We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Veronica Grim. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Veronica below.
Veronica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
My father – Jim Strickler- taught me that if you pursue your passions and take action to live your dreams, you will stay young and vital. He is a television camera operator, working primarily in Major League Baseball, but with a long history of shooting almost any kind of sporting event you can think of. He pursued this career because he loves being around the games and has grown to love the guys he works with. He’s stayed so engaged with life, healthy and strong because even after retiring from his long-term career as a broadcast engineer at WLWT Channel 5, he kept shooting live sports. Not only that, he golfs with friends, looks after 3 dogs, takes cool trips and generally lives authentically-doing things he loves on his terms. He taught me to work hard and live with honesty and integrity-and the lessons stuck because I’ve watched him do just that. So, between all that, his great musical taste, his sense of humor, his support of my dreams, his generosity and pretty much everything about him – Jim Strickler has done a lot right.
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 singer-songwriter who specializes in high-octane live performances with my full band. I also love performing acoustically, solo, for different reasons…no matter the size of the audience or mood of the song, though, my focus is always on creating an experience for my audience that they’ll never forget. I draw my muscle influence from a ridiculously broad pool of artists – but I am often compared to Stevie Nicks, P!nk, Blondie, Joan Jett and Sheryl Crow.
I started writing poetry when I was attending the School for the Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, OH. Over time, my poetry strayed closer and closer to songwriting. I taught myself enough guitar to effectively start writing songs, and by the time I graduated Miami University (Oxford, OH) I was starting to play open mics and book acoustic shows. Those early shows were the foundation for my stamina and fearlessness as a performer and introduced me to the people who would later become my first band mates.
Eventually I won a Cincinnati Entertainment Award with my first band, Switchblade Syndicate. I moved to Los Angeles and recorded an album with my next band, Veronica Grim & The Heavy Hearts. In 2017 I realized I missed my family too much and wanted to live home again, so I returned to Cincinnati.
Since returning home I’ve gotten to play many great shows with performers like Noah Smith, 500 Miles to Memphis, The Whiskey Daredevils and The Warsaw Falcons. In 2022 I recorded the album “Chaos Magic” with my band mates Mike Bustamante, John Campbell and Nate Hickey at Mike’s Music Production in Covington, KY- it’s now streaming on all platforms. We also shot a video for our song, “Haunted” at the Southgate House Revival with William Hafley and Kaden Lucas – and it can be viewed on YouTube.
Most recently, my friend Daniel Espinoza has joined the band as a rhythm guitarist. This frees me up to really engage with the audience and create theatrical, fun live shows without having to play on every song.
My band mates and I are now working with Ryan Malott (500 Miles to Memphis) on a new EP featuring some very exciting songs. Ryan is producing the EP and recording most of the tracks at his private studio. He also co-wrote two of the songs on the EP. It’s been a very cool experience so far and I’m certain this record is going to blow people away with its energy!
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding thing for me as a creative these days is connecting not only with audiences my own age and above-but with younger listeners as well. Knowing that the stories I’m telling in my songs, or the way I’m performing them, resonates with someone and makes them feel something is huge for me. The other night a group of teenagers from the UK popped up after my set and told me my band was the first I’ve music they’d seen since being in the United States. They were glowing, so excited and so into what we had done. They seemed so inspired and happy and I knew then that they would probably never forget that night…and now I won’t either. I remember being those kids and being so excited to see and talk to artists doing what I wanted to do. I remember those encounters fueling me to get my own stage and my own band and my own incredible life stories to tell. Those encounters, and the support of my father, pushed my to carpe the diem and waste no time squeezing all the life I can get out of my time.
Connecting with people, inspiring people, comforting people – that’s the ultimate reward.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to “unlearn” my own tendency to engage in self-deprecation, learn to ignore those who doubted me and stop listening to the echoes of the ghosts from my past.
People will always be happy to try and tear you down to make themselves feel better. They see you out there actively trying to pursue your dreams and – if they’re disappointed in themselves, jealous, angry or lonely – sometimes it helps to take shots at people who are unafraid to be vulnerable and take risks. But, I have always felt that the only real regrets to be had in life are chances not taken. I would rather fly high and fall far, only to rise bloodied and do it all over, than to never even try.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @veronica.grim
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/veronicagrimofficial
- Twitter: @VeronicaGrim
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@veronicagrimofficial