Daily Inspiration: Meet Betsy Jayne

Today we’d like to introduce you to Betsy Jayne.

Hi Betsy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From and early age I enjoyed singing and playing instruments. My mom is a musician, and we used to sing together a lot. I grew up on a hippie commune/cult, and we didn’t have much money growing up, but my Grandmother sent us wind instruments, like recorders and tin whistles and I used to play those. When I was 19 I learned to play guitar. I went to a liberal arts college and studied a lot of music, like guitar, piano, chorus, experimental orchestra, and I was in a percussion ensemble. Not long after I dropped out of college, I left the USA for an indefinite amount of time to travel the world. I brought my guitar along, and while in India (where I ended up traveling extensively) I acquired a drum, a didjeridoo, and a flute. I took some flute lessons and Indian vocal lessons while in India. I also learned to speak Hindi, which allowed me to start a jewelry business with Tribal people in Northern Gujarat, India. I finally came back from abroad after many years of being a nomad, and in 2008 started writing my own songs. I dove deep into song writing and recording, and then about 2016, I decided to start to play my songs out in Nashville. During my live shows, I played lead guitar and sang along with the tracks I’d prerecorded, using Ableton Live. I also started going to the Nashville Electronic Music and Synthesizer (NEMS) group in Nashville who met monthly for meetups. I was looking for someone who played synthesizer to join me and my guitar and vocals, for a sound that would be Folktronica, as the songs I write are folk-y. For about four years I went to NEMS meetings and would announce at each meeting that I was looking for a synth player. Many people there encouraged me to just learn synths myself, and finally in 2000, I bought my first synthesizer, then another, then more. After things opened up after Covid, I started getting gigs, this time playing my synths and singing, with no guitar. In 2024 I released my EP, At the Synthesizer Meetup. Most recently, I began taking piano lessons. I also recently bought a looper, and now loop my vocals, using harmonies and vocal effects. I am set to release a 14-song retrospective album, to be released this summer.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have had some struggles along the way. One example was when I worked with a producer on a song of mine, and in the end I dropping him, as he insulted my songs, which put a damper on my confidence and I stopped writing songs for a while. I also got heckled at a performance of mine last summer, which sucked.

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?
I specialize in Folktronica music. I am most proud of my song writing, which I am a stickler for a good melody, as melodies are what I enjoy creating the most. (For example, the melody of my song “For You Annie Rose.”) I am proud that my songs have some Indian-sounding overtones, as I studied Indian vocals and lived in India for most of 7 years. I think that combining my synths, looping vocals with effects, and my folk-y melodies are what set me apart, along with my themes of traveling and mental health, as I am a therapist too.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
My favorite books are about mental health. While in India, when I was 25, I sat my first 10-day Vipassana mindfulness meditation retreat, which was extremely eye-opening and would prove to be one of the most helpful skills I have acquired in my lifetime. Eventually, the field of mental health therapy incorporated mindfulness as a healing modality, and with my mindfulness practice going back many years before I became a therapist, I was way ahead of my time. I use a lot of mindfulness in my sessions these days, and see amazing improvements in my clients as a result. Now I have a private practice; I specialize in treating trauma, and I use a lot of somatic therapies in my practice.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.betsyjayne.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betsyjaynemusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betsyjaynemusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@betsyjayne638
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@betsyjaynemusic