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

Parke, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

There was a time that I seriously considered the notion of being a psychologist. Anytime I would have deep conversations with my friends there would always be this point where I would get a sense of real work being done for both of us. Learning things about ourselves simply through the act of talking. I was fascinated with it throughout much of my high school years. But around that same time was when I had picked up guitar and was – no joke – playing 6 hours a day. After I started writing songs, performing with friends in a few bands and taking music more seriously did I realize the bug was extremely real for me: I wanted to pursue a career in music. It made too much sense. I didn’t necessarily know how it would turn out but I thought, ‘If I could even remotely make this work, I will be much happier than pursuing another job because i LIKE music the most’. I didn’t turn back after that. I made it goal to make a career in 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 moved to Nashville, TN from just down the road in Knoxville. Upon moving, I was already playing as a hired gun for my friends’ band as well as having my own group as well. My band fizzled out after the first year or so but I went on to perform for a bunch of artists over the course of the next 3-4 years. Then in 2014, I got a call from fellow Knoxville native Scott Mills asking if I was interested in filling in on bass for Colony House’s last two weeks of tour. Happily, I obliged and have since joined the band roughly 2 years later. Then during the pandemic, I posted on Instagram inviting whoever out there to collaborate with me musically. The response was great and it soon made me realize that my dream to build my own studio on my property was actually much closer than I thought – thus Brother Studios was born. My brother in law, Andrew, and I spent a large chunk of that year prepping the shed in my back yard to be born again into a studio. With the help of one of my best friends construction company (Iris Construction), Brother became a reality. I’ve since gone on to producer and engineer multiple singles, EP’s and albums inside Brother as well as traveling to work with bands / artists.

I have a knack for song structure and melody. I know how to make instruments sound good in my studio. I can help take a good song to great. And it’s fun because it’s collaborative!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Despite or in spite of success, there are these moments of breakthrough where a sound or a lyric or a song comes to fruition that not only does its’ job, it teaches you something new about yourself. Being an artist / producer / engineer is fun because I love it. However, it’s not simply fun – it’s a job. And there are these moments when it all comes together beautifully to reveal something new or unlearned inside of oneself. That’s pretty amazing to me.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I’ve always felt called to music – drawn to it….I really feel compelled to support people in whatever I’m doing musically. Kindness is key to me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/brotherstudiostn

Image Credits
@codybryantbennett on Instagram