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Katie Beckett | Musician
Katie Beckett | Musician
So, Katie, tell us a bit about yourself, and how you got involved with Epiphany Space!
I am so thankful to have found the community of Epiphany Space early in my time in Los Angeles. I moved from Atlanta, Georgia in 2014, and within that year had met the amazing people behind epiphany space. Cortney Matz invited me to her songwriter’s workshop, which I attended, and my life was never the same! I began to attend more events where I was inspired to finally learn guitar and begin my songwriter project in earnest. The songwriter’s circle became a regular routine for me and was truly the incubator of all that I have done with music since.
You're a talented musician and songwriter...Have you always been musically inclined? How did you first start writing and performing music?
Thank you so much for the compliment! Music has always been a very important part of my life. Since I could talk I was singing songs along with my very musical family. I joined church and school choirs as soon as I was old enough and never looked back. All throughout high school and college, I was singing in choirs and groups. After school, I sang when I could find opportunities, but I never felt like I could pursue writing and performing my own music. It was Epiphany Space and the amazing community there that opened up my belief and confidence to take that leap.
What goes into writing a song? What's your process like?
Most often, words and melody will come simultaneously for me. I find that the inspiration for songs comes after I have spent some time just living life and finding some quiet time to reflect, like after the kids’ bedtime (yes I have three kiddos!) or when I’m driving. I have been writing songs my whole life, but they never made it beyond voice memos. Things really started to solidify once I could accompany myself with the guitar. It took a while to get to where I would actually write guitar parts first and add lyrics and melody later, and I still default to melody first and then figuring out which chords go along. Now that I have recently started a band, Mama Jeans, I am learning a new more collaborative approach to songwriting. It is a bit more intimidating to share the process, but I have already seen really amazing results come from the trust and added creativity!
In addition to your other talents, you're also working to build a farming community. Tell us a bit about Laurel Hill Farming.
I say that a farmer is what I want to be when I grow up! My husband and I became really passionate about soil, compost, and ‘good for the earth and people’ food over the past few years. From that passion, we have begun working on our dream of being farmers, and Laurel Hill Farming is the name of our project. We were able to spend the past year working on a property in Agua Dulce doing very hands-on learning about what farming really takes. Over this next year, we are planning on developing plans for an urban garden and microgreens project at our home in the valley.
What have you got coming up next? What projects are in the works for you?
Mama Jeans is the biggest project right now. Getting a band organized, rehearsed, and performing is a far bigger endeavor than I had ever imagined, but it is so rewarding. We had our debut show on February 10th and I am still smiling from how well it went. We are still learning how to best work together, but it is a really great group that I am loving getting to know and create with. We are polishing our songs, writing new ones, and working on booking our next shows! As I answer this, we were just invited to play a show in a few weeks, so I’m doing a happy dance!
And finally, what advice would you give to anyone looking to get started in either music or farming?
I think my answer would be the same for both, actually! First, find a community. The community of Epiphany Space and other songwriter communities in the L.A. area have been integral to my musical journey. Similarly, as we look towards farming, the most encouraging moments are when we find others who are on the same journey to grow with and learn from. If I am ever feeling discouraged in my music, I know that I will find inspiration again by showing up to events where I am in the community. Second, don’t be afraid to get out there and try it even if you aren’t “ready”. Each time you get up and play music for others, each time you plant a seed in the ground, you are learning and growing. Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Create it.
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Epiphany Space is a global artist community. We bring together artists and creative entrepreneurs to engage in community and peer support so that we can cultivate meaningful connections, overcome challenges, and achieve our creative goals.
We are a 501c3, Non-profit Organization.