Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Keyes.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My dad was a refinery worker. He played guitar in his free time, and as a little girl I was in awe of it. He used to sing “Lovebug” by George Strait and change the word ‘love’ to Liz. “Oh that little bitty teeny weeny thing they called the Lizbug. Nobody’s ever seen it but it’s got the whole world shook up.”
My parents were divorced so I spent a lot of time in the car going back and forth. My mom put me onto a lot of great music outside of country. We had a giant case full of cds from Bryan Adams to Smashing Pumpkins to Sheryl Crow. Our favorite song to sing in the car was Drops of Jupiter by Train. That’s our song to this very day.
I started singing on stage at 4 years old in the local little league pageants and I loved it. The stage is where I always felt the most comfortable. I knew that one day I wanted to have my own band.
Somewhere along the way, in my twenties, I got lost in partying and then after I got pregnant I got lost in motherhood and put my dreams to the side. But here’s something about dreams. You can hide them, lock them away in a safe, and hide it in the attic. But no matter what you do, they always find their way into the back of your brain. Sneaky lil things they are.
I took a trip to Nashville in the winter of ‘22 and was surrounded by so much music. At the time I had been working a lab technician job that drained me, so playing my own music or even going out to see a show was on the back burner. On that plane ride home from Nashville, I cried as I thought about the life I could have and the life I was going home to. I knew there was more than what I was settling for.
That next week, I attended an open mic with my dad at a local restaurant. That night, I decided to quit my job and start serving tables at that very restaurant. I just wanted to be near the music.
After a year of watching other people play on the stage I craved to be on, I decided to start my own band. Since then, I have played all around my hometown and in the Houston area. I have written, recorded, and released 3 singles in the past year. I can’t wait to see how far I can go with music and God by my side.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, honestly. In the beginning, I got a lot of kickback from my family. I know they just wanted me to be a good mom and put my kid first, but I don’t think they understood that I had a mission in my heart that needed to be fulfilled. None of them have ever pursued the arts in this way. It’s a scary thing to do for anyone, so I don’t blame them for being skeptical. I think that now they can see I have figured out a way to balance the two- motherhood and chasing dreams. I also don’t think they expected me to take it this far, and now that they see how happy it makes me, they’ve definitely come around.
Overall, anything a person is doing to chase their dreams is going to come with obstacles. And on top of that, music is a lot of work, especially having a family to take care of. It’s up to me to decide if it’s all worth it and if I can find a healthy balance.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I started playing a little bit of mandolin a couple years ago, and then was gifted a guitar by a great friend/mentor who wanted to see me succeed. By then I had already written a lot of poetry and songs with melodies, I just needed to know how to play the chords to write the songs. I did that. I finally recorded and put some out there into the world. I’m proud of that. I made a promise to myself, my man, and to God that I was going to do something about the truth I needed to share with the world around me, and I did. I hope it resonates with someone out there and helps them feel like they’re not alone.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Actually, I wrote my very best song, Puppet, when I was deeply reading the Bible. I think there is a lot of wisdom in there, and a lot we can learn about ourselves just by reading a few chapters. I do need to be better about reading it more these days. But there’s one thing I’m not afraid to be public about and that’s my relationship with God. I couldn’t do any of it- the music, getting through life, or mostly being a good mom without it. There are times I have failed and there will probably be more, but God has never left my side through it all.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0uWEm3URSGiot4zpLk8I3d
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethkeyesmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethKeyesMusic
- TikTok: @elizabethkeyesmusic
