Justus Storm shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Justus, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Recently I found out that a song I wrote with Gary Frost, Landon Wall, and Ethan Anderson actually won the Country category in the USA Songwriter Competition, which was a pretty awesome surprise. We’re still in the running for the overall Grand Prize, so fingers crossed — they announce that on December 2nd.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Justus Montgomery — an artist and songwriter who’s all about chasing honest ideas and trying to make music that feels authentic. I love collaborating with writers who inspire me, and lately things have been picking up with some recognition coming in. I’ve also been traveling around the Southeast, mostly playing college bars, which has been a blast and a big part of finding my sound. Right now I’m focused on growing, writing every day, and putting out music that feels true to who I am.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
Definitely my dad. My parents split up when I was really young, and he took custody of me when I was six. He worked nonstop to take care of me and my three siblings, and later my stepmom’s kids too — suddenly he was providing for seven of us. Watching him handle all of that taught me a lot about what it means to work hard, take responsibility, and live honestly. He pushed me to stand on my own two feet, but he never let me hit the ground. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Most definitely. Right after I graduated college, COVID hit and completely flipped everything upside down. I realized pretty quickly that I couldn’t pay the bills just playing music, so I stepped away and learned a skill that turned into my day job. I ended up spending about two years working in software and data before I even picked up a guitar again.
What brought me back was a close friend of mine who kept pushing me not to quit. Thanks to him, I eventually started writing again, and a few years ago we both moved to Nashville to give this dream the best shot we could — he’s an artist and songwriter too.
During those two years, I really thought I was done with music. But it’s true what they say: if you really love something, it finds its way back. I’m grateful for that friend and for the people in my life who wouldn’t let me walk away from 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 would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Honestly, my friends would probably say the thing that matters most to me is music — no question about it. I pretty much eat, sleep, and breathe this stuff. When I’m not at my day job, I’m writing, traveling and playing shows, meeting people, putting together content… the whole nine yards. Being an artist today means wearing about 15 different hats, and making the actual music is only a small part of the grind until you’ve got a full team behind you.
But at the end of the day, the heart of it for me is making music that actually moves people. That’s what I care about, and that’s what I spend most of my time chasing.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m back home in Alabama. Nashville is incredible — the energy, the pace, the dream-chasing — but it can definitely get overwhelming. I don’t get to go home as much as I’d like, but when I do, those Alabama back roads always bring me back down to earth. No traffic, plenty of open space, and being around the people I grew up with… it just grounds me. It feels like hitting reset for a moment before heading back to Nashville to keep the momentum going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.justusstorm.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justusstorm/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JustusStormMusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@justusstorm
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@justusstorm?lang=en
