Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Becky Baby. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Becky thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

I started out as a solo musician. I already understood the value of performing music for my community. I could visibly see how concerts bring people together with family and friends. I would see young children dancing with their grandparents or strangers dancing together and I understood the magic of that. In a time in which people are connecting to each other less and less in person, music, not only connects, but relates us to each other.

The more I understood this magic the more I wondered how I could help my community more directly. I put it out there to the universe that I wanted to serve my community in a more impactful way. I didn’t really know What that would look like, I just put that intention out there.

Not long after, I received an invitation by one of my local heroes to become a part of a brand new non profit called “Arts in Health Ocala Metro” At the time I did not feel that I was qualified to be involved. I let self doubt Get in the way of exactly what I had asked for. Luckily, she didn’t give up on me. They reached out again, only this time, it was another incredible local hero of mine. I said to myself “ This is what you were asking for. Two of the most amazing and influential women that you look up to just reached out to you to be a part of the project they are building. You better go ahead and say yes.” So I did. Those ladies were Lisa Irwin, philanthropist and founder of the lilac foundation and Patricia Tomlinson former curator of the Appleton Museum. Both of these ladies are firstly, friends and fans of mine and they’ve done so much to improve the arts scene in my community.

Now I get to work with them as an Arts In Health practitioner and serve on the board of Arts In Health Ocala Metro. Our organization provides no cost healing arts experiences to underserved populations in our communities.

Art heals. Science proves it. We’ve conducted research through art workshops showing that wellness is improved by experiencing the arts, music and dance.

My brand, Becky Baby music now gets to be a steward of this incredible organization. Using my existing fan base I get to raise awareness about this work that is so vital and important. When I first decided I wanted to do more, My long lost friend and musical partner Lenia Clyatt just happened to ask if I would volunteer to play music at The Arc Marion. This is a facility that serves physically and intellectually disabled adults that has existed in My hometown since I was born. I said yes, right away. I got to go in and perform for the clients there. It was unlike any performance I’d ever given. They treated me like I was Madonna or Elvis. They just cheered and clapped so much that I could not believe it at that time it was just me and an acoustic guitar with about 50 people in the room. It went so well, and soon after I got involved with Arts In Health Ocala Metro and asked would be interested in bringing services to Arc. They are now one of our Community partners and we bring other artist practitioners For musical and painting workshops. Some of the clients have gone from just being observers to now actually performing with us using their own karaoke machine. They have created countless paintings and their technique has improved overtime. I see the miracle of this work. I am so honored to be a part of it and so thankful I had the courage to step out of my comfort zone in order to do so. We have a joint fundraiser coming up August 16 in Ocala at the Ocala Civic Theatre. The clients will actually be featured in a professional concert on a professional stage. They’re beautiful paintings will be for sale in the lobby. All proceeds will benefit both organizations to continue our work there. I am just so proud

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve always known I wanted to be a professional musician. As a seven-year-old child, in my 2nd grade class, we were asked to draw a self portrait of what we wanted to be when we grew up. I drew myself in a blue dress with a matching blue flower in my hair and a microphone in my hand.. I KNEW I could be one, even though I hadn’t really done any singing in front of anyone except my toys at home.

Shortly after, at that same formative age, I experienced what so many little children do, I was discouraged In my elementary school music class.

We were all auditioned for a choir, and I did not get in. I remember how sad and embarrassed I felt. I decided that I didn’t want to be embarrassed ever again. Future opportunities to be in music class were avoided. I was already being picked on enough. Even in high school, I knew I wanted to be a rockstar, but the band kids got picked on so I didn’t dare sign up.. I thought it was cooler to join a garage band and teach myself through magazines and watching my favorite performers.

As a young adult, I played as many shows as school (and then later work) would allow. I actually did teach myself quite a lot and learned from my peers. But when I stated my plans to become a professional musician, the adults in my life (from a place of love) told me that I had to have a real job. They said most artists didn’t make any money until they were dead. I believed that. So, for most of my adult life, I had some kind of “real” job. I held retail management positions that I was good at, but only going through the motions.
What I lived for, were my weekends when I had the opportunity to perform.

Fast-forward to 2020. All those years I have been working for other people. I had a wonderful job at a great company. It was a job that had a lot of responsibilities. I contracted COVID-19 and was out of work for almost 2 months during this time one of my dearest friends died. When I got back to work, I was still grieving at the time. (Also, no one knew anything about brain fog, but I am sure that I had it.) and I dropped the ball on multiple big projects at work when I returned.

My employers were kind they offered me to stay on to try and correct the situation. Then, they offered me a severance and said that if I wanted, I could take that and go off to do What I was “born to do” I told my boss who was an absolute guide who came into my life at the perfect time, “but that’s scary” she said “Yes, it is scary. But you are not serving humanity from behind this desk.” I will never forget those words. So with Heavy Heart, (I had never been fired from a job before or walked away from one.) I took my severance and a leap of faith that I would’ve never made on my own.

I’ve never looked back. I’ve never been happier or made more money as soon as I started advertising my live music services I started getting gigs. Now I have my own business and make money for myself and despite having a crazy schedule, I get to make it I wake up every morning happy with a sense of purpose and finally doing what I always knew was my mission. I’ve always wished for a time machine to be able to go back to my young self and tell her not to get discouraged and take those classes no matter what anyone thought or said I would go back and empower myself.

Once I asked for my higher calling and joined Arts In Health Ocala Metro, I got the opportunity to work with different groups of girls in my community. I’ve done a series of empowering musical and art workshops that teach positive affirmations. I get to empower young girls tell them it’s their absolute right to make music and art. I feel that way I’ve gotten my wish.

Now as a 43 year old woman, also fulfilling another wish. I am caring for that little child that was too scared to create music. I have started learning music theory and taken a beginner site reading vocal workshop this summer.

I could not be more proud of the work that my small business and the nonprofit organization, for which I am now on the board of directors, does to bring arts to the community.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the idea that having a career in the arts is not a valid career choice. In our collective consciousness, the idea of the starving artist is alive and well. It shouldn’t be. We have more tools than ever to make a living with art and music. Most of us have a super computer in the palm of our hand with which we can create and promote our own brand. That’s what I have done.

As a kid growing up, I was told that I needed to have a real job. I needed to go to college and be someone indispensable to society, such as a doctor. Even though I was reassured that I was very talented by most adults that saw my visual art or my music, they still told me I needed to go to school for something else. They told me I could always play my music on the weekends so that’s what I did.

I wasn’t told to learn sound engineering. I wasn’t told to take music lessons. I wasn’t told to learn marketing I wasn’t told to learn public speaking,

it is my mission to let every child know that comes across my path that any career choice they choose is valid. If they want a career in the arts, there are pathways to get there. I would love Shine even more light on that for the children in my community.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

“The Artists Way” by Julia Cameron has opened a lot of doors for me. I have not yet completed the entire 12 week course, but the basic two rules of the book have been incredibly helpful and inspiring.

When you are an artist and also have to be a marketer and manager as well. The art sometimes takes a backseat. It takes a lot of balance. Sometimes you let that part run away with you.

This book has taught me to pay attention to that inner child, that just wants to make art.

I have to take the time to remember that I’ve been at this for a few years now. I’ve been out there doing the work. I’ve built my reputation. I’ve built my brand. I can breathe a little bit.

This book has taught me to do that in a creative way, the rules that you must practice are “morning pages” And “artist dates” . I can’t believe the difference that these two simple actions have made in my life. Morning pages is just a way to empty out the thoughts in your head whatever they are. Take the time to write three full pages of a stream of consciousness notes every morning. I can’t tell you how inexplicably valuable this is.

Artist dates are an activity that you do for yourself by yourself. You go and enjoy something that just feeds your child or your soul. It could be going to an art gallery. It could be enjoying flowers at a botanical garden. It could be painting in a meadow, whatever feeds your creative soul.. Do it now. Get the book. Do these two activities even if you don’t complete the entire course. I have finished By first ever formal music class of my adult life, it’s my plan to complete the 12 week course next! Join me!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://BeckyBaby.com
• Instagram: @beckybaby.music
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeckyBabyMusic?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@beckybabymusic?si=WA8-5_AKF1_g_dto
• Other: Linktree:https://linktr.ee/BeckyBabyMusic

Image Credits

Lisa Anderson
Becky Baby
Melissa Bell