The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below. Check out our favorite stories from across the Voyage family.
Janai Pledger
I’ve always been drawn to art, community care, and service, but I wasn’t always sure how those interests fit together. After working in the nonprofit sector in Nashville for several years, I decided in 2024 to leave the U.S. and move to Accra, Ghana. Read more>>
Darnell Perkins
My journey started back in Indianapolis, Indiana. I grew up pretty family-oriented and surrounded by creativity. As for myself, I spent a lot of time performing with my siblings and cousins in churches. We’d be accompanied by my aunts, uncles, and my pops on keys, drums, or bass. As time went, on I picked up the saxophone and began classical training. Read more>>
Jim Hendel
I was a system engineer for a parking company and got laid off at the beginning 2020, We were presented with the opportunity to start our own business. I have been in the food industry for many years before I changed to IT and infrastructure so it made sense to take advantage of the opportunity. Read more>>
Miranda Hutchison
I am a visual, studio artist first and foremost, who creates fine art of all mediums and varieties. As a freelance artist, I have participated in and displayed in showcases, festivals and galleries within the Arkansas and Dallas art communities. Since my adolescents, I have spent many years under the mentorship of a local Arkansas studio, Studio 7. Read more>>
Leah Oduro-Kwarten
Well I always knew I had PURPOSE! LADY LEAH ODURO-KWARTEN Leah Oduro-Kwarten known as Lady Leah , is an Acclaimed Renowned Anointed, Appointed Soul Stirring Music Artist. Im the daughter of the Late Erma Jean Tyson and Eddie Q. Mathis. Read more>>
Jules Wortman
Jules Wortman is a veteran strategic communications, branding, and entertainment executive with more than three decades of experience building brands, launching careers, and shaping public perception for artists, entrepreneurs, startups, and high-growth companies. As the founder of Wortman Works Media & Marketing, she has led award-winning campaigns spanning music, media, publishing, live events, technology, and consumer brands. Read more>>
DummyTheKid
I’ve always been infatuated with the idea of creating. Music was just always the perfect outlet. Grew up in choir and when I got to high school I started rapping. Wasn’t until 2022 when I actually started recording and taking music more seriously. Dropping my first single ‘Beautiful Tragedy’ in 2023. Read more>>
Amy Phillips
I started as a young model, where I developed a fascination not only with modeling but with how the industry worked behind the scenes. That interest led me to work as a Fashion Retail Editor for Mode Magazine, where I gained experience in fashion publishing, trends, branding, and creative direction. Read more>>
Ronda Martin
After losing my husband in a motorcycle accident in 2005, I quickly learned two harsh realities: 1. I no longer fit into certain friendship circles, where being part of a couple was an unwritten rule. Discovering my new identity as the only parent of a young son would require rebuilding my life and finding new community where I truly belonged. 2. Read more>>
Lily Rapoza
At 8 years old, I fell very ill out of the blue. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis, and had to drop out of school and sports as I lost weight rapidly. My early teen years were secluded, lonely, and confusing. Read more>>
Jordan Goodwin
My interest in blacksmithing grew out of a love for history. When I was still a teenager, I decided to build a log cabin on the family farm, and I wanted to try to hand-forge all the door hinges and latches and other hardware it might need, and so I started buying antique blacksmithing tools here and there, wherever I could find a bargain. Read more>>
Dallas Starke
I began singing musicals in my living room with my mom as a small child before starting school. As early as age six, I sat in with my dad’s country band and sang in church. I would sing for anyone who would listen and watched all styles of performing artists in awe. Read more>>
Zacharie miller
I have always had an interest in the finished product of being creative weather that be photography, videography, painting, tattoos you name it. There was always the respect for it but no understanding of how any of it worked or enough self-love to invest. This isn’t a story defined by brokenness; it is defined by redemption! Read more>>
Kinzy Irving
Photography has always been a favorite hobby of mine, dating back to my high school days. I would use the self timer button on my cameras and take self portraits, and I eventually started taking pictures of my friends as well. Read more>>
Jordan Allen
I’ve been a magician since I was 5. Got my first magic kit for Valentine’s Day in the 2nd grade. My first public performance was around 2000 and I really got going around 2007. Took a haitus when for 4 years while I was in undergrad at Murray State. Read more>>
Debria Love
It all started with a dream, and a letter home on my first grade report card that said ‘Debria talks too much.’ Looking back, that was the first sign. I’ve always had this intense love affair with the arts and performance, the thrill of a live moment, and the beauty of perfecting that moment on film. I love both worlds. Read more>>
Jason Ridgel
Guidance Whiskey started with a pretty simple idea. I wanted to create a whiskey that I would actually drink and a brand that felt like the people I actually knew. I am a Nashville guy. Read more>>
Chuck Nelson
The Bicho Brothers Band formed in 2005 to deliver live entertainment featuring classic rock hits and standards. The six-piece band includes drums, bass guitar, Latin percussion, keyboards, two guitars, and four vocalists. The current lineup features Chuck Nelson (leader, guitar, vocals), Jeff Krinks (guitar, vocals), Kenny Zarider (keyboards), Mike Claiborne (bass guitar, vocals), Diana Sosa (Latin percussion, vocals), and Ron Krasinski (drums). Read more>>
Christian Grosselfinger
I’m Brazilian, from Guaratinguetá — a small city in the interior of São Paulo state. I studied Composition at UNIRIO in Rio de Janeiro, and I came to the cello for a completely unromantic reason: I’d been playing guitar for years and had never earned a single cent from it. The cello was the one instrument that could actually pay — weddings, events, orchestras. Read more>>
Lucia
My path has never been a straight line, I think that’s what makes it interesting. Over the years, I’ve played many roles—pastry chef in New Orleans, event producer, bartender, open-mic host, musician, audio engineer, podcast co-host, and production assistant. Along the way I’ve discovered that what I enjoy most is bringing people together, building community, solving problems, and creating experiences that people remember. Read more>>
Tammy Pierchoski
On a cold February afternoon in 2007 the board of directors of a tiny nonprofit community theatre organization, Southern Tennessee Area Arts Repertory (STAAR), in Giles County, Tennessee, visited a potential new “home” in a Victorian-era building located on Pulaski’s historic Courthouse Square. The street-level former retail space was immense and seemed perfect for the large-cast productions and dedicated audiences. Read more>>
Tiffany Rogers
I grew up in middle Tennessee. I am a single mom of three amazing kids, 23, 20, and 12. I have a ministry I am called to; loving our homeless and at-risk veterans. I do so in order to give back for the ways veterans have stood by me in my life. Read more>>
Mutant Glue
I started back in 2017. A friend of mine wanted to go to a convention in Nashville and didn’t want to go alone. She always wanted to dress up for the convention as well so I agreed. We went to two more conventions after that dressing up for the occasion. The time spent at those cons sparked my love for cosplay. Read more>>
Jamie Wyskiver
I was born in Dayton, Ohio where I attended my undergraduate, pre-medicine studies at Wright State University. After completing those studies in 2002, I moved to Marietta, Georgia to start graduate school at Life University. In 2006, I graduated from chiropractic studies with honors. Read more>>
Brooke Brooks
Our daughter started out as a barista at a small local business and we got really interested in the actual art of coffee and the community it builds. We started brainstorming and building wishlists on Amazon with our title of “Big Caffeine Dreams” and from there it grew into a reality slowly but surely. Read more>>
Ilgar Asgarli
My story started in Baku, where I was born and grew up. After finishing university, I decided to continue my education in business administration, so I moved to Istanbul, one of the biggest and most dynamic cities in Europe. Right now, I am at the final stage of my master’s thesis, which is focused on marketing and how brands build trust with their customers. Read more>>
Sheree Greider
I have been a painter all my life. I knew at 4 years old that I desired to be an artist. I sold my first painting at 14 but did not become a full time painter until 2017. I’m self taught and have learned largely by trial and error. Read more>>
Dave Austin
I grew up outside of Houston, Texas. Around 12 years old, I started playing guitar on an old Blueridge acoustic my stepmom bought from a garage sale. What started out as a hobby, quickly turned into an obsession. Throughout high school I was practicing as much as I could and playing in local bands in the area. Read more>>
Jonathan Knox
I have always admired photography and film, but for a long time, I never thought I was creative enough to pursue either. I started by taking photos and videos on my iPhone, and before long, friends and family began asking me to capture moments for them. Eventually, I started helping a friend with his clothing business, where I photographed customers after they purchased his products. Read more>>
Rosie Ramos
My name is Rosie, a proud Latina born on the beautiful coast of Mexico and raised in the countryside of Robertson County, Tennessee. I moved to the United States as a young child, following my parents’ dream of building a better future. Read more>>
Calvin Mitchell Sr.
My name is Calvin, but most people know me as DJ Trap. Before founding the Fat Boy Basketball League, I built my career as a professional DJ. I’m a 20-year DJ veteran, an award-winning wedding DJ, and a former Club DJ of the Year. Read more>>
Ashley Doggett
I’ve always been interested in using art as a way to examine history, memory, and identity. After earning my BFA from Watkins College of Art in 2016, I developed a fine arts practice centered on painting, drawing, and printmaking as a means to explore my interpersonal connections with race, gender, class, and cultural dissociation, be it through past and present histories. Read more>>
Youssef Nagib
I began with a love of storytelling. Stories have connected people across generations, shaping culture, tradition, religion, and ideology. I’ve always been fascinated by history, by understanding where we come from and where we’re headed, and by creating work that holds deep meaning for both myself and others. That passion naturally led me to fashion. Read more>>
Riya Narayan
Music has always been a huge part of my life. I have always loved singing, playing instruments, and consuming any kind of music that has been at my fingertips. In my freshman year of high school, I visited an assisted living center near my home in Franklin with my mom and two close friends. Read more>>
Francisco Adaro
I began painting and drawing at a very young age and have always known I wanted to be an artist. Every day since I was a child I’ve painted or drawn and was lucky enough to have parents that encouraged me to pursue my dreams. Read more>>
Hassahn Phenomenon
I was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, and that city has shaped almost everything about me. It taught me resilience, creativity, community, and how to find possibility in places where others only saw obstacles. My journey has never been about choosing one lane. It’s been about building bridges between them. Read more>>
Lindsay Hennekey
My story: For more than a decade, I looked successful on paper but couldn’t seem to figure out my relationship with alcohol. I had a thriving corporate career in tech, took care of my health, and was someone others could always count on. Read more>>
Sarah Ross
After 17 years in the music business and 7 years in the fitness industry, I felt a bit lost. I loved what I had done up to that point in my life, yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was moving in to something different. I have always had a love for fitness and nutrition, which developed into a passion for overall wellness. Read more>>
Savannah Walters
I grew up in the world of musical theater and worship leading. From a really young age, I knew I wanted singing to be part of my life forever. I just wasn’t sure what that would end up looking like. For a long time, I thought theater was the path. I ended up studying music at a Christian college in Tennessee instead. Read more>>
Isabella Fuerst
My Story People often see the awards, the sales numbers, or the beautiful homes I represent and assume my career has always looked this way. It couldn’t be further from the truth. I grew up in the small Bavarian town of Obernzell, Germany. Read more>>
Norah Bass
Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a family of musicians, sound engineers, and passionate music lovers, so I was surrounded by live music from an early age. Whether I was watching local bands perform or listening to my favorite artists, music always felt like home. Read more>>
Sarah Force
A lot has changed since I last shared my story with Nashville Voyager in 2023! At the time, I was really focused on figuring out where my passion for social media could take me. Looking back now, I had no idea how much that passion would evolve into the career I’m building today! Read more>>
