Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Beth Whitney . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Beth, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
I was 18 on a school program in South Africa when I dreamed I got a call telling me my dad had died. The next day was Valentine’s Day and I got an actual call, very similar to the dream, but saying my brother had died in a car accident. There were about 20 of us students traveling together in South Africa, and I remember walking into a church where the group was after this call. Someone gently took my arm and the others surrounded me and mourned with me. It felt like a cocoon…like proof of the living promise that God will comfort those who mourn. Not every moment of grief is cradled like this, rather very few. But her gesture of kindness, gently taking my arm and leading me in, has held me up over the years.
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
An old and kind man named Leroy handed me my first guitar at church when I was 15. He said, “Could you use this?” And I decided I would. I wrote my first song as a Hail Mary after having procrastinated on my Sophomore English paper. As it turned out, the song came quickly, like it had been waiting patiently to be written for some time. Not every song has been born so quickly, but wrestling down the right line is usually a joy for me. In college, my husband, Aaron, and I started playing, recording, and touring together. These days we live in the mountains with our little family. I spend my days homeschooling, foraging, trying to homestead, and capturing songs to share along the way.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
This is maybe a more light-hearted example, but it’s what came to mind. When I was nine in my first all-star game, my softball coach didn’t want to put me in to pitch. I sat in the dugout, the youngest kid on the team with my legs dangling a foot off the ground, and overheard him lamenting to the assistant coach that he absolutely couldn’t put me in. But as it turned out, he had no other choice. So, he begrudgingly sent me to the mound. To everyone’s surprise, including my own, I ended up striking everyone out and we won the game by a hair. I try to remember this in times of self-doubt. Whatever it is, it’s true I might fail, but hey, maybe I’ll do a great job, and either way, I’ll probably learn something. So grab your glove and head out to the mound. Give it a go. (My first love, before songwriting, was baseball so the analogies are what they are, folks.)
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Hmm… I guess one thing would be that somewhere along the way I started to suspect that I am someone who is easily forgotten. I sing softly and the words I write are subtle. In most situations I prefer to watch and listen, take it all in, and maybe write about it later. Although I was a pretty theatrical kid, I lost the thrill of being on stage (for better or worse) in my twenties. The breakdown of ego and the building of true confidence has been slow, but good when in the right hands.
Forgettable or not, I believe this is the truth. ‘You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Before you were born I formed you in the womb. You are beloved. You will rise up, into the peace that I leave for you. Not peace as the world gives. A peace that passes all understanding.’
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bethwhitneymusic.com
- Instagram: @bethwmusic
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/bethwhitneymusic
- Twitter: @bethwmusic
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/@BethWhitney
Image Credits
Michael Krantz Eratosthenes Fackenthall