We’re looking forward to introducing you to Sammy Mitchell. Check out our conversation below.
Sammy, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Aside from the very deep joy of being a husband and a new father, I’ve been learning to find joy in the seemingly mundane moments I used to overlook. I live just outside of Nashville, on some land surrounded by nature. Watching the creek move, looking up at a clear night sky, listening to the forest breathe… all of it brings me a quiet kind of happiness. Nature points to something beyond us, it’s self-evident if you slow down enough to notice. Our culture is built to keep us overstimulated. You have to step away from the constant noise to hear something louder than all the things we think are important when we’re cut off from what actually matters. When you do, you start to lose interest in the endless scroll of the digital world, I can’t pretend I’m above it though. I still get pulled back into that glowing screen like everyone else. But I’ve noticed that the more time I spend away from the internet, the culture, and the propaganda, the more at peace I feel. We’re so afraid of silence that we fill every moment with distraction… podcasts, social media, streaming shows… anything to avoid being alone with ourselves. But the secret lives in those empty spaces, in the quiet, in boredom, even beyond your own thoughts. That’s where I think God (or whatever word you wanna use) hides.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a six-time platinum music producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and engineer based in Nashville. I spent a few years touring as a guitarist in my early twenties, but most of my first decade or so in music was deep in the Nashville songwriter circuit, writing every day, chasing cuts, taking cues from publishers, managers, and labels. Over time, that world started to feel like a rat race I didn’t want to be a part of. Five to ten sessions a week, churning out demos with the hope that some artist might bite, it’s an exhausting system that often exploits creatives and the music almost seems peripheral or secondary. I’m not entirely sold on the idea that constantly chasing artists and their teams around is the best way to create something that truly resonates with people. So, I readjusted and built Black Cat Studio just outside of Nashville, designed by the renowned Carl Tatz. He’s a genius and a great guy, was a once in a lifetime experience building that with him. Now, I focus on working with only a few artists at any given time, two to four at most, so I can really invest in helping them make something meaningful and lasting. I believe music is one of the most powerful things in existence. It can literally change people’s lives. There’s this precious window in an artist’s journey before the industry starts telling them who they’re supposed to be, that’s where I like to meet them. Helping artists in that early phase create something authentic, giving them the foundation and confidence to stay true to themselves before the pressure of success hits, seems like a more noble cause. I’m drawn to artists who see through the illusions of the industry and understand that the real magic comes from tuning out the noise and going deep within, that’s the seed that blossoms into everything else. That’s where the alchemical gold is. That’s where their focus should be, not on a constantly changing artificial algorithm or streaming numbers. I understand all that has its place, but it shouldn’t influence the creative process at all. My goal is to give them a place outside of the system where they can make music they genuinely love. I still value melody, catchy songs, and high-end production, but I see those things as a vehicle for authentic expression, not tricks to manufacture appeal. At the end of the day, authenticity is what endures.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I’ve had a number of psychedelic experiences that completely changed the way I see everything around me. Around 2015, I started meditating daily after feeling what I can only describe as a kind of spiritual deficit in my life. That practice eventually led me into deep breathing and cold plunging as a form of deeper meditation. It felt like my psyche was reaching for something, a real connection to the divine. By 2019, I began researching psychedelics and was shocked by how misrepresented they’ve been in our culture. I decided to seek out some experiences of my own. In those moments I found a connection to something greater. They gave me a new awareness that I could later access even in ordinary consciousness. It’s such a misunderstood tool, I had my own judgments until I experienced it for myself. Through those journeys, I realized how much we identify with our roles and mistake them for who we truly are… constantly comparing, competing, and chasing validation. What I came to understand is that every person has an intrinsic value far deeper than any label or status. Our perception of reality is shaped almost entirely by our beliefs about what’s possible. Behind the material world, there’s a spiritual dimension that influences everything we see and feel, whether we acknowledge it or not. I would say I’m a Christian and many of those experiences gave me direct insight into Christ consciousness and has since helped me see his message clearer through a lens that church or organized religion never gave me. Psychedelics aren’t for everyone, every path is different. But for me, they opened a door. “Try to find Jesus on your own” as John Prine would say. That absolute forgiveness for yourself and everyone around you, while trying to be a better person everyday. The inner knowledge that it’s all love on the other side and there’s nothing to be afraid of. Still as a human, you inevitably slip back into those fear states… but that’s part of growth.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I think the more conscious you become, the more aware you are of your own suffering. It’s a necessary part of being human. You only grow through suffering, never through success. Success can reinforce comfort and illusion, but suffering strips everything down until you’re forced to face what’s real. Aside from some personal experiences in suffering I’d rather not share… I’ll say that once I started standing firmly on my values in the music industry, I realized how many of my connections were dependent on me maintaining a certain mindset. When I began taking more time on projects and saying “no” to things that didn’t feel authentic, many of those relationships faded away. That brought a kind of isolation and pain, but also clarity. Letting go of what you once valued, the illusion of stability, and taking the risk to build something truer to who you are, that’s where real growth happens. And beyond career stuff, I think we all went through a collective form of suffering during the COVID era. Everyone had their own experiences, beliefs, and interpretations of what was happening, and that often clashed with the perspectives of others and society at large. It was a time of mass confusion and forced isolation. I think there’s a lot of collective healing from all that which needs to take place, which probably won’t happen because of the… ya know, constant barrage of distraction and propaganda on these phones. For me, I got closer to God during that time. I think God speaks the loudest when you’re suffering or feeling alone, you just have to learn how to listen.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to following my intuition wherever it leads. I’ve learned to value that inner compass more than the expectations or projections of others. The process of creating music means more to me than I can put into words, I can’t imagine doing anything else. If I’m lucky, I’ll get to do this for the rest of my life. At the heart of it, I’m seeking a creative connection with the artists I work with, connection with the process itself, and with the moment when something truly great emerges, something none of us could have made alone. When everyone involved is tuned in, trusting their taste, trusting each other, and releasing the pressure of outside expectations… that’s when the magic happens. In an age of AI, algorithmic feeds, impossible deadlines, and maxed-out dopamine receptors, I just want to make something rooted in a deeper place, something real, even if it takes a lifetime. And if one day my intuition leads me away from music altogether, something my current self couldn’t fathom, I’ll follow it there too. Every step is part of the preparation for whatever’s next. I know that deeply.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
I moved to Nashville as a young kid with a bit of a chip on my shoulder and something to prove. I thought if I could find success in music, it would mean something, that it would somehow validate me. I spent over a decade chasing that goal with everything I had. But when I finally reached what I thought I wanted, I didn’t feel any different. That forced me to confront the truth that the insecurity I was running from had nothing to do with anything external. I started to see how the industry often manipulates that hunger in young musicians… the desire to be seen, approved of, validated. It’s what the whole machine runs on. But I also realized there’s so much more to life than your career. I’m grateful for the success I’ve had, but if I could tell my younger self anything, it would be this: Take your time. Don’t put so much weight on other people’s opinions or their approval. Trust your taste and don’t let it fracture if peers don’t initially understand. Life moves fast. It’s beautiful and sad all at once, don’t miss it, lost chasing things that won’t ultimately last.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://concord.com/publishing-roster/sammy-mitchell/
- Instagram: @sammymitchell
- Other: https://www.sammymitchellmusic.com
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