Today, we’d like to introduce you to Dylan Smucker.
Dylan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, in a small farmhouse early in the morning in 1994. I grew up just down the road in Lancaster, where I stayed until 19. Coming from Amish heritage, most of my cousins were Amish, and I got to enjoy all the benefits of country life and hard work. Mom and Dad left the Amish before I was born, so I grew up like any other kid, aside from many Amish Christmas dinners and family reunions. I was accustomed to large gatherings because the Amish all have about 7 or 8 kids.
I myself was one of 5 children and the middle child. I was homeschooled until 2nd grade when I entered public school. I went to a small school named Salisbury Elementary and later Pequea Valley and could see farmland outside the classroom windows. My reading was poor as a boy, so I had to do reading remediation, making me feel lesser than the other kids. I think this is what sparked my desire to excel in reading. Even from a young age, I had a desire to conquer anything I was scared of or just not good at.
I quickly excelled at reading and writing once I put my mind to it and became the lonely kid who would ask to be alone at those old Apple computers during recess instead of playing with the other kids. By third grade, I had taken a liking to poetry. Not children’s poetry, but poetry like Edgar Allan Poe’s, who had an incredible impact on me. For whatever reason, I resonated with the loneliness and sadness in Poe’s poems. I think I had a great depth of empathy that I didn’t understand early on.
My feelings somehow isolated me, and writing was my way out of my head. I was never an unhappy child, but I felt I didn’t fit into the school system, so I continued to feel as if I was in my own world through middle school and high school, where I would eat lunch quickly and go to the choir room to play the piano. I had an early interest in sports, but music and writing were always paramount. I gained absolutely invaluable teaching from the music programs at my high school, for which I’m forever grateful. I took music very seriously and took all the electives that I could involving music.
I planned to go to college, but my life took a very unexpected turn when I got kicked out of high school for a drug-related issue. I was pretty shocked, as were my parents, considering we knew other kids who got a slap on the wrist for doing the same risky things that teenagers tend to do. This really changed the trajectory of my life. I went into a deep depression around this time in my life, feeling dejected and rejected. I couldn’t stand to see the other kids’ parents outside of school because they all had such high hopes for me. My teachers, especially my music teachers, did as well. The shame I felt letting everyone down was absolutely soul-crushing for an 18-year-old.
Finally, I had enough of the weight of guilt and shame and decided I would move to Nashville like I had been telling everyone since I was 15. Backtracking to 15, I cut my first record in Nashville with the help of my uncle Joel and my father, who helped me get down there and encouraged me to make a record. The whole family really loved Nashville but didn’t have the means to move, so I packed my bags after my 19th birthday and jumped in the car and headed south to Music City. I thought I was grown at 19, but man, I was wrong. There were so many trials and tribulations until I finally got settled and in a good spot.
From house to house with lots of different roommates, I was just trying to keep my head above water. Working at Red Bicycle in Germantown, I earned just enough for bills and rent and stayed determined to be a musician for a living. They say Nashville is a ten-year town, and man, were they right. I’m now 29 years old, and those ten years have shaped me beyond recognition. My 20s were really rough. Just trying to navigate the nightlife and make it out alive. I lost some really close friends to drug addiction and managed to stay away from drug addiction myself with the help of Jesus Christ. It might sound cliché, but Jesus really did save me. I don’t think I’d be alive without some moral backbone and guidance.
Life has been really rough for me at times, but I’ve only gotten tougher, and really not much can get to me these days. I’m an avid student of history, so I often tell myself, “You’re not in the trenches, man. You’ll be alright.” But I truly was in the trenches of the music scene for ten years. It took some much-needed breaks in the music industry to get me to where I am now. I made my first solo record after being in a band here in town around 2019 called “Old Letters.” It’s a country record I wrote after a horrible breakup that shattered my world for the second time. I also made an EP with Our Vinyl, which was incredible for my career. I’ve had to put myself back together a whole lot, so it’s almost like I’m used to it by now.
Looking back, I wouldn’t change any of it because it made me the man I am today. The hardship made me resilient. And here we are in 2024, finally making money off of music. The royalties help pay my bills, and we’ve got almost 100,000 people listening every month. So, I feel blessed. I finally have some peace in my life and a beautiful family. The future seems bright. I’m working on a poetry book, and who knows when that will be done? I’ve got two albums coming out this and next year.
So the going is good, and I thank God every day for not taking me when I was living that nightlife. I love my fans, and to anyone listening, your kindness and love for my music have changed my life. I can only say I’ll do my best by all of you to create from my heart and share my soul as I walk through this life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve spent a lot of time in different kitchens around town, but it was always only a means to an end.
I’ve done everything from construction to tree work, and it’s all helped me keep the lights on and pay for records. Hard work has never bothered me. I’m most proud of my work ethic, which I developed from my father. And he probably got that from the Amish, so I’m most proud of my humble heritage, really.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’ve probably taken every risk there is besides riding a motorcycle. The biggest risk I’ve taken was moving out of my childhood home to Nashville.
I think you need of bit of naïveté to do those risky things in life but often throwing yourself into the fire is the best way to learn.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/DylanSmucker
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dylansmucker/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Dylansmucker?feature=shared
Image Credits
Joey Diaz and Carelissa Young
