Meet Simon Crawford And Ginny Swanson of Downtown Nashville, TN

Today we’d like to introduce you to Simon Crawford And Ginny Swanson

Hi Simon Crawford and Ginny Swanson, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
We both performed at a theme park in Ohio called Cedar Point, but at different times. Surprisingly, a lot of musicians downtown have been involved in theme park or cruise ship work at some point in time. We were connected through a mutual friend via Instagram who also worked at the park. Simon had been playing drums on Broadway and was in a band that was looking for a new female singer, while Ginny was finishing up her contract at Cedar Point and had planned to sing on a cruise line. We messaged back and forth for a while and became online friends. In January of 2022, Ginny was trapped on a cruise ship for a month and a half while docked in Puerto Rico during the Omicron outbreak and she reached back out looking for a way out! Luckily, Simon was still hoping to have Ginny come sing with his band. We did our first gig together in February 0f 2022. Flash forward to July of 2022, and we were both let go from that group. Despite losing our jobs, we were determined to keep performing and pushing forward. Within the month, we decided to form our own group, and in a full circle moment, we named it after our run-down dorm that we lived in at Cedar Point. Hype Creek was formed!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Anyone going into a job in music or entertainment has to be flexible and okay with the tumultuous nature of the job. We’ve been hired, fired, replaced, had long unfruitful audition days, travel mishaps, to name a few situations. That’s why it’s so important to work hard, network, take care of your body (especially for vocalists) and be prepared for the job. Being a freelancer means you have to be okay with the lack of security and routine, and the unorthodox work relationships and situations. Everyday looks different for us, but we love what we do and are thankful to have opportunities to perform and work in the music industry.
One time we had a gig in Canada and despite arriving at the airport 2.5 hours before departure, we were stuck in the airport because the check-in kiosk was broken. We were eventually re-routed to Chicago where we had to sprint, with our instruments, from one side of the airport to the other, making it on the plane 5 minutes before take-off.
Ginny’s fallen off of the stage and tripped while dancing, all while singing, been accidentally punched in the eye because the crowd was having such a crazy time, and even had to sing with a retainer in while one of her front teeth was missing (don’t worry, she has a tooth now!).
A bump in the road that Simon had to overcome was losing gear due to a lack of safety measures. The stage we were playing was on a second story with floor to ceiling windows that were wide open and had no guardrails to keep people or gear from falling to the street below. One bump and Simon’s electric drum sample pad, in ear preamp, in ears, and his iPad plummeted 25 feet to the sidewalk below. Luckily, no one was hurt, but about $2k in gear was completely destroyed.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We manage and perform in our party band, Hype Creek. We play in downtown Nashville, but have also done weddings and corporate gigs for companies like Stallion Express in Toronto, Morgan Stanley, Taco Bell, the 401K Summit, the American Retirement Association, and more. We have traveled from San Diego to Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale and back again with our show. Something unique that we bring is we are able to take requests on the fly, like a live jukebox, which is uncommon for corporate party bands. We play everything from rap to country to classic rock; our set list is constantly expanding. We are known for our high energy on stage, our versatility, our unique mashups and medleys, and our musicianship. We consider every show we do to be a party that we are throwing, and you are invited!
Hype Creek is also the band for Ginny’s original music project, Ginn. Ginn has released 2 songs this year and has played original showcases at Whiskey Jam, Bus Call, Eastside Bowl, and The Cobra. Check out Magic Hands and Miss Karma wherever you stream music. She prides herself on being a genre-flexible artist, and hopes to inspire other artists to write and release music without boundaries or labels.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
Simon’s favorite childhood memory is when his mom and step-dad moved the family to the Philippines. We moved when I was 11 years old, and we lived in Manila for about a month before moving to the Island of Cebu for six months. While in the Philippines we hopped to and from almost 100 different islands. From the Chocolate hills in Bohol, to glowing bioluminescent waters in Lette, we swam with the craziest sea creatures you could ever think of, and saw some of the most incredible sights I’ll ever see in my lifetime. We were able to live like kings, but that doesn’t take away from the lessons I learned living in a third world country at such a young age.

Ginny’s favorite childhood memories can be found on the shores of Sebago Lake, ME. Maine has always been a very special place for Ginny, and is where her family now resides. She spent time there, and at camp on Moose Pond, hiking in the White Mountains on the AT, picking blueberries, canoeing, waterskiing, eating lots of ice cream, and making up dances and songs with her friends. This was where she had her first performance at age 11, as Anya in Anastasia, and where her parents discovered she could sing! In 2017 and 2018 she returned to camp to work as a counselor, directing musicals, teaching dance, and as a swim coach/lifeguard. She has always been a very outdoorsy girl, and loves every chance she has to go back there.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypecreekband/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Hype-Creek-100090794110128/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HypeCreekBand
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2RPpoYCNBRiHnpmxqNVkmU?si=ZinHiCNYTwOfUE02SyvMGw