Portraits of Nashville

It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Nashville.

Ronzo Cartwright

WE RECENTLY RE-RELEASED AN ALBUM AND NOW PLAY AT OUT OWN PACE . I HAVE JUST WRITTEN BY FIRST HOOD BOOK THAT IM VERY PROUD OF DOING . OUT AND WILL RELEASE A MASSIVE VYNIL RECORD IN THE SPRING AND PLAN TO CONTINUE PLAYING LIVE SHOWS. WE HAVE OVER 100 SONGS TO WRITE AND RELEASE , SO WE WILL KEEP ROCKING AND SPITTING OUT REAL TUNES FOR THE FORESEABLE FUTURE . Read More>>

Milrah Muse

I use to work for this Commercial Real Estate company as a Executive Assistant. I loved that job because of how much Ive learned and how exclusive it was. I then realized that I needed to be in my passion doing things similar to that job. So I started selling clothes and that did not work how I wanted. Just realised it was not for me, but the fashion industry is so big there is so many criterias you can get in to. So I got into personal styling and realised it came with personal shopping as well. I was reaching out to clothing brands and clothing boutiques to do collabs. Some would want to collab some wouldn’t but I kept pushing and got my first couple of clients which led to more clientele. Read More>>

Amy Moore

Relocating to LA, Amy transitioned to become Product Manager at Echo/Ticketmaster Entertainment. Overseeing the client roster, she supervised web design and builds, and managed e-commerce marketing and analytics, fan communications, tour launches and social media campaigns. Her initiatives led her to launch successful digital and live campaigns incorporating SMS, SEO marketing, live promotions and sponsorship relationships. Read More>>

Zack Moscow

I (Zack Moscow – keys) met Tyler Boone (bass) while we were playing for a country-fried rock band called “Williamson Black.” During practice breaks Tyler and I would stay in the jam room and fool around with riffs and song ideas that were a little outside of the country rock box. I definitely felt like we had some overlap in terms of creativity and writing songs that grooved and funked and were a little left of center. So when Williamson Black started to fizzle out we thought we could start a project of our own. This eventually became Hide Your Mamas. Read More>>

Virginia Lou

To honor our mawmaw, Virginia Lou, we began recording an album of her favorite hymns along with some original music in the fall of 2023. That debut album, Little Sparrow, embodies all the sounds that remind us of her: Bluegrass, Gospel, and Traditional Country music. Little Sparrow, produced by Dove Award-winning and Grammy-nominated producer Tommy Collier, released its first single, “Precious Memories,” in September 2024. The song was released on the Avid label, owned by Dove-nominated music publisher and songwriter John Mathis Jr. Read More>>

Shannon Wilk

I’m Shannon Wilk, I’m an 18 year old bassist based out of Nashville, TN. At 11 years old, I began playing guitar after being inspired by the likes of Nita Strauss, Mick Mars, Slash, Joe Perry, etc. I quit playing guitar after only a few days from frustration of not picking up fast enough for my liking. But a few months later I picked it up again as I signed up for a guitar clinic with Tesla guitarist Dave Rude. I attended the clinic he put on on the Monsters of Rock Cruise, which also included my first 20-or-so concerts. From there on I knew I needed to pursue music as a career. Read More>>

Darren O’toole

The story of how I started comedy actually comes from London. I was a big fan of going to comedy clubs so I would attend them regularly after work on a building site and one night I’m sitting in the front row and the owner recognises me as a comedian and for some reason I said I was, I remember being dressed in a nice three piece suit, which was my fashion at the time. The owner talked to me and asked if I would perform the next week which I agreed. Read More>>

Mike Byer

For nearly 21 years, I served in two branches of the military—the Air Force and the Army—but it was the Army, and more specifically, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), that shaped me into the man I am today. I held leadership roles ranging from Squad Leader to First Sergeant, and the discipline and structure of the military kept me from going too far off course. Not completely, but enough to teach me what it truly meant to lead—not just in garrison, but in the chaos of combat. Read More>>

Vicky Blue

That desire for a change grew stronger after my family and I moved to Tennessee. Surrounded by the beauty of the area, I started pouring my energy into home projects and DIYs, discovering just how much I loved transforming spaces. When a close friend asked for help designing her new home, I jumped at the chance. Seeing her excitement—and feeling how much I enjoyed the process—was the turning point. My husband encouraged me to take the leap, and from that moment, This Blue Home (TBH) Interior Design was born. Read More>>

Melissa Hovinga

I have always been in some kind of art and I love taking classes to learn new mediums. I am a floral designer, a painter, stained glass, crochet and now a ceramic artist. In January of 2021, I started taking pottery classes for sculpture and wheel throwing at Clay Lady in Nashville and I quickly became obsessed. So I have spent the last four years learning as much as I can. Everything about this journey into ceramics, has given me a new lease on life. I am grateful everyday. Read More>>

Lara Riley

My daughter moved to Nashville after college, so we began researching different franchises and areas around Middle Tennessee. We found the Painting with a Twist studio in Hendersonville was for sale, and my daughter told us it was a great location. Once we visited the area, we realized there is an amazing day program for my son also. I previously taught Art and English. With my background in education and my daughter’s training in business, we knew this was the perfect opportunity. Read More>>

Hart Hagerty

I’m a jewelry designer and entrepreneur born and raised in Charleston, SC. I’m a mother of two little girls – and a dog mom to two scruffy dudes. I work hard, love my job and feel grateful to have built our strong, smart team in the city I love so much. My favorite quote is “Life is the best party I’ve ever been invited to.” While I’m not perfect, I strive to live up to this mantra each day- to remember that every moment is truly a gift and life is short, don’t waste it. Read More>>

Jenny Cain

My answer poured forth without even a thought behind it…”No, but I know I can do this. I was born to do this”. She was quiet for several seconds as we sat in silence looking at each other. She rubbed her chin and said “ok. let’s do it.” Several other choreographers were auditioned that day, but that’s how I got the job. I created a line dance that went viral on an international level and eventually put me on the map as a real choreographer. That was almost 17 years ago. Since then my company Jenny Cain Productions was created and has grown exponentially now housing several divisions such as private event dance instruction, performance teams, and most recently creating our nations very first Talent Agency specifically for elite level country dancers. Read More>>

Shedrich Webster

There are now five Santas, a Mrs. Claus, several elves, a North Pole Security Team and a photographer in our stable. We have a Santa that was profiled on a national news feature (CBS). a Santa in Tanya Tucker’s Paramount holiday film “A Nashville Country Christmas”, as well as a Santa featured in several media produced by podcaster Leslie Eiler Thompson (NIche To Meet You) Just this year we were entrenched in Nashville with Appearances at National Museum of African Music, Prince’s Hot Chicken, Centerstone, The Nashville African American Wind Symphony, 5th + Broadway Holiday Hoe Down, Jefferson Street Historical Society Holiday Market, Charles Davis Foundation’s Angel Tree as well as multiple local preschools and daycares. Read More>>

Emily D’ranged

Country still takes up so much space, so the people who do the left-of-center thing tend to find each other and stick together. I have written so many songs that I love, some of which have even been on TV, and started releasing my own music again. I’ve put out three EP’s, the latest of which is under my new artist name: emily d’RANGED. I even slid in the DM’s of my childhood hero who happens to live here, Nick Wheeler of the All-American Rejects, and last year we wrote and recorded a three song EP together. It’s currently being mixed and will come out sometime in the spring!! Read More>>

Jim And Jane Parmer

We have six grandchildren from the ages 4 to 13 and they have prospered and had so many advantages being raised on the farm. I have backgrounded cattle for many years and direct market beef, pork, lamb and chickens. Everything is done the “good ole days” way. We love raising our sheep and cattle and hogs here as much as we can. If we have to venture outside our farm, we make sure we buy the farm raised animals from people we know and trust. We also have raised chickens for meat birds and now have a neighbor mennonite that raises them for us. Read More>>

Sandra Durhamohr

As part of my last semester in college, I had the opportunity to shadow two therapists at a children’s hospital in Syracuse, NY. I was instantly drawn to their jobs and the deeper, almost sacred, work they did with patients. I couldn’t shake the impression that work made on me, and five years later, I enrolled in graduate school for marriage and family therapy. After lots of reading, a wonderful cohort of friends, and a surprise pandemic, I finished up school in the fall of 2021 and opened my private practice in January of 2022. I’ve had the privilege of sitting with folks, and continuing to learn and grow as a clinician, ever since. Read More>>

Alix Wawa

In 2015, I began experimenting with FL Studio (don’t worry I’m in Abelton now) to learn production, and by 2017-2018, I purchased my first beginner DJ controller. I played my first small show in 2019 at The Cobra in East Nashville. In 2021, I started taking production more seriously, and in 2023, I released my first successful single, Spirals, in collaboration with vocalist Diffy G. The track accumulated around 275,000 streams across all platforms, marking a major milestone in my career. Read More>>

Risa Rodriguez

After school I worked for various cosmetic companies, and worked my way up into educator roles. During that time I began assisting more successful artists on sets, to gain experience and get a foot in the door to work production jobs. I eventually went to cosmetology school so that I could add Hairstylist to my resume, and I took a job based out of Nashville as an educator for a large cosmetics company with my territory covering the southeast. After a few years with that company and enough time to fall in the with the City, I left that job and focused on working in production. Read More>>

Coy Howell

I have installed sound systems (brand new or upgrades), engineered live music festivals, and recorded many tracks for different artists and bands. My focus this year is to grow my production company, High Pass Productions, into a gear rental house for the Upper Cumberland and Nashville areas (and ultimately beyond!), while touring as monitor engineer for We Are Messengers. As HPP, we are able to provide full audio gear for theater productions and music concerts, with a unique offering of live recordings. We are expanding into lighting gear and LD’ing this year. I am thankful for the doors the Lord has opened to be on the road with an awesome team, and excited to see the company grow. Read More>>

Mike Condo

With my connections in music I was able to get a bunch of exclusive licenses to press albums on vinyl and as Smlxl Vinyl grew so did our store roster as more and more artist came asking for us to take over their stores. The owners of Gotee gave me part ownership in the company with them-something I know they didn’t have to do. Fast forward 8 years-we got tired of telling artist where to go get stuff made and opened SMLXL Merch/Touring. This made us a full service company-creation, production, ecom and touring. We now have over 200 clients and no longer just help musical artists. Pretty much if you have something that needs to be made/shipped we can do it for you. Read More>>

Amanda Corcoran

I was always a creative kid. I preferred crafting over most activities, curating unique outfits—most likely inspired by Disney Channel—and constantly rearranging my bedroom (sometimes just to see if I liked my bed on the other side of the room better, which probably drove my parents insane). High school was my introduction to design. I took a few graphic design classes, and that eventually became my college major. Read More>>

Clay Stafford

Mentors, passion, family, and the grace of God have allowed me to venture from being the grandson of a rural Appalachian bootlegger to a life behind the scenes with some of Hollywood and publishing’s biggest names and legends. Because of my work, I was named a PW Star Watch Honoree by Publishers Weekly, Frankfurter Buchmesse (Frankfurt Book Fair), and the American Booksellers Association as one of the Top Fifty “accomplished up-and-comers in the U.S. and Canadian publishing communities.” And Publishers Weekly said that I play “an essential role in defining which books become bestsellers” throughout “the nation’s book culture.” I live in Franklin, Tennessee with my family and menagerie of animals. Read More>>

Jordan Turner

Around the same time a friend of mine that I met at church told me about a position selling Google fiber Internet door-to-door. I know, I know, that sounds pretty awful, but it ended up being the greatest thing for me. I took the job thinking it would be pretty temporary, even part-time, as I got my feet under me in the music world, but it ended up being a two-year full-time position: most days working about 10-12 hours. I ended up being a manager over about 14 other door-to-door salesman and I attribute much of my current success in my business to what I learned selling door-to-door, and managing a team of salesmen and saleswomen. Read More>>

Kelsey Cardin

Graduating a semester early, I returned to my hometown of Memphis and began working with children in Shelby County Schools. This role opened my eyes to the significant need for mental health professionals who could address both individual challenges and broader systemic issues. For five years, I honed my skills as a behavior specialist while simultaneously pursuing my master’s degree in social work. Read More>>

Lamoneka Wilson

I don’t just want 1 I want many nail salons. I’m working on creating my own nail Products from acrylic powders, gel polish, monomer, etc. Soon I’ll go back to school to be a nail instructor. We need more teachers that care. That know the craft and can help make others successful. The end goal for me is a nail academy in TN. What I experienced in nail school is NOT something I feel should be experienced for upcoming techs and artists. I want to give something good and different to the nail and beauty industry. It’s time to put my stamp on the nail and beauty industry. Read More>>

Jesse Hardiek

From that time until my early 20’s I was in and out of several bands, touring as much as I could while working odd jobs, and learning as much as I could about the industry. I pretty quickly realized that I was gonna have to get out of my hometown if I wanted to maximize my opportunities in music. On Jan. 1st in 2018 I made the move to Nashville again working odd jobs, and getting whatever gigs in music I could get my hands on. Read More>>

Amy Bannerman

I have always been very right brained and artistic. I was an art minor in college. Aesthetic injecting married my love of medicine and art perfectly. I love facial balancing with cheeks, lips & chin. People are under the misconception that filler has to look unnatural. When done correctly, it can not only turn back the clock a few years, it can make you looked more rested and refreshed. I feel like my approach to injecting is different because I really do treat my patients like family. We talk about their lives, kids, jobs, vacations etc. I think people appreciate feeling special. Read More>>

Deva Collins

I first picked up a camera as a hobbyist, documenting the everyday chaos and joy of my children’s lives. From their mischievous grins to their scraped knees, every moment felt worth preserving. As they grew older and the era of video cameras took over, I found myself shifting to motion, capturing laughter and movement in real-time. But then came the digital camera—a game-changer. It reignited my passion for still photography. I became obsessed with capturing the beauty of nature: flowers drenched in dew, playful dogs, intricate ice formations, and even the industrious march of ants. Read More>>

Elyse Badewitz

Burnout was a real struggle at times, especially in the early years when I was juggling everything myself. As a small business owner, it always comes back to you stepping in as needed. It took time and hard lessons to understand that prioritizing my health and happiness was just as important as the success of the business. To be honest, it is still something I struggle with balancing today. Those moments of stress and exhaustion were tough, but they also gave me the insight and resilience to keep moving forward. Read More>>

Jessie Bird

While rediscovering music, Jessie also pursued education to give back to her community. She completed her undergraduate degree in psychology with distinction and earned a Master of Arts in Counselling. Now a registered provisional psychologist, Jessie uses her day job to support her aspirations as an artist. “Helping people heal is as rewarding as creating music. I’m blending two loves—music and healing—to live a fulfilling, balanced life.” Read More>>

Kat Fotopoulos

My name is Kat (Katherine) Fotopoulos – she/her – and I am a full spectrum doula in middle Tennessee who supports people in navigating their reproductive experiences. I offer many different kinds of doula support including birth – with a particular interest in supporting those who are birthing people of size, seeking a VBAC, and/or an out-of-hospital birth – postpartum, and more. I believe that all birthing people should be supported in choosing when, how, and where they birth and beyond. Read More>>

Anna Berladyn

Emme ( one of the sponsors)introduced me to So Yeon, the owner of the FineLine Cosmetics & Tattoos studio, and I did not expect her to offer me a job at all. I am grateful to So Yeon for seeing potential in me and after two weeks of working on artificial leather, in early March of the same year my first client came to me. During these two years, I am still building my style, developing and getting incredible pleasure from each project I work on. I love experiments, color and detail. I am infinitely grateful to everyone who has met and supported me on my journey. Read More>>

Kendra Bend

It’s so easy to fall into the comparison trap as well seeing others on social media who are where I want to be, with work that feels light-years ahead of mine. Working with celebrities and constantly booked out. They’ve been in the game much longer, with an established following and clientele, and oftentimes that feels intimidating to compete against. Read More>>

Sharon Huddleston

I have had the privilege to do weddings in Kentucky and Indiana. My family helps and works closely with me, they understand my crazy and when I forget to eat because I am consumed by the event…they hand me a snack lol! My business is unique in that we have our own inventory so we can design, set and provide everything needed for any event. We also provide event rentals. In the last few years we have had the privilege of doing large events for 300 to 600 people and providing pipe and drape for a CMA Event this year, Country Forward. I am very hands on and love designing events for all of our different clients. Our expertise goes from weddings, to kid’s parties to corporate and non-profit events. I truly love what I do. Read More>>

Will Wyatt

Well, to me atleast. So I use different instrumentation, inflections and nuances seemingly foreign to a specific style to complement those around me, add to the sonic range, and introduce new interesting flavors. I think that’s what sets me apart. Pushing for new ideas that don’t belong on paper; but can be the element that makes an individual’s music pop out. With that being said, the thing I’m most proud of is a record I did back in 2020 by a band I was with called the Head Honchos. It was my first record to make the top-ten charts in multiple European countries. It was my first record engineering and co-producing, ironically while wrapping up my bachelors in audio; and also featured me on drums, backing vocals, percussion, and harmonica. Read More>>

Ashley Ware

The more I attended classes at the YMCA, my technique and confidence improved. I became a front-row regular and became friends with the instructors and participants. Over the next few years, I expanded my network in the dance fitness community by attending numerous classes and dance fitness events in the Nashville area, creating lasting relationships and connections, and cultivating my style of dance and technique. My dance style is primarily hip-hop, with some jazz and Latin influences.  Read More>>

Kiri Yeaman

I have always been creative and very interested in the arts. I earned a degree in Art History at UT Knoxville and have continued creating art over the years. After covid and lockdown I decided to start sharing my art on social media and have been part of a small but lovely art community. I’ve also been very interested in performing arts. I have been getting set experience doing background acting for projects being filmed in and around Nashville. I’m also starting a podcast with my best friend, Autumn. It’s called Unscripted & Awkward and actually just premiered on YouTube Read More>>

Steven Stewart

Before I would get my hands on a violin though, I was fascinated by the piano. I was almost 4 when I realized that my grandmother had one my mom used to learn on when she was younger. I have a fairly vivid memory of sitting in my grandmother’s front room at the piano with my mom, and her showing me where middle C was, and from there I started picking out simple nursery rhyme tunes such as Mary Had A Little Lamb, Three Blind Mice, and Twinkle Twinkle Littler Star. At around age 8 we got a small Yamaha key board that I very quickly took to. I taught my several of the songs that were programed into it by ear, as well taught myself scales and how to spell and build chords. Read More>>

David Jericho

In high school, my history teacher assigned us a 40-hour creative project each year. For my junior year, I decided to pivot from building ten-thousand-piece Lego creations and instead make a documentary on the history of music. Not quite understanding the scope of what I was taking on, I dove headfirst into filming and editing. While the final product felt underwhelming to me, it caught my teacher’s attention. He encouraged me to refine my editing skills at a professional studio, opening the door to a whole new world of creativity. Read More>>

Margaret Pugh

When I was first working on à Terre, I contacted so many factories that I honestly stopped keeping track, many of which said they couldn’t meet our specifications. All of these rejections eventually lead me to the company I work with now, where I have full control over the design and quality assurance. There have been many, many tedious set backs that are everyday occurrences, but I’ve learned to take them as they come. Read More>>

Troy Donohue

I think it’d be a shock if I said, “It’s been smooth sailing moving a thousand miles away from home.” I’ve had my fair share of struggles in the new city, mainly loneliness and struggling to make my new life routine. All of my friends stayed (mostly) in the Northeast, and establishing a brand new home base without friends or family has been rough. Eventually, I found my community, found a good group of friends, and created a Nashville family who I love just as much as my friends back home. Read More>>

Mark Keneny

Now, 20 years since its inception, Kuhn Air Conditioning is evolving into its new identity, Premier Heating and Air. This transformation is more than a name change; it’s a commitment to uphold the vision Ed Kuhn initiated in the Nashville HVAC industry. Our continued growth is fueled by the same principles of personalized service and dedication to customer satisfaction. Read More>>

Josiah Winston

Absolutely not! I remember receiving a book from one of my teachers at Lipscomb, and I kept re-reading the same line over and over: “Having complications is the beauty of working toward your goals; without them, everything would just be boring.” I have to admit that one struggle I face every day is the challenge of self-worth. I often find myself asking questions like, “Am I cut out for this?” and “Can I ever reach this level?” along with many others like them.  Read More>>

Loved Abundantly

I started in the wilderness like most people.Now since I’ve built a relationship with god I’m living the dreams that I had as a child. Healing is very important for the road ahead of us. I feel like even at 31 years young I’m just getting started. I’ve been a licensed beautician for 3 years, I’m getting my foot back in music , which my single drop today called “Big Scorpio” on all platforms. Read More>>

Mitchell Moss

The biggest issue I had getting training going was being new to the area. I had to work in the commercial gyms to get people to see I could transform my lifestyle clients. As I transitioned into competitive bodybuilding coaching, the issue was being a new coach in the sport. I just needed someone to give me a chance to coach them through a bodybuilding prep. This is a show and prove sport Read More>>

Zach Green

Graduating Vandy in 2013, I left Nashville and started gigging on cruise ships. I’ve never had more fun in my life, getting paid to play music, travel the world, and party with tons of new friends, all the while having my mind set on eventually returning to NY and getting a job in the music business. In between ship contracts, I was in close contact with my former SESAC boss and mentor Diana Akin (now Scarfo), who got me involved with all sorts of music business initiatives in NYC. I helped the local Woman In Music chapter with most of their events, and got very close with their board and members. Read More>>

Dr. Allison Laffoon

My journey to medicine has been marked by many challenges, each shaping me into the surgeon I am today. Not being accepted into a U.S. medical school was a humbling experience, forcing me to reevaluate my determination and commitment. Attending a Caribbean medical school was an opportunity I embraced wholeheartedly, but it came with its own set of difficulties, including being far from the structured resources and networks typically available in the U.S. Despite this, I remained focused, knowing the path ahead would not be easy. Read More>>

Renee Evans

I became interested in photography after becoming a mother and that was my creative outlet for a long time while my three children were young, but in 2018, I really missed painting and told myself I would make time for it again, so I set up a small easel in my kitchen where I could paint alongside daily life with my family. Since then, my husband, our three children and I relocated to Middle Tennessee and that is when I was really able to start sharing my artwork. Middle Tennessee has provided me with so many amazing opportunities to share my work and I have made wonderful connections. It’s a really exciting time for me! Read More>>

Danielle Knudson

Once I moved to Nashville, I turned my passion for health and wellness into a business. I got my certification in personal training, pre and postnatal training, and nutrition. My husband and I built and launched my fitness app, Level Up By DK. We poured our heart and soul into it, and I am so proud of what we built! We sold it last year but remain involved. Read More>>

Andrea Nieto

I often found myself admiring women who build and ran their own businesses from the ground up. However, as a latina, I sometimes felt that same opportunity wasn’t as accessible to me. It often felt like there weren’t as many doors open or as much support available to get me started. But despite those challenges, my passion for the beauty industry help me find my own path. I explored options like becoming a lash tech, nail tech or even a hairstylist, but none of them felt right for me. I’ve always been the type to stand out-I didn’t want to do what everyone else was doing. I wanted to create something unique, something that made me stand out. So, I started researching through google, tiktok, and youtube looking for ideas, that’s when i came across tooth gems. Read More>>

Ian Macginnis

It’s been a beautiful experience to really start this journey in Nashville. While this is a city with boundless opportunity, it’s very easy to get lost in the noise (quite literally). When I first moved down here, I remember feeling so overwhelmed with the amount of talent that’s here. I would go to writers rounds, or shows and be discouraged. However, after really finding the meaning in why I write and do this, I have had a change of heart. I’m now feeling very blessed and fortunate to see all the different types of artists and talen here and if anything is inspires me to the best I can be! Read More>>

Molly Mann

My love for writing began with a claim-to-fame after school writing class in elementary school that ended up showcasing my poems and short stories in our library. I was encouraged to open up every creative corner of my mind and to utilize it. Fast forward to college where I was full steam ahead with my journalism degree, but had no clue where to place it. Due to my illicit fear of stage fright, I knew broadcasting was not my path. My junior year I signed up to study abroad in the U.K. for a full semester. In short, it changed everything for me. It lit up the path my writing wanted to take. Three months in England and two weeks of backpacking around Europe and the rest is history. I’ve been feverishly buying plane tickets ever since. Read More>>

Sophia Joelle

Live performance was my first love, and committing myself to a career of writing songs for other talented artists wouldn’t satisfy my need to be onstage. Over the last few years since graduating, I’ve devoted my time to finding my own sound and voice as an artist. I recently released a double EP, ‘Versions of Me.’ This project was the culmination of my struggle to find my own voice as an artist. It became a celebration of the fact that many different versions of ourselves can oppose one another and co-exist at the same time. I am inspired by artists such as Maggie Rogers, Sara Bareilles, Neil Young, Annika Bennett, and more. I look forward to releasing more music soon and growing a live fan-base in the near future. Read More>>

 Kipper Cox

Jazmine LaRocque – professional Piercer for 16 years – She comes to The Body Odyssey from a long family line of tattoo artists, piercers & shop owners! – She specializes in every type of piercing you can imagine, from baby ears all the way up to experienced Dermals and more “personal” piercings. Read More>>

Khloe Jackson

During these hard times, I stayed true to our values of helping people navigate the journey to their weddings and thankfully we came out the other side a stronger and more resilient business. In addition, opening a new market is always a humbling experience. I expanded to the serving couples in the Nashville market in 2020 and it was definitely a learning curve to be the new kid on the block again. I am so thankful I made that choice five years ago. The event community and couples in Nashville are vibrant, kind, and inspiring in ways I could have never imagined. I have been so fortunate to be welcomed with open arms. Read More>>

Trey Calloway

I’m a singer-songwriter from North Carolina. My dad was an evangelist,and I grew up singing at church revivals and was a seasoned performer by age 10. I loved southern and contemporary gospel music, but was instantly hooked on the sounds of country music after hearing a Classic Country Gold album that my parents bought me as a teen. I taught myself to play guitar and becamse a student of the rocking, boot stomping, storytelling of traditional country music. I began writing songs and performing in clubs at age 15. In 2016, I released my debut Nashville album “Carolina Man” and was nominated as the Carolina Country Music Awards (CCMA) Artist of the Year and won CCMA Song of the Year and Gospel Song of the Year. Read More>>

Shelly Gregory

What would I be doing to myself and the comfort for my family if I took this leap? I mean, I loved HGTV as much as anyone else and that was all it was to it, right? Show 3 houses and get a paycheck on a house they loved (I really didn’t believe that, but so many do LOL). In all seriousness, I was terrified, but thought this could be a part-time gig in addition to my full-time legal job in Nashville so I took the leap! I truly felt that God was telling me that this was what He wanted me to do and I always trust in Him. Could real estate become my outreach ministry really? Read More>>

Mary Cayten Brakefield

There are few times I’m more grateful to be working with my mom than when we’ve hit a roadblock and have to figure out our way forward. She’s often my first call when anything in life gets tough anyways, so getting to work throught difficult work situations together as business partners is such a blessing. Read More>>

Jessica Coale

I also started working with a publication, showcasing my photography from shows all around, along with continuing to travel with the best self care team out there to help musicians and crews look and feel their best before shows. To whomever is reading this, I hope you know that even if doors close, and the redirection feels painful, there is always a reason, and it will lead you into the most incredible places with the most incredible people who are excited that you have finally arrived. Look for me at the next show and come say hi! Read More>>

Aysu Jalilova

I’m currently focused on my studies in Aerospace Engineering, which is my passion and future career path. I specialize in understanding the principles of flight and space exploration, aiming to contribute to advancements in the aerospace industry. What I’m most proud of is my determination to pursue this field, despite the challenges along the way, including being part of an exchange program in the US, which has broadened my horizons. Read More>>

Matheus Granjeiro

I started playing piano at a very young age, at 7 years old. I played solely classical music and performed in theaters around my hometown, Brasília. At around 14 years old, I started taking much more interest into rock, metal, pop and other genres. I gravitated to the drums at first, playing it for 2 years, and at 16 I finally picked up the electric and acoustic guitar. I sometimes regret dropping the piano, but I feel like the journey I took was necessary to be who I am today, I also restarted the piano later at 21. Picking up the guitar at 16 might seem late, but with a good knowledge of music and a strong understanding of theory and reading music, I advanced at the guitar at a good pace. Read More>>

Abby Moskal

The two most consistent themes in my story are: moving my body and mental health.

After a traumatic dance injury that sidelined me in my teens, I discovered barre (which was the brand new, cool thing 17 years ago) and fell in love with group fitness. I moved to New York when I was 18 to dance and started teaching barre myself a year later. Over the course of 11 years in New York, my love for group fitness and pilates eclipsed all else and I was proud to move home having taught for 3 major brands, worked as a teacher trainer for a major corporation, managed multiple studios, and worked with new teachers and franchises across the country. Read more>>

Thomas James

I was just getting out of the military and finishing up my college degree when my grandfather decided to retire from one of the family’s businesses. My grandfather opened one of the first barbershops in Murfreesboro, TN, University Barbershop. He worked there for several decades before my father took ownership. To learn the hands-on portion of the family business, I went to barber and cosmetology school. Since then I have written curriculums for different barber and cosmetology schools, opened my own barber school, and wrote an educational book which helps cosmetology and barber students get their license. Read more>>