Garrett DeVaughn shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Garrett, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
I think many of us are more afraid than we want to believe and admit. Afraid of the world and the people in it that we don’t understand. I think we are trained to believe that fear is weakness and must be covered with unearned confidence, shaky humor, misguided aggression, false knowledge, unnecessary boundaries, and any number of things.
To be clear, I’m not saying there is anything wrong with being afraid, fear is part of our natural barometer for danger. Truly, it is a scary world. In my life, I’ve not been as afraid of the world around me as I am right now. I know I’m not alone in this, even if everyone cannot acknowledge it. At the same time, I know there are still good people in the world, and in my community, that are trying to help and connect and heal. I want to be a part of that in some capacity. I don’t know if I’m doing it or not, but I’m trying.
Looking back on my childhood, I was raised to fear god, people that had different skin color than me, people that weren’t straight and cis, change, differing beliefs, and many more. Thankfully, life has afforded me direct experience with these different walks of life, and I’ve yet to be truly harmed by any of them. Without being able to acknowledge my fear, I’m not sure I would have had these experiences.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am the Mad Uke-Bard. In short, I’m a 44-year-old cis, straight, disabled, white guy that performs hard rock, metal, and folk on a tenor ukulele with a splash of face paint and story-telling, and is just trying to do his best.
(In not particular order)…I love classic novels, horror movies, professional wrestling, heavy metal, a warm cup of coffee, a fresh old fashioned, and my cat friend (Ms Truly). I’m an unabashed progressive, but I’m very aware that not everyone is, and that’s okay.. We need differing perspectives and beliefs in the world, as long as we are not harming one another.
I have completed my 2nd album, and despite it’s long delay, I hope to begin releasing it in winter 2026. Such is the life of an independent artist, I suppose… you move as quickly as finances/energy/focus allow. The album is called “The Kitty Kronicles” and it’s exactly what it sounds like… a collection of songs about cats.
While I wait for releasing to begin, I’m working on a few live performances to wrap the year up. Official announcements will be soon.
Lastly, I’m moving most of my social media to TikTok, Youtube, and Bluesky.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a kid that enjoyed music and movies and cartoons and comic books and sleepovers with friends. I was not bothered by the worlds view of me, because I did not understand it’s impact yet. I was curious and I enjoyed things that were different than the everyday norm.
I’m always making efforts to get back to that.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
Fear of exile, and/or being left behind. Having a physical limitation teaches many things. The most literal for me was that if the community decided to leave me, I physical would be unable to keep up. Everyone needs community, for we are social creatures. In my case, I have feared for my survival, perhaps more than others, should the supports I have ever disappear. That kind of core fear will show you just how much of yourself you are willing to lose, just to stay alive.
While I have made some progress in reframing this fear, it still breathes and it still talks to me. While it whispers dreadful stories of misery and abandonment, I work to understand it better and to soothe it.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
The funny answer…My next album (project), “The Kitty Kronicles”. I’ve been working on this album for literally, YEARS. If I’m being honest, at this point, I fear it may be quite a bit underwhelming to the outside world. At the same time, it’s the biggest project I’ve taken on as an artist, and I’m proud of it regardless of the outside perception.
The more serious answer… I believe that things happen for a reason. Looking at the world today, this one is really difficult to hang onto. There’s so many terrible things happening, I struggle to believe there’s a good purpose for it all. I think this walks a line of “things happen outside of our control”, AND “we can take action to change the outcomes”. I feel privileged to even be able to think about it this way. There are a lot of people in very dark places and I do not want my view to undermine their struggles.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
That I don’t think I really believe in (or want) a legacy tied to me.. I’m not totally certain leaving a “legacy” is all that helpful. I think of people who’s “legacy” gets dragged through the mud after we shockingly find out they were human and made mistakes. After the reality sets in, the art can feel a bit less than it was.
I would rather people know that whatever art I have created, or things I have done, have helped someone progress further. I don’t think that I (the person) have to be connected to these things in the long run for them to be effective.
As a note…I’m VERY aware that by applying my name to my art and trying to make some sort of living and impact with it, does mean I’m trying to leave some sort of legacy. I’m still trying to figure where I land with this one.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.garrettdevaughnmusic.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/garrettdevaughnmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/gfunk1980ful
- Other: TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@garrettdevaughnmusic?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/4SWaoEqRDCT7xnEyFa5Vwt?si=NxIUpeYLSi6ldmDte_S0Fg
Image Credits
Sheyenne Rivers
KVA Visuals
