Rising Stars: Meet Megan Palmer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Palmer. 

Hi Megan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I began playing violin at 9 and jamming with my grandpa. He taught me the importance of improvisation and also the necessity to be able to read music. As I grew up with the violin I was drawn to playing in bands and with songwriters. Eventually, I began to compose my own songs and fell in love with the recording process. I started to make records and play on sessions with others. All the while I’d become a registered nurse and supplemented my musical life with caregiving in a variety of hospital jobs in Ohio, NYC, and Nashville. The two vocations complemented each other and in 2020 I created a project where they actually merged. I wrote songs with my co-workers to try to make sense of the pandemic, “Take Good Care” was released in 2021 and it’s an album of the songs we co-wrote, recorded at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville TN.

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?
Haha! The road has been rough and filled with gravel, to quote Bill Monroe, (It’s Mighty Dark to Travel). Yet the journey of becoming an artist is fulfilling and worth it in many ways. For me, one of the hardest parts was being able to declare myself an artist at all. And once I pulled myself up to the level to even call it that, well that was just the beginning, ‘Creation’ is a wild animal. Inspiration hits at odd times, and sometimes the best ideas show up when I’m running out the door to do something else. When I carve out the time, sometimes I just want to nap through it.

A very tangible challenge I faced was being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016, right as I was releasing “What She’s Got to Give” my first album in Nashville. Facing such a health challenge was really difficult, especially since I was so excited to share my new songs. I learned so much during that time, especially about this supportive community in the midst of challenges. What I really needed to learn was how to accept love and support from others.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve long had a dual career, with nursing as my primary source of income but music coming in a close second much of the time. I feel like with music, I usually invest almost every penny I make back into the art, so in a sense, I break even. I struggle with the word ‘success’ often. What defines it is different to everyone, but what I have learned over time is that success comes along when you stop comparing yourself to others’ definition of it.

An interesting common denominator in my nurse/musician life, in addition to a highly developed skill set, is the essential component of improvisation. Every day, every setting, every song, every patient is different. To be alive in the moment with my feet on the ground, I need to be ready for anything. I seek to be calm because I know that if I am even in my mind and heart, I will make better decisions in challenging moments. I will walk into a room with a dying patient and have the right words of comfort to say. On stage, I may take a hard left from my original plan based on the energy in the room. There is no script to follow, but I think both lines of work feed each other in making me unique.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
For anyone finding themselves in a shift toward creative living, my first suggestion is to ‘be easy on yourself.’ It’s supposed to be fun and a release of all the emotions you have stored up in your life so far. For me, I get a flow going by starting each day writing the first things that come to my mind. This will usually NOT be the masterpiece you wish to create, but it clears out the cobwebs and helps you know how you are really feeling. Some surprises and inspirations may arise out of that. With music, I try to do something similar. Sitting down at the piano or guitar with no exact purpose, allows it to flow through me. I will often record some of this on my phone and then force myself to listen to it back later in the day, even if it seems like the most mundane music I’ve ever played. There are secrets hidden in those gems.

If there is anything I wish I knew, it would be that it’s ok, even normal, to want to create. I spent a lot of years feeling weird about it, and sometimes I still do. Make what you want instead of trying to be impressive. People want art that is original and real to relate to.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.meganpalmer.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/meganpalm
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/meganpalmermusic
• Twitter: @peganmalmer
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOV2-xReT65XljVWhgmsicw

Image Credits
Stacie Huckeba
Laura Schneider
Chad Cochrane