Ambassador Joselyn Sky talks with Laurie Lewis
In this series, Joselyn explores what it takes to make the leap from campground picker to professional performer. In the first installment, we hear from Laurie Lewis, whose many accolades as a multi-instrumentalist songwriter and bandleader include CBA charter member and honorary lifetime member, two-time Grammy nominee, IBMA distinguished achievement award winner (2024) and two-time female vocalist of the year.
Joselyn Sky: Who were your biggest musical influences when you were starting out, and did you have any mentors that gave you memorable advice?
Laurie Lewis: I had a lot of mentors who didn’t realize they were my mentors—the people that I really paid attention to, like Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley. Then there were local people: Paul Shelasky was a huge influence for the fiddle. Pat Enright was a real big influence for me for singing for a long time. Also, Brantley Kearns was local and a wonderful singer and fiddler, and I especially just loved his singing. There weren’t women around that much that served as my mentors. Although when I first heard recordings of Hazel and Alice, I thought that was really great—there were women on the scene playing music. I mean, there were bass players, mandolin players, fiddle players, guitar players, and stuff, but nobody who … I don’t know. What I loved about the music was the old guys.
What do you remember about your first tour, and what have you learned about touring since then?
When I was in the Phantoms of the Opry, I went with them out to Nashville and we played for tips at the Bluegrass Inn, and I had to pass the hat … I just got really bold and stood in front of people, waiting for them to put some money in the hat. That was kind of a good lesson for me in asserting yourself. Because otherwise we were not gonna make any money. We didn’t make any money. You know, we just did it for fun, I think.
But I also learned that touring is a lot of waiting around to do what you came out there to do. Most of the time, a touring musician, the time they spend actually performing their art is so minuscule compared to the time they spend on the road and maybe just doing nothing at all; reading a book if you’re lucky and don’t get car sick in a moving vehicle. Listening to, well, back then cassettes, or just watching the scenery go by. There’s a lot of wasted time out there on the road. But on the other hand, it’s the only way to get from one place to another.
What is your pre-show routine?
I try to make sure I have a setlist written, and that everybody’s in a good place with what we’re gonna play. I like to warm up in advance with the band. I used to almost never do vocal warm-up exercises, but these days I do. I make sure I’m humming and singing a little bit, and make sure I’m physically warmed up because that’s what’s gonna support me when I’m singing. I make sure that the strings on my guitar sound good. Often I change strings right before a show, and I make sure I haven’t eaten too close to showtime.
Can you identify any particular things that you believe contributed to the success of your career?
Well, it took me a while, but I found my own voice and I think that really helped. I feel like I am true to myself. I write songs, which I think has contributed to my success. Luckily, people like the songs. I’ve been very careful about picking other people’s songs, and I think I’ve picked pretty well. I probably could have been a lot more successful had I been more self-centered and ruthless, but I am really a band musician. I love to play with other people and I love to share the spotlight. It’s certainly been part of the success of my being able to have played with the same musicians for years and years, decades at a time.”
What was it like recording your first album, and how does it compare to your process now?
The first album that I recorded on was the Good Ol’ Person’s album—1976 I think it came out. I would get so incredibly uptight and nervous for days before we went in the studio; it just would eat me up. I was afraid of it. And I’ve learned since then that that doesn’t do you any one bit of good. You should be prepared, but fear needs to be conquered.”
How would you advise a young musician to go about recording their first album?
Find a good producer—I think that’s really important. Listen to what they have to say. Hopefully, the producer will be listening to what you have to say and will be able to help you get the best performances of what you want to do. I think that’s the most important thing. And I would say, don’t stress [about] it too much. It’s your first outing. It doesn’t have to be a giant production—probably better if it’s not.”
What was your experience like working with booking agents and managers, et cetera, at the beginning of your career? And at what point do you think aspiring musicians need them?
I’ve never had a manager, I’m sorry to say … or maybe I’m happy to say? I think I’m unmanageable. I am too headstrong about what I want to do, and I don’t care as much about success on a global level than maybe I would need to do to put my art in somebody else’s hands like that. But I have had wonderful booking agents. And my first experience with a booking agent was really good. I used to try and book myself. And when my first solo album came out, my friend Cash Edwards would say, “I think you should play Kerrville Folk Festival.” So, I’ve got to call this guy, and see if he’ll book me—then it was just call up people on the phone. And I had real fear about talking on the phone at that time. I had a lot of fears. That would be the one thing I would do in a day to try and book myself. I would make one phone call and hopefully get an answering machine, just leave a message and wouldn’t have to talk to somebody. But anyway, I stumbled along like that for a while and then my friend, Cash said, “Okay, I’ve decided I’m gonna be your booking agent. And I said, “Great.” She had never done it before. I gave her all the contacts I had. She says I taught her a lot about booking. I don’t know, it was just my sort of common sense, I guess.
And she did really, really well for me for a number of years, and then, after that, I stumbled around from one agency to another when she decided to retire from being a booking agent. And now I’ve got a really good one again.”
How do you engage with the audience and make them excited about your music, especially if the energy of the room feels low?
I learned a real lesson in stagecraft when I toured with Holly Neer. Holly has a way of walking onto the stage—she’s so warm and so welcoming to the audience. It makes you feel like you’re being invited into her living room. She’s the most gracious host. I watched her do that, and I’ve really tried to do that myself, to talk to the audience as if they’re my friends. As if I’m entertaining them one on one, rather than hundreds at a time, or thousands, or whatever it is. That tends to help; it wins them over. If they’re not listening for some reason, I will maybe do an a capella song or something completely different that will force them to be quiet. If some people are listening, and you start doing an a cappella song and everybody else is still talking, those people who are listening will go “shh, shh shh,” and make everybody be quiet. And then when they’re quiet and they actually are paying attention, then you’ve got ‘em. Then you can keep ‘em.
Do you ever have nerves and if so, how do you deal with them?
I don’t get so nervous that much anymore. I make sure that I’m prepared. I make sure that I am rested and hydrated and I know what I’m gonna do. That I’m looking as good as I can look, some days that’s pretty difficult. Also physical warmups and breathing centers me. If I get really nervous, I might try some deep breathing—breathe in for five beats, hold your breath for five, breathe out for five. Whatever it is, everybody’s got different timing, but that sort of thing, over and over a few times, just calms everything right down.
What is the first thing that comes to your mind as a piece of advice for someone looking to make a career as a performing musician?
I think it’s pretty difficult these days, and I think you should have something to fall back on. It used to be, “don’t give up your day job,” you know. The playing field is so incredibly different than it was when I started, that I would not know what to do these days. Seems like social media is super important. I find that to be deadly boring and I don’t want to engage. Have a whole bunch of good luck, and be really good at what you do. And don’t just try and imitate anybody else, do something that’s you. Cause you’re gonna be the best person at being you than anybody else is.
