We were lucky to catch up with Amanda Page Cornett recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda Page , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

My love for music started pretty much from birth! I think I started making up songs before I could talk! I started writing original songs down and recording them at home at 9 years old. Writing and singing were just a part of me! I performed in singing, dancing, acting groups as soon as I was able! At age 13, I got the opportunity to sing an original song for the first time in public. It was at a youth retreat at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. I wasn’t a strong enough guitar player, so one of the counselors learned my song and played it for me. I was, of course, nervous! I remember finishing the song being one of the coolest intense moments! The song was very very well received by the audience is my peers, and in that moment, I felt music was a God’s calling for my life! It was a very very special moment!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Music has always been a part of me! I wrote songs, performed, and learned different styles from a young age. I started playing guitar to “put music to my songs” when I was 13, I think. My guitar teacher, Mr. Joe Bennett of ‘Joe Bennett and the Sparkletones’, knew my aspirations to make music my career. He offered the best advice I have ever received: make songwriting a skill, not just a talent. He encouraged me to write even when I didn’t ‘feel like it’, and even try writing on demand to hone that skill! When I moved to Nashville, that proved and still proves to be invaluable advice!
Due to being blessed and cursed with well- roundedness, I chose to pursue my college degree in exercise and sport sciences. Music was always the ultimate goal, but I didn’t want to lose my passion for it by studying music in the classroom setting. For me, it has been great to feed both sides of my brain!
Once in Nashville, I really took to heart that I had a lot to learn! I knew success wouldn’t be overnight. I sought to learn from and write with inspiring writers and musicians, and thankfully continue to do so!
When my band, the Almost Angels, and I started playing together, my sound finally melded into my unique blend of country, southern rock, and soul music. We call it southern rock n soul! As a band, Randall Scott Peterson (lead guitar) and I co produced our first full studio album, “Front Porch Rebel”. Along with his siblings, Sherry Peterson-Tenille (bass) & her twin Shawn Peterson (drums), we went to NuttHouse Recording studio in the famous Muscle Shoals area to make this album, which we are so proud of!
As an artist, my mission is to create and execute authentic musical experiences people can deeply feel!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Though very few people go throughout life without music or TV or film or some sort of entertainment, I have found many people still somewhat look down upon creatives chasing crazy dreams. It’s hard to understand, but this life chooses you! I try to encourage people to imagine a world without music, film, art, etc. Then, I remind them that everyone who creates that entertainment was once a creative dreamer following that dream! Hopefully, that helps them appreciate the dream chasers a little bit!

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

With music being so easily available everywhere, I implore people to buy songs, albums, and even merchandise from the artists they follow! As musicians, we want to give and share with the world, but we also need to make a living! Many people ask artists to perform for free and donate their time, which in any other business, would be met with laughter of disbelief! The more society recognizes the time and investment it takes to create music worth listening to, hopefully the more they will respect it’s worth by supporting the writers, singers, creators. 😊

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amandapagecornett.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandapcornett
• Facebook: facebook.com/amandapagecornettmusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandapcornett
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@AmandaPageCornett

Image Credits
Photos: Alan Clark Photography Lyn Stevens Photography Ana Liza Witham Becky Hatfield Michelle Everley