Today we’d like to introduce you to Bailey Settles.
Hi Bailey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story truly starts before me. I was born into music from both sides of my family. My father, Calvin Settles, Sr. is a well-known musician, especially in gospel. His father, Walter Settles, was a member of the Grammy- and Stellar-award winning group, The Fairfield Four. And my mom, Sara Settles is also a singer, and comes from music royalty, as her uncle was the trombonist, Jimmy Cleveland.
So being born into it, music has been a part of my life since day one. I started singing as early as I can remember in church. My earliest memories were being in the “Sunshine Band” at church, which was the children’s choir. My dad was the church musician and my mom was the choir director. I continued to sing or play in church for pretty much the entirety of my life, either in choir, the worship team or playing clarinet in the band. So church had a huge influence on the way I learned and viewed music.
As a child, I remember going to rehearsals with my parents, either at church or for other events they had to perform in. We would go to my uncle’s house and their family group, Settles Connection, would rehearse. I would be playing with my siblings and cousins, but I was always listening and learning the songs along with them too. They also took us to gigs with them and we would sit in the green room while they performed. These experiences shaped my love and passion for music and eventually the trajectory that my life would go in.
In elementary school, I sang in the school plays and I learned how to play recorder and read music. When I went to middle school, I joined band. I started playing clarinet in 2005. I continued playing clarinet throughout middle school, then in high school, I was in the Wind Ensemble at MLK Magnet High School. I went to Solo and Ensemble every year and always recieved the top medal, superior. This drove me to continue my own musical journey into college.
I auditioned for and recieved a scholarship at Lipscomb University to play clarinet. Throughout my time there, I performed in Wind Ensemble, and occasionally in orchestra, I was in University Singers, and then I toured with the A Cappella Singers, I played in the pit orchestra for the university’s production of “Into the Woods”, performed in many recitals, and concerts and ultimately earned my Bachelor’s of Arts degree in music, with a minor in psychology. After I graduated college, my life changed forever.
Around junior year of college, I was working as a server and met my then boyfriend. We started dating for a while but the relationship quickly turned toxic. 3 months after we ended things, I discovered I was in my 2nd trimester of pregnancy. I had just graduated college, I was scheduled to take the GRE for grad school, and was trying to move on with my life. I went ahead and took the GRE and got accepted into University of Kentucky’s music therapy graduate program. However, once I realized I was going to become a mother, I decided this wasn’t the time to move my entire life and away from my support system. So I stayed in Nashville. I had my daughter in the summer of 2018. She saved my life.
In college, I was facing a lot of stress and mental health disorders that went undiagnosed for years. It wasn’t until I went through my postpartum period that I was finally diagnosed with MDD (major depressive disorder), then later an anxiety disorder. However, I wasn’t going to let my challenges overcome me. I applied for a graduate program at Vanderbilt University and I didn’t get accepted. Then, I applied for Tennessee State University’s curriculum and instruction program and that is where my teaching career began.
Now, I was a single mother, going to graduate school full time and trying to manage everything else in my life. During these years, I had temporarily stopped singing at church. I continued grad school and then got my teaching practitioner’s license and started teaching. I’ve taught 2nd grade science, and 6th-8th grade general music and band. I enjoyed many parts of teaching, but I knew it wasn’t the path I wanted to stay on.
Throughout the years, I’ve recorded with many artists, performed and recorded with 2 bands, primarily, Settles Connection and Pitch Black Studio Orchestra. Both groups released projects last year that I was a part of. I record background vocals for artists, sing at churches in the worship team, and sometimes perform independently. I’m currently working on a recording project of choral music, which has been really fun. I write my own music and write for a band that I am in and eventually want to record and release a solo project that tells my story. I’m always reminded of the way I was raised in the middle of music because I bring my daughter to rehearsals, and performances with me, too. I want her to see that you can truly do what you love and still be successful.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was never a smooth road and it’s still not. My family didn’t have a lot of money, but my parents always provided for us. There were 5 of us in total, my oldest brother eventually went to college and joined the military, so the majority of my life I was raised with my 3 other siblings by my parents. To be honest, we were a low-income family and that had many challenges in itself.
In college, I started being treated for depression. I thought it was just stress or situational but when it didn’t just “go away”, I felt that it was something more. After I had my daughter, I was diagnosed with postpartum depression. Then later major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder. I thought the way I felt was just normal but it wasn’t. Working through that, seeing different doctors and therapists, and even trying different medications, dealing with that has been something I’ve constantly had to work through. My daughter always motivates me. I had her in what I would consider one of the darkest periods of my life. I always say she saved my life. I honestly don’t know if I would be here today if I didn’t have her. My child’s father is not really involved in her life, so I have been a single mother since day one. That has required many sacrifices of me, and a different version of me. Where it has been challenging, being a single mother also pushes me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a musician. I am a professional singer and clarinetist. I am recording artist, I do background vocals, and perform live. I also sing in churches. The majority of my work lately has been recording, either in a band that I’m in, Pitch Black Studio Orchestra or Settles Connection. I also record in projects as an independent singer. Currently, I am working on a project with choral music. I also write music, as well. I write and arrange for PBSO and music of my own that I plan to record and release one day.
I’m proud of all the experiences ad projects that I’ve had. I’ve been in tours, I a pit orchestra, performed at the Schermerhorn, recorded for various artists, amd performed in many shows. I have such a diverse background of experiences from classical clarinet, choral, gospel, funk/soul, R&B, jazz, and a capella music. I can write, sing, play, read music and I’m comfortable in multiple genres. What sets me apart is my skillset and soul.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My advice for finding a mentor starts with looking within. Become teachable, coachable, and pleasant to work with so you can have more opportunities. Don’t be afraid to ask questions out of curiosity or for a deeper understanding. Be genuine and get to know people and their story. From there, finding someone who is a pro in their field and already doing what you aspire to do are the best kind of mentors. It’s not always easy to network, especially in Nashville– a highly saturated city of musicians, but by being yourself, you’ll draw the right kind of people and opportunities that are meant for you.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @baileysettles_
