Meet Kelli Johnson

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kelli Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kelli, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

I have always been a shy and introverted person, even as a young child. But for some reason, when singing was involved, that over-ruled the part of me that wanted to hide.
I have never been comfortable talking on the mic, or public speaking.
I think for me what helped me develop self confidence was becoming a waitress. Being up close and personal while delivering food to a table full of strangers forced me out of my shell, and soon I learned that the more I interacted with customers, the more money I would make.
It became easier each time that I did it.
My guitar is also my security blanket, and I don’t like singing or writing songs without it.
I feel more confident with it in my lap.

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?

I am a singer/songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee. I love the art of songwriting!
It has been my therapy, my joy, my frustration, and my income..
But far more than writing as an artistic expression, I have found that helping others discover their inner songwriter has brought me the most joy.
I work with an amazing organization called Operation Song
-www.operationsong.org- and they team professional songwriters with active duty military, veterans, and their families to help turn their story into a song.
Operation Song is a wonderful team of people, and working with them has had a profound effect on my life. In helping others heal through music, I have also healed parts of myself that I didn’t know needed healing.
It has always been a personal goal of mine to be able to sing my own songs at shows.
There is nothing like the feeling of having someone tell you that a song you wrote touched their life. It is the ultimate compliment
Since moving to Nashville in 2017, I have been able to do just that. Venues like The Bluebird Cafe and The Listening Room Cafe in Nashville have given me the opportunity and the stage to hone my writing skills by playing my songs for audiences, and hearing their reactions and, sometimes, criticisms.
While I do the majority of my writing in Nashville, lately my life has been spent mostly behind the wheel.
I’ve been writing and playing guitar with up-and-coming Country Artist Josie Sal, and I began a duo with amazing vocalist Chase Inman.
I have also played guitar and sang background vocals with touring show The Key of G LIVE!
I will never take for granted the ability to write and perform. I would also love to become a successful songwriting mentoring consultant.
I have begun the process of starting my own business, Vital Music, where I coach songwriters and help them understand the business of writing songs.
My hope is to begin songwriting retreats next year.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think the three qualities that most helped me along my career have been tenacity, self-awareness, and a strong work ethic.
So many people told me along the way that I would not be able to make a living doing music. I had to be stubborn enough to overcome not only my doubt, but also the doubt of those around me.
I’ve always been a loner, so I’ve had a lot of time to be self-introspective. My self-awareness has helped me look at myself realistically and be able to work on my weaknesses while building on my strengths. I’ve not been very comfortable doing public speaking or talking on the mic, so planning what I’m going to say and focusing on that aspect of it has helped me improve tremendously. I still have a lot of room for improvement, but I’m much better than I used to be!
My father instilled in me a very strong work ethic from a young age and told me that the way I performed my job, whatever that might be, reflected on him. That made a difference with me, and I’ve always wanted to do the best job that I could do, whether it was working as a waitress or playing music.
My advice for anyone who wants to start songwriting and performing as an artist is to work towards your idea of success.
Race your own race and set your own goals depending on what your needs and wants are.
Don’t let other people define your success.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

The music business can be the most amazing and fun business to be in. But it can also be soul-crushing. Living in a town like Nashville, there are so many people who are at the very top of their game. It can teach you to be better, and it can also make you feel like you’re at the very bottom looking up.
The fast pace and super competitive nature of it can sometimes leave you feel overwhelmed or anxious. For me I have to ground myself in something bigger than chasing number one songs. For me it is my faith and my family. My three children- Taylor, Cody and Emory, and my grandson Brantley, are the reason that I do anything worthwhile. I try to remember that while music and songwriting are my passion, my purpose comes from God. And so does my peace and my strength.
Having people who are outside the music business is a must, and having hobbies and interest outside of the music business is also a must. It reminds me that even on my most heartbreaking day musically, I can still go take a drive on my dirt bike or I can still hang out with my kids and remember that they are the reason I do everything that I do.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Donna Quinn
Southern City Lights

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