Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Gaines.
Hi Amy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
First, I’m a native Austinite born and raised. I began playing violin at age ten, not because I was in love with the violin, but because I was impatient. Yes, impatient! They wouldn’t let me play in the band in sixth grade, but they would let me play in the orchestra in fifth grade, so I went with orchestra. I’m very grateful that I did. I stuck with it through high school. High school was the most fun because we got to do a lot of performances and contests. In my opinion, we had the best orchestra director in the city, Bill Dick. Last I heard, he’s still at it. Go, Bill! My first love was always the piano, so I always had a keyboard throughout the years and taught myself how to play.
Now I have an 88-key stage piano, an upgrade to be sure. I’m no virtuoso, but I do ok for songwriting and performing. I also play acoustic guitar because a wise friend once told me to make sure I could play my own parts. Good advice! So, I learned the basics in about a year and wrote most of my repertoire during the quarantine years. With nowhere to go and not much else to do, I worked on improving my voice, to sing lead vocals, and my songwriting. I didn’t even know, until I was 49 years old, that I could even write songs, much less anything anyone would want to listen to. To my surprise, I gained the attention of a producer who promoted me amongst the indie crowd. Now I have some music circulating in the UK! I’ve also had a couple of bands I led for a minute, which was a lot of fun. Now I play at an open mic here and there to keep my nerves in check and my songs in practice. I’ve collaborated with some really great musicians, sat in on some of their sets on violin and vocals, and recorded with a few. It’s always an honor to be asked. There’s nothing more fun! My main ambition is to write music for TV and film. I’ve even gotten one of my songs in an independent film, check! There’s no feeling like seeing your name in the credits. A dream come true, but I’m not finished yet! I have been lying low for the past few months, but I am feeling the urge to write again and I’m looking forward to that.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a journey for certain. I’ve learned much from my peers, friends, and audience members. My biggest challenge was self-confidence. I didn’t realize that I was any good. It took some convincing, but eventually, I got the hint that I could do something with music. Now I could realize my dream of being a person who could write a music score. One thing I’ve learned is that it’s never too late to live your dream!
Another thing I realized was my worth. If you’re not careful, you can be taken advantage of without realizing it. So, I discovered the art of requesting fair compensation. On the other side of that coin, I trade playing my violin/ vocals on other artists’ songs for recording my songs in return. It’s a win/win!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a hairdresser by trade and have been licensed in Texas for over 26 years. I currently do hair for a living. I’ve done that off and on through the years but have also dabbled in other professions. I was even a police officer for a hot minute, but I didn’t like all the aspects of the job, so I got out of law enforcement. Alongside cosmetology, I work in an office setting.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Some of my favorite books are, “Fast Like a Girl” by Doctor Mindy Pelz, “The Silva Mind Control Method” by Jose Silva, “Limitless” by Jim Kwik, and podcasts from Doctor Jordan Peterson and Doctor Jason Fung. I’m also interested in books on mycology (the study of fungi). And last but certainly not least, one of my favorite apps is BandLab! It’s where I do all of my recordings and mixing, and it’s free!
Contact Info:
- Website: amygainesmusic.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amygainesmusic?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@amygaines1793
- SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/eLH8FNKoiMGqHMEZ6
Image Credits
All photos were taken and are exclusively owned by Amy Gaines.
