Meet Spencer Thomas: songwriter/musician

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

Hi Spencer, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I’d honestly say risk has been the lifeblood of growing my music career. At every turn I’ve had to make choices like spending most of my savings on a record or giving up on a sedentary lifestyle because I’m in no place to settle down. I’ve said yes to musical challenges I wasn’t sure I could do. I’ve put on shoes I was afraid I couldn’t fill. Every experience has brought on a vicious case of imposter syndrome but those same experiences opened up more space for me to grow. I’m thankful for those opportunities and sometimes surprised at my willingness to take them on. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I identify as a songwriter and jack-of-all trades musician. About a year and a half ago I left a band I helped start in Jackson, MS (Young Valley) after about 7 years of active touring to pursue my own solo career. That was incredibly hard because it wasn’t because I didn’t love the band, the people in it and the music we made. In fact, it was more based on the need to live my life on my own timeline. I didn’t realize how necessary that was for me. Even when I left, I didn’t fully understand it, but I knew I loved the way my record sounded, and I decided it was worth going after full force. The latter half of 2019 after my first record came out (Hangin’ Tough released 6/14/19) was quite literally filled with touring. Somewhere between the beginning of September and Christmas I was home for maybe two weeks. It was freeing, daunting, scary, sad, happy, anxious. I mean. I felt like I was growing and falling apart all at the same time, which I suppose was a part of breaking the old mold of me. I realized I had more control over my future than I thought. I’ve learned attempting to please everyone with your decisions will ultimately hurt you the worst. You have to embrace the choices that help you sleep at night and the loved ones who you disappoint will come around in time. I’ve learned that a music career is all about the long game. It can be 8 years or longer before you’re on anyone’s radar and that’s being hopeful. I want the world and Shoutout Atlanta to know I’m not special. Thinking you’re special causes higher expectations and farther to fall when you are disappointed. I’ve broken my own heart on dreams dozens of times. The truth is I’m just a person with a first and last name writing songs. It’ll be years before anyone recognizes that name if they ever do. My favorite songs in my catalogue aren’t hits, but they are there for the people that resonate with them, and hopefully we can find each other.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, I currently live in Athens, so my visits to Atlanta are mostly passing through. When I have spent time in Atlanta proper, I ate some of my favorite Indian food I’ve had at Tabla in Midtown. I was also blown away by the High Museum of Art. There was a killer, off-the-beaten-path Ethiopian restaurant I couldn’t name in Buckhead, and I also cannot wait for a proper intimate evening at Grocery on Home to occur again when songwriters like myself can truly go back to work.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Well the obvious shoutouts go to my immediate family and close friends who help me work through my daily anxieties and self-doubts. Sometimes you just need to hear that you’re on the right track and you just can’t see your own progress while its happening. I’m thankful for musical mentorship like that of Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster, Jimbo Mathus and Futurebirds for giving me a place to look up to and find my own path alongside their guidance. I’m thankful for my friends in production and management company Super Canoe and record label Fat Possum for giving me a sense of direction for how to effectively release my music and share with the most people possible. As far as books go, I reflect often on Darren Hardy’s Compound Effect, Thich Naht Hanh’s Being Peace and biographies of my favorite songwriters like Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and Warren Zevon.

Website: www.spencerthomassongs.com
Instagram: instagram.com/spencerthomassongs
Facebook: facebook.com/spencerthomassongs
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsUVNqQLWcmafQoK-Aek0rA

Image Credits
Sean Dunn Sebastian Richey Abby Gillardi Sara Gatlin Drew McKercher Scott Wray