Meet Garrett Wheeler | Singer/Songwriter

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

Hi Garrett, why did you pursue a creative career?
Growing up I had always been exposed to art and music, especially music. I went to my first concert when I was 4 and have always had a huge love for it. There was one moment in particular that made me pursue it as a viable career.

When I was 13 me and my parents went to a music festival at Candler Park in Atlanta to go see a band that me and my dad had recently gotten into; Lucero out of Memphis, TN. They were even better live than they were on their records, but this concert was far different than any of the ones I had gone to before.

Up to that point I had only ever seen stadium size concerts, and while I still have a deep appreciation for those, getting to see live music in a smaller setting felt 10 times more personal, and made me realize “oh, you don’t have to sell out amphitheater’s to make a living at this.”

Shortly after that I had started re-learning guitar, and then the rest is history!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been writing and performing music since I was 15 years old. My newest release, my EP ‘Nobody’s Singing Along,’ came out in October of last year (2021), and I don’t think 15 year old me would’ve thought I would be making songs like those while I was still in my teens.

I believe a huge factor of how I got to where I am now was how young I got started. Once 15-year old me learned about an hour and a half’s worth of cover songs, I started playing shows. While it was definitely debatable whether I was good enough to be playing live yet (sorry everyone who came to American Legion Post 304 around 2016), getting out & playing in front of people was the best way to learn the nuances of what I do, and exposed me to opportunities I would not have gotten otherwise.

Looking back on it now, 15-year old me never thought that I would be where I am at this quickly. I have already been able to play some of the venues where my “idols” have played, I won the Georgia Country award for teen artist of the year in 2019, and for my newest release I got Shane Boeker of American Aquarium, one of the bands that got me into music in the first place, to lay down some lead guitar on two of the tracks.

There’s a ton for me to be proud of in there, and I plan to keep up the work I put into what I do & expand that list.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The biggest recommendations I can make for places to go would definitely be some of the music venues we have here! Atlanta has an insanely diverse and talented music scene, and these are some of my favorite spots to enjoy it!

-Smith’s Olde Bar
-Eddie’s Attic
-Terminal West

Outside of places to enjoy Atlanta’s live music scene, I have always been a sucker for the Georgia Aquarium!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are a few folks I’d love to give credit to!

First off, Daniel Lieving out of Cartersville, another killer musician and songwriter. He produced my newest release, ‘Nobody’s Singing Along’ (2021) and has been a huge support.

I’ve also gotta give props to Javier Tobon and Rhett Henson. Not only are they some of my closest friends, but I also have the privilege of having them play with me for all the full-band shows I do, and saying they impact the music I create is an understatement.

I would also love to shout out my parents who have been nothing but supportive as I have pursued being a musician as a full time thing, as well as supporting me in my college endeavors as well. They have been my biggest support since day one!

Website: https://www.garrettwheelermusic.com

Instagram: @garrettwheelerofficial

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gwheelermusic/?pnref=lhc

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUCfKZz3bbFaWDGadJguxIw

Image Credits
Adam Smith, Jesse Kolb