Today we’d like to introduce you to Annabelle Lord-Patey.
Annabelle, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born on December 31, 1998. I am the daughter of Kevin Patey of Boston based rockabilly group ‘The Raging Teens/Jittery Jack’ and Mary Lou Lord, Indie/Folk artist and busker. Music is in my blood, where it’s been ever since I can remember. As a young kid I always loved singing and writing little tunes, taking piano lessons and trying out for musicals… but it wasn’t until I heard the Beatles in the fifth grade that I knew there was something extra special about music.
I remember the teacher rolling the old TV out into the classroom… we were all waiting to learn what the surprise unit we’d cover in our music class would be. She switched off all the lights… we were just sitting on the rug when “Help!” came onto the screen. I was forever hooked.
My obsession with the Beatles grew and I think that was what really pushed me to learn the guitar. Not having a lot of friends or hobbies at my new middle school, I felt that singing the songs that I could relate to was a really interesting way to pass the time after school. I quickly moved onto other British invasion staples… I fell in love with The Who and the Kinks, etc.
Elliott Smith was an artist who changed everything for me. I remember feeling seriously taken aback by just how honest his writing seemed at the time… it felt like everybody else was beating around some sort of bush in order to make the song more like-able. Elliott seemed to do what he felt. Since I’m sure everything I had previously loved, he had also loved, it came into my ears the way my own thoughts would, something that I really needed at the time. His music was so important, in fact, that it pushed me to write my own stuff! I remember feeling awfully inspired after watching a YouTube video called “Elliott Smith gives a guitar lesson.”
On July 27, 2016 I released my first album, Polaris. My pal Matt Minigell and I toured the west coast and I had the time of my life. I finished up high school, and now I’m an undergrad at Lesley University studying to become a Music Therapist. I want to specialize in using music to help Elderly individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease as well as teenagers affected by substance abuse issues. I’ve witnessed music heal so much, and it is my goal is to harness that power and use it to help others who are struggling.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I definitely would not say it has been a perfectly smooth road… but it hasn’t been too rocky either. People have been awful supportive of me the whole time… I think having musicians as parents was something that I really benefitted from as a musician myself. There was always encouragement from my family to write, and they’re always able to give me advice I find to be pretty credible. Some gigs are tough, but I have an awesome group of very musical friends and peers who help me through each hiccup as it comes; I’m very thankful for that.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Annabelle Lord-Patey – what should we know?
Music is Medicine! I think people are seriously deprived of art in the audio-form, these days… so I guess my goal is to try and fix it. Music brings us all together and I’ve made it my mission to contribute to that togetherness in whatever way I can. Whether it’s busking in the streets of Boston or giving a guitar lesson… nothing pushes me forward more than to see someone smile because of a song.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I think that in order to achieve anything in life a person has to have a certain amount of grit. I know for a fact that I’ve yet to reach my ultimate potential on that front… as a student it’s very easy to spread yourself thin when it comes to creativity. Living in the city, you just want to explore and meet new people… you’re sick of being locked up in a room recording and playing all the time. As strange as it sounds, I wish I was just a bit more neurotic about my music. I tend to be lazy and just let the song live out its own life in my writing, and then I go off and focus on something else. I have about two years of material lined up and only some of it is recorded. During the school year I was very focused on learning and friends so I’m hoping to have all of that material out by the end of the summer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/annabelle-lord-patey/1138047076
- Email: annabellelordpatey@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annabellelordpateymusic/?ref=settings
- Other: https://annabellelord-patey.bandcamp.com/
Image Credit:
Lucas O’Neil
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