By Vanessa Overholser - Staff Writer
She is a native of Morehead and an aspiring singer and songwriter. Her sound is a culmination of artists such as Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Bonnie Rait. She is currently working in Nashville waiting for her big break.
“I've been a singer all my life,” said Trista Mabry, 25. “I grew up being around my mom's family who sang bluegrass music.”
Mabry said her love for singing started when she was very young. She started playing piano at age 6 and then progressed to the guitar at age 11. She sang in the choir at Rowan County Senior High School.
She said it wasn't until she reached her junior or senior year of high school that she became serious about writing music. After graduating high school, Mabry earned a degree at Morehead State University where her desire to be a musician, singer and songwriter grew stronger.
“That was the first time I realized it was a great way to get your emotions out and express what is going on in your life,” Mabry said. “You get to write about the highs and lows in your life. It's just a great way to get through some things whenever life gets you down.”
Through her college experience, Mabry found that music was her life-long occupation.
“I didn't want to pursue my career until my second year in college,” Mabry said. “The more I worked with music I found out it was my true love and found out I was good enough to take that path.”
After graduating college, Mabry left Morehead and moved to Nashville in August 2008 to continue her pursuit.
She said she hoped to be a songwriter not only because she loves it, but to help others.
“I want to write music that people would relate to,” she said.
Being a songwriter, one definitely has his or her share of ups and downs, she said.
“It's like an emotional roller coaster,” she said. “Especially in Nashville it's around you 24/7. Everyone you meet is trying to do the same thing you are doing.”
She said although the atmosphere is extremely competitive she doesn't let it worry her.
“It's so competitive. I like it that way because it causes you to stand out and be different.”
Mabry has been getting experience playing showcases and writer rounds out at venues such as: The Listening Room, Dan McGuiness, The Rusty Nail, The Douglas Corner, and the legendary Bluebird Café.
Recently, Mabry performed in Morehead for the Tater Knob Fire Tower benefit Oct. 10.
“My friend Landon Dickerson, who planned the benefit, asked me to play,” she said. “I found out that there was a contest going on during that event. Landon did not tell me anything about it. I found out after the event that I had won a free recording with Oakwood Sound Design in Lexington. It is a project-based recording studio.”
One week later Mabry received a call from Jay DeWitt, owner and founder of a new artist promotional company called ReverbShop.com.
“He wanted me to open for Burn to Shine and they are having another concert at the Morehead Conference Center on Nov. 21,” Mabry said. “He wanted me to open up for this group and see what happens from it. It is called the ReverbShop Music Festival. Tickets are $25 with 10 bands that will be performing.”
Mabry will go to Oakwood on Nov. 10-11 to lay down the first of three tracks for a demo CD, which will feature a variety of genres. She will return to the studio to record the remaining tracks. She will make copies of the CD and distribute them to major recording studios in Nashville.
“I'm going to send them out to publishers in Nashville such as Sony and BMI Broadcast Music Incorporated in Nashville, American Society of composer Authors and Publishers, and National Songwriters Association International.”
“I was excited to get this free recording because I can pursue other projects that I would not have been able to complete without this recording,” she said. “I think the guys at Oakwood want to take me into the direction I want to go. I'm excited about working with the sound engineers and producers at Oakwood.”
Mabry said she couldn't be more pleased with her progression in the music industry.
“I feel great about it because I've been working at a studio in Franklin, Tenn.,” she said. Every big star has recorded there.”
Mabry is hoping to get on with New faces Night At The basement which is, in her words, an amazing music venue. She also plans on performing at the Billy Block show where many people get recognized for their work in the music industry.
She said if she did not make it in a professional music career in Nashville, she will not leave the business.
“If it doesn't work out I do want to do something in the music industry,” Mabry said. “Perhaps I'll something that has to do with publishing, businesses or advertising.”
“When she was in her last year in high school she got a desire for music,” said Dale Mabry, Trista father. “I bought her a guitar and she never put it down. Now she owns four guitars and one day she picked up a harmonica and played it.”
Mabry said the recording his daughter won was worth a lot of money.
“It's worth about $1,200 to $1,400,” Dale Mabry said. We're very proud of her.”
