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

Azariah, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In Summer of 2025, I received a gift that would be the biggest source of stress and originator of luck in my life. This gift happened to be a violin, larger than the average, with a creme Brule color palette with light brown worn finger board, an ivory tailpiece and light brown wood on the body of the instrument.

Until this point I had never ventured into the realm of true violin playing. I’m primarily a viola player and have carved a niche in the Austin music scene as such, with perhaps some fiddle tendencies. The viola is larger than the violin and accesses a low range of tones with more warmth and delay, compared to the violin, and I had developed my identity around the instrument, after becoming acquainted with it over the past 13 years.

On first playing, the violin had a lemony brightness and a big brassy timbre, much different from any other violin I had heard. As I started to learn the instrument, learn how to speak its language, I grew comfortable enough to incorporate it first into a band I play in called Rader and the River Rats, of which I’m the current string player.

From this moment doors had begun to open for me, with opportunities for more fiddle gigs in the area and my name has started to get passed around, a little too quickly for my liking. It takes time to learn an instrument, especially one as diverse and challenging as the violin, particularly in the fiddle style, but I found myself arriving at a critical decision. Do I wade in the shallows until I’m ready, or do I stand up and jump in with both feet, ready or not?

Jumping in with both feet, and has the serious potential to handicap my reputation, regardless of how romantic and attractive it is as an ideal to explore unknown territory. We like to paint these characters as heroes, until they fall off the side of the hill from holding their head too high, in delusion. On the other hand, the fate of not trying is similarly damning because decision making tends to be repetitive. Say yes once, and you’ll likely say it again. Sure you may walk blindly into a few walls, but you’ll adapt and learn the ropes. Say no once, and you run the risk of drifting mindlessly into mediocrity, disillusioned by your own security.

The critical decision I faced was introducing myself to one of the foremost country artist in the New Braunfels music scene, Andi Holleman. I had previously been recommended to her, graciously, by two of my friends who are also musicians in the San Antonio-Austin area so she knew my name, but I was still in agonizing pain from the uncertainty of her opinion of me.

Then the opportunity to know for sure presented itself to me in July of 2025. She was playing a solo set at the Cigar Vault in Buda, TX and without thinking, I made up my mind to go and say hi, whether I was ready or not, and that was the easy part. The hard part was walking in with my fiddle in hand, locking eyes with her and trying not to look anxious. It was a healthy anxiety, but still.

Immediately, somehow, she recognized me, saw the instrument in my hand and invited me on stage to jam with her. This all happened within 10 seconds of me walking in the venue, and my excitement and relief from her warm spirit overshadowed all of my previous anxieties, for better or for worse. I had stepped into an unfamiliar jungle, and it was up to me not only to stay alive, but to plant the foundation of a new life there.

Almost every song we played was unfamiliar, with new chord patterns, and challenging keys, and above all, most of the songs we played were her original tunes. The jungle I’m walking in has not only been settled, but ornately decorated with signs and symbols I was desperately tasked to translate. Did I play some wrong notes? Yes! Did I trip on some of my solos? Yes! Did I fall out of the pocket? Yes! Was I embarrassed? Yes! But I was in too deep. The water was over my mouth, and inching towards my nose, and I was already on my tip toes, singing deeper into the sandy ocean shelf. I had every opportunity to excuse myself, say my goodbyes and retreat into safety, But I kept walking deeper into the water, until finally I buckled my legs, and chose to lose sight of the world I knew, open my eyes and take in the new landscape under the water.

I had so much to lose, and not only did I feel unprepared to fail, I felt unprepared to succeed. It was a miracle that I was able to finish the set with Andi, and I would need a whole lot more to do it again as a reliable player. I went home, not buzzing or excited; I was worried. I passed the first audition, but could I pass the second, and third?

A few weeks later, I got a text from her, inviting me to join her for a show the same day in less than 3 hours. The set was to be 3 hours of almost completely unfamiliar music. I blinked and realized I had sent an excited “Yes!” The water was up to my neck now. I skipped the shallows completely this time. I went home, practiced every scale I knew, and every basic progressions I knew on the fiddle. You know how you can practice for songs you don’t know? You don’t. You have to hope that everything you’ve learned until that point will protect you as you guide yourself once again, into the jungle.

My skill as a fiddle player didn’t improve drastically from the time I chose to play with Andi at the Cigar Vault until I got on a new stage with her and Connor Montoya, and played “for real.” I was also still nervous that I would get on stage and discover that I wasn’t good enough to play with them after all. I only found out that I was good enough by taking a shot in the dark.

My friends paved the way for me to know her, by putting in a good word for me, and I’m deeply grateful for their belief in me. What took me the rest was a leap of faith.

Making the decision to jump wasn’t about making it to the other side without being bruised. It was about making it to the other side, getting bruised, and jumping again!

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 am a viola/violin player based in San Marcos, and collaborate with musicians and artists in and around the greater San Antonio-Austin area. I specialize in projects related to recording strings for singles and albums, in addition to live performance with indie and country artists. I am the most proud and suited for collaborative projects! I also enjoy traveling to new cities and states to perform and play music!

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

I highly value personal autonomy and creative freedom in my creative pursuits, and the lifestyle of a musician enables me to explore so many more opportunities to travel and expose myself to new music. This puts me in the mindset of constant wonder and discovery.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Be nice, and always have a foot outside your comfort zone. People like working with people who are flexible and treat them with respect.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @wingnut.music
• Youtube: @WingnutFilm

Image Credits

Candice Rose