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

Geoff, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I am extremely happy to be a creative. It can be frustrating and time consuming, but being able to tap into that creative side of things every day is exciting to me. I actually have a day job right now that pays the bills until I’m able to solely make money being a creative, so I do both. It can be a juggling act most of the time but it’s what works for me. I’m a one day at a time kind of journeyman; wasn’t always, but over the last few years I’ve focused on trying to control my circumstances as best as I could and that requires me to concentrate on those things one day at a time. That’s the journey for me.

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?

My name is Geoff Schmith and I’ love music! I’m originally from Pt. Charlotte FL, bounced around from Atlanta to New York then back to Florida and finally planted roots in Tennessee back in 2015. As a kid, I grew up performing community theater with my Dad and I absolutely loved every minute of it. I was addicted to being on stage and performing. My dad grew me up on all kinds of music and I have been hooked on all different type of music for the last 35 years. I was on stage performing in college and I continued to pursue that aspect while in Atlanta and New York doing what I could with little success but I still continued to have the drive to be doing what I enjoyed and was passionate about. I moved back home to FL in 2008 and thought I had to refocus my efforts on something else, but my Dad said to me one night as I was humming a tune and attempting to play some notes on a keyboard that I should try writing music since I loved it so much. I experimented with words and attempted to write but I wasn’t good. It wasn’t until my wife and I got married in 2013 and we moved to Summertown, TN that I started to really pursue the craft. I studied songwriting, booked co-writes in Nashville, played Open mics – whatever I could do to immerse myself in the craft. Eventually, I met Jake White at a gig we both played in Columbia, TN and we spoke afterwards about getting together to write. From there, we performed a few gigs together and I mentioned that I’d love to have a band to play all our original tunes. As fate would have it, Jake had two friends that he’d been playing with for years named Trent Lemay and Corey Beckum that he thought would be interested. The 4 of us got together to rehearse and we haven’t looked back since 2019.. Yonder Grove is a unique blend of original music, powerful vocals and interconnected jams that is different every time. We’re slowly making a name for ourselves as an upcoming band to watch. We’ve opened for bands like Trigger Hippy, The Brothers Comatose and Michigan Rattlers and continue to play live shows consistently in and around the Nashville area. We blend our style of Rock N Roll, Soul and a little bit of the jam for a unique and memorable experience. What I’m most proud of with this group is the chemistry we have among the group as well as the level of musicianship in this band. We are all committed to putting out the best music we can and we don’t settle for less than that. We work diligently at crafting every tune and we are all invested in playing the best live set we can on any given night. We have become a brotherhood over the last couple years and I truly value the relationships we have with each other on and off the stage.

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

For me, it’s very rewarding to be able to get the opportunity to perform for people in general. If they somehow feel a connection to one of our songs or our overall vibe then that gives me the push I need to keep doing what we do as a band. We just recently had someone reach out to tell us how our music got them through a rough patch in their life and that’s the kind of reassurance I need to know that we make a difference with our music. And that can translate to all types of artistry not just music.

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

We want to continue to make our music, grow our brand and have fun doing it. As cliche as that might sound to some, it’s that’s simple with us and our band. It’s something we’re passionate about and continue to pursue no matter where it takes us.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yondergrovemusic.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/yondergrove?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yondergrovemusic?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@yondergrove
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@yondergrove

Image Credits
Images by Jake White Photos by Samantha White Vanessa Medina Photography & Britt Mae Photography