Meet Heatherlyn

A friend of The Sound Opinion, Andrew Greer–a singer/songwriter in his own right–is guest blogging for us today. He’s introducing a friend and talented artist, Heatherlyn.

Minneapolis singer/songwriter Heatherlyn is more than another artist for hire. Though melodies have personally motivated her for the greater good since childhood, the self-described “Singer. Song-Artist. Poet.” utilizes her acoustic penmanship to enlist listeners in her compassionate storytelling campaign. Encouraging others to transparently share life in an effort to promote community and provide hope, Heatherlyn shares with TSO her philosophy behind the music to celebrate the release of her sophomore album, Storydwelling – available online at www.heatherlynmusic.com, iTunes and Amazon now.

Andrew Greer: What inspires you to write songs?
Heatherlyn: Life, love and ideas and issues related to how we as human beings can pay more mind to one another. How we can have a hopeful awareness and caring responsibility about the stuff that’s broken, and take delight in what’s life giving rather than be bogged down by bad news and make like ostriches with our heads in the sand.

Greer: What is your purpose for creating songs and records?
Heatherlyn: It’s simply something I have to do. The gifts with which I’ve been entrusted, and the dreams within my heart, compel me. I can’t keep these to myself. Music is a place of bliss, where I feel fully alive. And I believe it’s the best thing I have to contribute to the healing and beauty of the world around me.

Greer: So Storydwelling is more than an album title. It is a mission.
Heatherlyn: “Storydwelling” is music and it’s movement. It’s an album and it’s action – a way to groove and a way to be. I define it as “cultivating a courageous and compassionate curiosity for others.” The idea developed as we spent time with people all over the country who live in the full spectrum of status and circumstance. Singing with friends in a tent city in Seattle. Presenting song and story for a benefit in a wealthy suburb of Minneapolis. Sharing music in an impoverished trailer park on the fringes of Phoenix and a well-to-do suburb of the same city.

We spend a lot of time building relationships over coffee and exchanging stories. We met a man who told us that when he moved to his city, he asked about three hundred bums, baristas and bouncers, “If there’s one thing you could do to make your city a better place, what would it be?” Most responded with something like, “If I could just get someone to hear my story . . .” It’s so easy for us to keep within circles of those who are most like us, to isolate and make judgments based on surface layers and labels. Practicing “Storydwelling” asks us to consider, What if there’s more to the story? And leads us toward unity. Not uniformity, but life together that’s characterized more by kindness and collaboration rather than isolation and fear.

Greer: “You’ll Never Know” is an extremely personal song. Why did you decide to include it on this record?
Heatherlyn: “You’ll Never Know” is what I wanted to say to the world about fatherlessness, as I know I’m not the only one who has lived that reality. Throughout my life, I’ve had to ask, Why do I feel his way? What is it that’s brought me to this place in my journey? Some of my story was written for me and I inherited it whether I wanted it or not. Now, the pen is in my hand and I’m co-writing new chapters with my husband, friends, family, community and with God. Ultimately, I want to leave the story in a place where those who come after me will benefit from the plot changes and themes – a legacy of honesty, hope, learning and love.

Greer: What musical influences helped shape Storydwelling?
Heatherlyn: When Matt [Patrick] and I began pre-production, I told him “soul-roots-rock.” That’s the best way to narrow my music into some kind of genre description. Robert Plant’s Band of Joy, produced by T-Bone Burnett, and Mavis Staple’s You’re Not Alone, produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, specifically inspired Storydwelling. They both include a whole lot of gospel music. Band of Joy has a ‘modern vintage’ thing with sweet down-to-earth grittiness that just feels like he’s keepin’ it real.

Greer: If you had one hope for your music, what is that hope?
Heatherlyn: I hope that my music may be a conduit of hope, peace, healing and goodness, perhaps bringing the most unlikely people together to be co-authors in the upcoming chapters of history, participating in hope and peace with whatever unique gift and voice has been entrusted to them.

For more info on Heatherlyn visit: www.heatherlynmusic.com

Tags: andrew greer, heatherlyn, new artists, singer/songwriter, storydwelling