There has always been this constant pull in me to play music. I’ve always felt something bigger inside myself, a drive to create that called to me even as a young kid. I remember thinking of music as something fun that anyone could pick up; it couldn’t be that hard. So, I started trying to play the piano, learning chords and melodies. But I quickly realized the piano wasn’t for me. Reading notes on a page felt confining, like there was no room for creativity. Being forced to follow exactly what was written just didn’t click, and it left me feeling frustrated.

I took a break to explore other avenues, but the pull of music never left me. I’d always thought the trumpet was an awesome instrument, so I started lessons. But it was much the same as the piano: strict, note for note learning, no room to improvise or make it my own. My teacher was meticulous about form, and I wasn’t allowed to move forward until I played each song perfectly. After hours of grueling practice and repeated frustration, I burned out and decided to quit.

At that point, I wondered if music was even for me. But months later, I thought about the guitar. My uncle happened to have an acoustic Alvarez guitar he used growing up. He let me borrow it, and I took it to a music store to get it cleaned and restrung. It wasn’t a professional-grade instrument, but it was good enough to get me started.

I began taking lessons from a friend who played fiddle in a bluegrass band and knew several contest fiddle tunes. From the first lesson, I knew this was the instrument for me. There were no strict rules, no rigid note-for-note perfection, just music by ear and freedom. Learning songs like Boil the Cabbage Down, Blackberry Blossom, Sally Johnson, and Tom and Jerry, I was hooked.

I loved everything about contest fiddle and playing backup guitar. But eventually, I reached a point where my teacher couldn’t teach me much more. He asked what style of music I wanted to pursue: contest fiddling or more traditional bluegrass. Something inside me wanted more. I had fallen in love with how the fiddle sounded, hearing it on all the CDs I borrowed from my teacher. I decided to expand my knowledge and push myself further with the fiddle and that’s how this journey really began. Finding your sound isn’t about hitting every note perfectly, it’s about discovering what makes you want to play. Sometimes you’ll try a few instruments, a few styles, a few teachers, and still feel stuck. And that’s okay. The magic happens when you follow what excites you, trust your instincts, and let the music lead you. That’s where you find the sound that moves you, and maybe, just maybe, it’s closer than you think.

Finding your sound isn’t about hitting every note perfectly, it’s about discovering what makes you want to play. Sometimes you’ll try a few instruments, a few styles, a few teachers, and still feel stuck. And that’s okay. The magic happens when you follow what excites you, trust your instincts, and let the music lead you. That’s where you find the sound that moves you, and maybe, just maybe, it’s closer than you think.