We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jeff Toth. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jeff below.

Jeff, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

My first experience with writing songs was by “copying” the greats. I would write album after album of lyrics and stuff them in envelopes only for my Dad to tell me they’re just plagiarized Bruce Springsteen songs/ The REAL learning of songwriting was when I started having experiences and journaling about them. I liked a girl? Wrote a song about it. I broke a bone? wrote a song about it. Struggling with self esteem? I wrote a song about it. As I grew up, the songs became more and more honest and the music matured around them. I think I spent so long trying to “invent” or make up narratives to write songs about. It resulted in years and years of bad music. Honesty is the only way to make the best art. If I could go back now I’d tell myself to always be authentic and honest when you create — the world already has everybody else, it needs you. This new song that I just put out feels SO honest and authentic and serves to remind everyone that their worlds are beautiful.

Of course, playing instruments was very helpful. But I was so hard on myself in terms of singing. I never really considered myself much of a singer until recently and I think that really did a number on my confidence and writing and how vulnerable I wanted to be with my music.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m an indie folk pop singer songwriter from New Jersey based in Nashville Tennessee. I went to school at Belmont University for music and have been a full time artist, songwriter and producer in Nashville for the past 5 years. My music is a bend of pop, folk and rock and gravitates toward themes of self-reckoning, inner conflict, and the work of choosing a meaningful life. My songs carry a cathartic, coming-of-age quality—equal parts vulnerability and uplift. I work on my artist project as well as writing and producing a lot of other indie artists in town, and I tour as guitarist as well. Basically I discovered early on that if I wanted to make a career in music work financially, I’d have to diversify myself and put together a lot of different pieces to stay afloat.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Man, honestly just showing up and supporting is huge. When artists create, they are literally offering up a piece of who they are for the world to see. It feels so good to know that other people relate, even in some small way. It’s not about praise, it’s just about willingness to participate. I think the over saturation of the music industry, and society’s gradual move toward AI music offers a threat to the simple pleasure of just listening and enjoying. I also think that a lot of people don’t “shop small” when looking for artists to listen to — this is through no fault of their own because companies with lots of money push huge artists on the airwaves and on social media, but there is TONS of incredible music being released by small, independent artists that deserves a chance to be heard.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me it’s when a song or piece of music resonates so much that it actually inspires a call to action. I had a fan tell me once they specifically took a night drive to the mountains just so that they could play and vibe out to my music. That’s amazing to me — something I felt and put into my art tugged at the universal experience enough to manifest itself in another, and then actually inspire action. That’s what I’m hoping this new song “Natural Thing” does. It’s all about taking life slow, the classic “stop and smell the roses” mantra. Life can be so beautiful, even in the simple dull moments of everyday life. If even one person hears the songs and lets themselves just, be — then I will have succeeded at art’s highest purpose to inspire.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jefftothmusic.com
• Instagram: https://jefftothmusic.com
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeffToth
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4IKzPu7eSvvRmuYTrqhWZH?si=ae448813a5934a89
  Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jeff-toth/1226284389