Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Hudgins.
Hi Kelsey, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My grandfather was a musician who taught me to play several instruments when I was young. I started bands in 1999 when I was 13 in my hometown of Bennettsville SC. I continued to play and record albums with local bands until graduation when I wrote several songs, and released my debut solo album at 18. I toured with that album for 2 months and then moved to Myrtle Beach SC in 2006 where my tour finished. I hosted open mics and played solo shows there until I co-founded the band Cornbread in 2009. We played all over the grand strand area until 2021 during which time I became a full time musician splitting time between several bands and continuing to perform solo gigs, wroting, and recording songs. In 2016 I quit drinking and started podcasting. Which led me into the comedy podcast world where I inevitably found Kill Tony. I became a fan, and eventually became a sort of ambassador for the fanbase. I then became online friends with the Hosts Tony Hinchcliffe and Brian Redban. I was a regular cast member on Redban’s online show “Virtual Redban” the administrator of the Kill Tony Discord and moderator of the KT Subreddit as well. These things resulted in being invited to move away from Myrtle Beach to LA where the show was based. Then covid happened, and the show moved to Austin, where I followed shortly after in October of 2021. Since moving to Austin, I’ve made a name for myself in the comedy community by working the door at comedy clubs downtown, being on Kill Tony 8 times, and being the musical opener of the Deathsquad Secret Show every Thursday. I currently work the door at the Sunset Strip Comedy Club on 6th street downtown where I also perform stand-up comedy regularly.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road. I was abandoned by my mother at a very early age, and raised by my grandparents and father. I had a traumatic brain injury at the age of 8 that left me in a coma for several days. This had many long term effects, but mainly intense depression and manic episodes. I have also been diagnosed with early stages of agoraphobia that I have been working through in therapy for the past couple years. I struggled heavily with drugs and alcohol for most of my adult life until ultimately quitting alcohol in 2016 and hard drugs in 2017.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Writer, Musician, Comedian, Streamer, and live performer. I am known for my personal spin on cover songs, my extremely vulnerable original songs, and my online presence as “yonderwizzerd” within the Kill Tony universe and on YouTube. I’m most proud of my original music and its honest peek behind the curtain of my life and mind. What sets me apart from others, is that I’m in no rush to reach any career goal unlike most in my profession. I in stead am very patient and have no problem waiting my turn, which I believe whole heartedly will come around eventually.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
There aren’t many surprising things about me, as I have been very honest and open about all aspects of my life through my years of podcasting and live streaming.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yonderwizzer/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19SgNobRox/
- Twitter: https://x.com/yonderwizzerd
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@yonderwizzerd
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3BD61CePgwfdu6045u0561
