We recently connected with Edie Baumgart and have shared our conversation below.

Edie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I am one of twelve children. One of the best things that my parents taught me is self reliance. If you want something, or want to learn something, educate yourself on it, and do it. It is up to you.

When I was in college, I had an old, blue Honda Civic wagon. It was a stick with a manual choke. It ran and ran and ran. However the body was rusting out and it was falling apart. My Dad – took one look at it and said – “OK kid, let’s fix it.” I learned how to bondo a car that day. He taught me, especially as a woman to not fear new things and that I had the strength and fortitude to do things out of the ordinary.

Coming from a large family, we all pitched in. My mother had a matrix of chores by person and day of the week. What chores you did on what days and there was always at least one day off from chores. She was a amazing woman and taught me by example,. Work hard but ensure time to play and have time for yourself. I was the kid that had the Mom everyone wanted.

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’ve alway sang – to the dismay of my family! Started singing in bands a bit in HS, and met a lot of great musicians in college and started singing with my first paid band – AMF Express – a bluegrass outfit. Fine fiddlin’ and banjo playing. Started a bit on guitar, but as an extrovert I was not really able to sit in a room and learn and practice. After moving in Minneapolis, I played in a cover band, did some booking and odd things here and there to supplement my income. However, to make more money, it appeared that I would have to perform music that was not really what I wanted to do. So, I made a decision to find full time employment and do music that I wanted to sing and perform part time.

That brought me into the project management field. However balancing is never easy, at one point, the PM work overtook me and I was not performing and playing at all – I had no time. So, another pivot. I quit my full time job for a year, got serious about learning guitar and started writing my own material. That’s when I also started recording. After a year, I did go back into consulting, so I could TRY and find some balance. Work and life and music and money and happiness and freedom…… not an easy balance. Now, I have my own original band, Edie Rae & The Blaze Kings, a Linda Ronstadt tribute band – The de’Lindas, a duo with my producer – Craig Teiken and play in other groups. Still working on balance, maybe someday………

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.

Non-creatives, fans, music lovers are a big part of our fabric. I do think they of course, don’t understand how hard creating your own music and funding it is. I still run into people that think that musicians get paid well for playing. Not saying that does not happen, but there is a 2% – 98% rule. (Making that percentage up, but you get the idea) 2% of musicians and artists make a significant amount of money, 98% need a day job to pay the bills and support their families. Now, this has been the case for a long, long time. Beethoven and Mozart needed sponsors to keep going. And so it goes. But creating an awareness and encouraging people to fund the things they love will continue to help.

With that said, having more places support emerging artists – instead of always needing to have a “popularity” contest of social media likes and a huge fan base would help artists create their careers. I think that used to be more available and now is a huge need. Providing places for young musicians to play is also a real need.

A trend that has been great and was pushed forward by the pandemic is people hosting outdoor yard concerts. Generous music lovers help put together shows, bring in more fans, provide a great atmosphere and help support the efforts. Wonderful!

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

I know this sounds weird, but creating art is a really selfish endeavor. I get to write and sing about things that happen and share my thoughts with the world. Not as if the world is hearing it, but just sayin’. It’s like having your own personal therapist and a marker of time. For many artists, the work is a reflection of what is happening at the time – it is for me. Also there is an everlasting, immortal aspect to creating art – in particular recording. It will be here long after I am gone. Perhaps someone will be able to remember me and the sound of my voice long after I am gone.     

Contact Info:

• Website: www.edierae.com
• Facebook: Edie Rae/Edie Baumgart/ Edie Rae & The Blaze Kings/The de’Lindas
• Linkedin: Edie Baumgart
• Other: Bandcamp: RaeBeat Records

Image Credits
Michael Hardwick Photography