Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Smith.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Well to start out, I grew up in Centreville, Maryland, a small town on the Eastern Shore. After High School, I moved to an even smaller town to pursue my love for music at the Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. In 2019 I was selected for an internship with Pearl Corporation here in Nashville. That summer I moved to Murfreesboro for a 10-week internship.
Following my time at Pearl, I returned to school to finish my final two semesters. Unfortunately, my senior year was cut short in March of 2020 due to Covid. Shortly after in May I obtained my B.M. in Music Business Administration and a Minor in Organization Communication. Following what would have been graduation, and with the music industry (and the entire world) on hold, I accepted a position with Amazon in North Haven, CT as an Area Manager in one of their Fulfillment Centers.
Throughout my time in Connecticut, I was able to continue my musical journey with local marching bands and theatre programs. As I approached my 2nd anniversary with Amazon, I received a message from Pearl informing me that they had an open position they wanted to talk to me about. Fortunately, everything worked out and I relocated to Nashville in May 2022 to start with Pearl as their Events Marketing Manager.
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?
No road exists without some bumps along the way and mine is no different. One of my biggest struggles was graduating at the start of the pandemic. I lost all my last moments in school – no final concerts, no senior recital, no graduation or goodbyes.
There was never any closure to that chapter of my life. And when I left my college town to move to a new place to pursue a career in an industry, I knew nothing about, it felt like I was abandoning who I was. I felt disconnected from myself. I hadn’t realized, until then, how much of my identity was tied to my music.
Following my transition out of school and grieving what my life “used to be” I began to find pieces of myself in new interests like photography and cooking. Allowing myself to explore other artistic outlets brought a lot of healing and helped shape me into a more compassionate and empathetic human, which in turn made me a more creative musician.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
To start with my role at Pearl, I am responsible for the coordination of all tradeshows, conventions, and other events. These responsibilities include designing booth layouts, maintaining events inventory, and presetting displays. My position gives me such an all-encompassing look at the music and percussion industry.
I’m very thankful for my position and look forward to all the opportunities it will provide in the future. Outside of my position with Pearl, I am a freelance percussionist. I play with various artists and musical theatre groups and enjoy working with marching band programs as a percussion tech. I get a lot of fulfillment working on projects that showcase the variety of my musical interests.
I think my versatility provides uniqueness to my playing. I have had the opportunity to play in symphony orchestras, jazz combos, worship groups, and many more. Having this background offers a lot of flavor to my playing and an appreciation for music of all genres.
I’d like to think that as I get the opportunity to play with more musicians in the area, they come to see me as a reliable, creative, and well-rounded musician.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The Music Industry is always shifting and evolving. However, the industry is just now starting to come back after a two-year hiatus.
More events are opening back up to the public and shows and concerts are getting back into a regular routine. Though, I think some of the effects of the pandemic are here to stay. The use of technology alongside percussion instruments is at an all-time high and has created limitless options for solo musicians and bands alike.
And, in my opinion, I’m happy to see so many female musicians coming onto the scene and owning it, especially female percussionists. The music industry as a whole is so male-dominated, but the percussion industry is even more so. It’s nice to see and feel the support for women in the industry.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/marysdrums
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marysdrums
Image Credits
Maddie Felpel
