We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carter Shilts a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Carter, 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?
I keep my creativity alive the same way I’d keep a pet alive; feed it and take it out for walks regularly. Feeding my creativity might mean reading a few pages of a book, listening to a new album, going for a walk. Anything that introduces a new plot to my internal dialogue for the day. Taking my creativity out for a walk could mean writing choruses, learning a new fiddle tune, playing scales, or practicing anything that projects my intent into words on a page or notes in the air. I try to manage expectations and never expect revelations in the first draft. Creativity starts as a slow drip but routine and organization keep the flow going.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I play mandolin in Wisconsin-based bluegrass band Chicken Wire Empire. Playing in a bluegrass band is exciting because we see lots of places and meet new kinds of people every night. Bluegrass is a rapidly evolving genre so the musical rules and borders are fuzzy. You never know who or what you might see at bluegrass show. That constant sense of adventure and possibility is what I love most about what I do. We’re playing a lot of new cities around the US and even touring Europe in 2025. It’ll be exciting to experience these new places.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Being adaptable is one of the qualities that has kept me going in life. The show must go on, despite unpredictabilities. Being able to make the most of every situation is important.
Optimism is another quality that’s kept me going. I think we’re an optimistic band. We go into every show with the mindset that it could be our best show yet. It makes performing exciting and keeps us resilient. Touring can be grueling but the stress melts away when everybody is excited about the show each night.
Lastly, active listening is a skill I’m constantly learning in music and life. There are tones, tensions, and expressions within every conversation, whether it be a musical jam or a dinner party chat. Those subtle things stir the soul. Learning to evoke those nuances is one of the joys of creating music, and it starts with listening.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I think it’s important to hone the strengths that make you a well-rounded person. For instance, being a good listener is a strength in life, music, friendship, etc. Being adaptable is a strength in travel, collaboration, crisis management, etc. Focusing on a few of these multilayered strengths adds up to a well-structured life. I think the key is to be equally aware of your strengths and weaknesses while dedicating your attention to your strengths.
Contact Info:
- Website: Chickenwireempire.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chickenwireempire
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19cQFJ3CYD/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chickenwireempire?si=4xinOWl2YweSCqpn
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/05RSgyFo6Z3uiYA6fnj0sm?si=eywhgiFzQyKMpOV4bgf-Tw
Image Credits
Stephanie Charpentier Alisha O’Hara Ariel Kassulke Kyle Hilker Joshua Thompson
