Check Out Bethany Bowman’s Story

 

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bethany Bowman

Hi Bethany, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I come from a musical family. My mother had a music degree in classical organ. My brothers and I had to take piano lessons and be in the band. I always wanted to sing and even had some voice lessons but had a difficult time staying on pitch. We listened to every kind of music in my house except country music. (Properly trained musicians didn’t listen to country music.)

When my daughter was in middle school, some of her friends listened to country music and they would have it on in the house. This was about the time that Gretchen Wilson came out and “Redneck Woman” went to number one in 2004. I loved that song. But it was when she released the lesser-known song, “Homewrecker”,” the song completely outlined exactly what was going on in my life. That’s when I realized the power of lyrics in country music and I started listening to country music regularly. We lived in Florida at the time and I went to my first arena country concert to see Toby Keith. In 2007, I saw my beloved Gretchen Wilson open for Kenny Chesney at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Of course, the redneck woman was awesome, but Kenny Chesney was over the top. That is when I started attending country concerts in earnest.

My husband and I moved several times for his job, but in 2011, we moved to Nashville where we still reside. I was like a kid in a candy store with all the country concerts available to me. I spent so much money attending concerts. At that time, our friend owned The Tennessee Star online newspaper. Since I had done some writing in the past and loved country music so much, he suggested I write about it. That’s when I got the idea to write a Music Spotlight column for the paper where I would feature rising artists. I was a novice and it took a while to get recognized. The thing that helped me most was COVID. Because artists couldn’t be on the road, I was given more opportunities to interview them. Mainstreet Nashville also picked up my column (which is also my blog) and several other papers did too.

Now I am recognized as a reputable entertainment writer and am on the email lists of multiple PR firms. Because I mostly write about country artists, I got accepted to the Academy of Country Music in 2022 and the Country Music Association in 2023. I truly love meeting new artists and hearing their stories. I love the history of country music and the lyrics of country songs, old and new. Even though I can’t sing, country music is my passion.

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?
It’s not been an easy road. When I started writing my Music Spotlight column in 2017, it was a hobby. I was 54 years old, had a full-time job, and wrote on the side. Nobody knew who I was and it was a challenge to get interviews.

Also, many online publications are struggling to make ends meet so they don’t have much money to pay freelance writers. I couldn’t survive if I were single. I still have a part-time job that is not writing.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am most known for my Music Spotlight column where I tell the story of how artists (mostly country artists) began their music careers. Even the super famous ones had to start somewhere and it is my goal to catch them on their way up. While some common themes emerge (such as they started singing in church) everyone’s path is unique and different. I find their stories fascinating. Often I get to feature songs/EPs/records and I love learning the stories behind songs.

Many of my artists have had number-one hits and I feel like a proud mama when that happens. However, my favorite feature I wrote was about RCA’s Historic Studio B, one of Nashville’s first recording studios. Elvis and Dolly both recorded there when they were young.

Also because females are so under-represented in country music, I go out of my way to feature them. You will notice I feature a lot more women than the radio stations normally play.

Last year I got to interview someone I have admired since I first heard him in 2007. Storme Warren. He is a world-renowned DJ who was originally with Sirius XM’s The Highway, and now is with Tune In’s The Big 615. I have listened to him interview artists for years. He is the best and the person I most try to emulate. When I interviewed him I learned how he became a country music DJ and transitioned to The Big 615 after years with Sirius Radio. When he read my column, he called me “a true professional.” That is something I am most proud of.

What sets me apart from other entertainment writers is my passion. I don’t write for money. I don’t write to be famous. I write because I love the music, especially country music. I feel this is God’s way of letting me be part of the music industry even though I can’t sing at all.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I have to listen to the radio to do my job and mostly I listen to Sirius XM’s country channels and Tune In’s The Big 615. But as a writer who has to transcribe interviews, the Transcribe Me! app has become invaluable. You can get AI-generated transcription for a reasonable price or pay extra human transcription. I’ve tried several and this is my favorite. Also, I use TapeACall Pro app to do my phone interviews.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bethanybowman.com
• Instagram: bethanybowman
• Facebook: bethanybowman
• Twitter: bethanybowman
• Youtube: bethanybowman
• Other: TikTok – bethanybowman63