don’t think twice about. But this weekend has taught me so much. It has taught me how to accept what I deserve and leave what I don’t. It has taught me that life is a rollercoaster and when you have people to help navigate it, it’s so much easier. I’ve been dreaming of being an artist since I was a little girl. And with the help of Sheridan and Mark and these amazing women, I feel like it’s finally going to become a reality. So, thank y’all for accepting me, teaching me, laughing with me, thank you for the support you give. It has been a blast New Roots…”

~New Roots artist, June 2022

…cue the happy tears…

Day 1

As the workshops started to take place and the questions started being asked, it was clear that everyone was in the same boat. Everyone felt the most unsteady about the same parts of the music industry and it was time to learn together. As the artists listened to incredible industry professionals in the fields of Management, Public Relations, Artist Development, Songwriting, Claiming Your Worth and Designing a Business Plan that fits YOU, the lightbulbs began to flicker. Our artists were beginning to absorb the reality that there is no one unique path to success in the music industry and that is a wonderful thing! 

It gives them permission to be their own boss and design the career that makes the most sense for themselves and their personal and professional goals.

After a long day of learning, a dinner out on the town was just what they needed to debrief and refuel for day 2. 

Day 2

It was an action-packed Saturday as the artists started a rotation between having a photoshoot, a one-on-one mentor session, a one-on-one voice lesson, and a one-on-one performance coaching session. Energy was high as the artists dove into each of their sessions, making breakthroughs and experiencing many firsts. Most of them had never been asked the simple questions of, “What do YOU want out of a career in music?” or “WHY is music so important to you?” We were learning about each artist’s story and helping them shape their unique brand and set goals that will be fulfilling and sustainable for them. 

“I have never LOVED a photo of myself and I am already having a hard time picking even a top 10 because I love them so much!”

~ New Roots artist, June 2022

After the individual sessions it was time to reconvene as a group for a workshop all about Claiming Your Royalties with the company Tunedough. It is so important for artists to fully understand where they will have royalties coming in from after they release music or get songs cut that they’ve written. With that knowledge comes better negotiating power with publishing deals and producer contracts, as well as taking ownership of their business and knowing where the revenue is coming in from. 

What better way to end day 2 than with dinner and a show at the renowned venue The Listening Room. Hearing other songwriters share their stories and songs is a reminder of how relatable and worthy our experiences as songwriters are. We owe it to our audiences to share our stories through song to help heal, celebrate and feel connected as human beings. 

Day 3

The Ryman Auditorium, the Mother Church of Country Music, was beckoning to our artists to learn the history of the city they are about to share their gifts with. Taking a tour and learning about who has come before us and the impact music had on this town of Nashville, is a humbling and inspiring experience. 

So, it was fitting that we went straight from hearing about legends Johnny Cash, Earl Scruggs, Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton to the beautiful Starstruck Studios on Music Row to record. Each artist came to the weekend with a song of their choosing (cover or original)  that they would get to record vocals to. Each artist had about an hour in the studio working with Grammy-winning producer Matt Leigh. Watching the transformation from their first, nerve-ridden take to the end where they were riffing and ad libbing like the pros they are was so beautiful and inspiring. These artists were literally recording on the same microphone that Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift used to record previous records, and these New Roots gals were taking to it like seasoned pros. I chalk that up to not only a newfound confidence they found in themselves, but the supportive energy that was coming from the control room. 

Finally, it was time to get ready for the show. After a quick freshen up at the airbnb where the artists all stayed, it was time to head over to Sonny’s in Germantown where we had a 3 hour writers night featuring past and present New Roots artists. For many of our artists, it was their first time performing in Nashville - that can be so scary! But, I’ve experienced 4 New Roots events so far and each time, I’m continually blown away by the poise and confidence the artists exude from the stage. They cheered each other, they networked, they poured their soul into their performances and they proved our theory that working with each other instead of against, makes the biggest impact. 

The friendships that blossomed from the last 3 days and the safe space the women created for each other to be their true selves was unparalleled. I’m full of gratitude for these artists and our guest speakers who made another New Roots weekend one for the books. We shape the weekend, but it is everyone involved who makes the weekend. While we had to say our “see you laters,” this was just the beginning. Now the real work begins absorbing the information they learned and putting it into practice into their day to day lives to design a fulfilling career.

Our New Roots community is ever expanding and we hope you will join us for the next weekend in the fall! Check back on our website and be sure to follow/DM us to keep in touch!

With so much love and gratitude,

Sheridan

I want to give a big shoutout to Teton Guitars and FanFlex for being wonderful sponsors for this weekend. Y’all please go show them some love - beautiful guitars and a platform built for artists to help you book shows, sell tix, and track your fans!