We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Winter Grain a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Winter, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Way back in 2017 we started making music together. Soon we fell in love and got married. We moved to Los Angeles in 2018 in order to fully pursue our music goals and dreams. Since then we’ve kept the creative juices flowing in multiple ways. First, we seek out production teams that include musicians and engineers we admire. From working with Ryan Hadlock (The Lumineers, Brandi Carlile) to Zachary Ross (who got us working with Kacey Musgraves’ drummer and Ben Harper’s keyboardist), we’ve made sure that when it comes to recording our music, we have people around us who know more than we do. That way we can sing and play what we’ve honed but have a song elevated and challenged by the team around us. Secondly, we do our best to collaborate with artists we love. Earlier this year we participated in a songwriting retreat as well as a songwriting co-write group. Both experiences broadened our creativity by having us work within deadlines and lyrical parameters. And as fierce lovers of music, we are constantly watching our heroes either on stage or online to learn from their artistry as best we can. Sometimes those we admire most are friends. We just played Newport Folk Festival and got to share the stage with new friends who got us thinking outside our typical musical box. When we hear how others create music, we find that we can be our best selves and push through the limits we’ve set for ourselves in the past. Finally, our creativity is augmented by us taking lessons. Whether it’s vocal lessons from Sara Bareilles’s coach or guitar lessons by Adam Neely’s friend, we find that the more we know our musical selves, the more we feel free to express our creativity.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
We are Winter Grain and very proud of how far we’ve come as a band. When we started in Utah we never would have thought that by 2024 we’d be playing Newport Folk Festival. Our story has two huge challenges we’ve had to face: first, Kate just barely retired as an Army helicopter pilot. Uncle Sam has had the final say on anything we’ve wanted to do, and that meant years of postponing opportunities. Secondly, my health has been incredibly challenging. In five years I’ve had four surgeries with the most recent being in April for my cancer. Yes, I have cancer, but no, I am not stopping. In fact, Winter Grain is more motivated than ever!
Our most recent producer says we’re if Indigo Girls and John Mayer formed a band. Since we’ve been doing music for so long, we’re incredibly comfortable both on stage and in the studio. We have 14 tracks on Spotify with a new one on the way. Perhaps we’re best at live shows, because we adore people and love connecting with them through our passion in real time. If you’re reading and want to know how to support us we would love you to follow us on Instagram and Spotify. And if you are looking to book a band, we can do it! We’re comfy doing three hours with a loop pedal, one song without a mic, thousands of people in the crowd or just you on the internet: we’ve done it and we’ll keep doing it. Reach out! We love meeting new people.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
To become a streetwise, career musician, you must learn your craft, get out there and share it, and accept there will be obstacles. Granted, people can not do some of that and still “make it” but when we are seeing 60,000 new songs per day for Spotify then it becomes much harder to stand out in the crowd if you aren’t committed. Look for songwriting groups to join. Say yes to opportunities and try out genres that you may not be used to. A solid piece of advice we love to follow is play with those who are better than you. This has led us to record with Grammy-winners, collaborate with Berklee grads, and learn from people who have been doing music for way longer than we have.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
Kate’s dad is a renowned musician who, as a saxophonist and flutist, has even opened for B.B. King. That meant her childhood was filled with music and a supportive atmosphere. She started on sax but because she loved to sing she started playing guitar on her first deployment. Having that musical background has been a constant as her father gigs to this day. We even wrote a song with him earlier this year!
My (Secily’s) parents signed me up for piano lessons at age 8 and within a couple of years I “graduated” to The Cleveland Institute of Music. It was hard but well worth it and even though sometimes it was grueling and I cried, I wouldn’t change it for the world. Knowing how to read music has immensely helped me as a guitarist and music teacher.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wintergrain.com
- Instagram: @winter_grain_music
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WinterGrain
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
