Meet Adam Pendlington | Songwriter and musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adam Pendlington and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adam, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
My bandmates and I started Highbeams, our band/business, in our early 20’s. We were all between 20 and 22. We knew there was a lot of risk involved, as the failure rate for both businesses and bands is pretty high, but at that age we didn’t have a ton to lose. We still worried about money a lot, but we didn’t have very many responsibilities at that age. It didn’t hurt that you could rent a place for only 650 back then.

That’s not to say there wasn’t risk. We were barely hanging on sometimes. Every car repair or doctor visit felt like it was going to be the end.

Now, about ten years later, we think about risk differently. We know we still have to take risks, or we can’t grow. But now that we have families, we aren’t taking too many chances. Not like when we started. We just plan more efficiently now, which I guess comes with experience.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ll always be most proud of our writing. I love our songs, and I love writing with Ian and Stephen.

I wouldn’t say it was easy to get where we are today, but I was with guys who made all of it fun. I don’t know how people do anything like this as a solo act. It’s so great to have your best friends to talk to after a show, and process the whole journey together.

We’ve learned the importance of communication, and planning. It turns out a band is a lot like a marriage. It takes everyone working together toward the same goal, with the same values. Plenty of discussion and adjustment is always needed.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This isn’t an exciting answer, but I always stay in unless I’m traveling for work. So my best friend and I would probably spend a lot of time on my back porch talking. There are plenty of beautiful hiking trails all over the state though, so I’m sure we’d do a little hiking.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Definitely my parents! They helped us a lot, especially in our early years. We didn’t have a place to rehearse, so they let us leave equipment in their basement, and rehearse and record there. They saved us thousands and thousands of dollars on renting a place to practice and write. We literally wouldn’t have been able to do this if that space wasn’t provided, because none of our homes at that time had enough space. My parents also gave emotional support. It doesn’t hurt that they thought what we were doing cool, and worthwhile. Enough people will tell you that starting a band to make a living isn’t a good idea, and I’m so glad they weren’t part of that group.

Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/@Highbeamsmusic

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2q2o2GvSj70DPEJv3ob2S5?si=5wdaeUV6TRiaTxLp7soKVQ