Daily Inspiration: Meet Abby Berman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Berman

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Music has always been a part of my life; listening, learning, performing, and creating.

I started playing piano and writing songs when I was 5. My mom moved to Los Angeles in the 70s from Minnesota to become a professional singer and knew how heartbreaking the journey of a professional musician can be. She encouraged me and tried her best to provide me with all of the tools she wished that she had been given when she was young. She regretted not learning to play piano and not having more experience performing when she was young. She made it a point to pay for the best piano teacher she could find, and sat with me for hours, daily, while I practiced. She exposed me to the songwriter greats: Carole King, The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Jim Croce, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan, to name a few. Her most frequent statement to me was, “Abby, a good singer is ‘a dime a dozen’, you need to write your own songs.” Songwriting was, and still is my favorite part of being a musician. I wrote, and wrote, and wrote.

I also rebelled. I hated sitting for hours learning classical pieces. Like most kids, I loved playing and hated practicing. After nine years of playing classical piano, I begged her to let me quit. Eventually, she let me. I only know now, as an adult and a mother, how much she sacrificed for me.

With a solid musical background, I kept playing and writing. Through high school, I performed as much as possible (sometimes weekly for a group of jocks in my choir class). I was addicted to performing and obsessed with songwriting. While singing simply felt like something that gave me a way to communicate my story, I understood that it was important, so I took voice lessons to learn the techniques that I hadn’t learned in church choir.

I graduated high school and took time off to focus on music while teaching piano lessons. I put together a backup band, which turned into a full rock/funk/blues band, “Tracing Amber”. I was done as a solo artist. We performed big shows at amazing venues. We recorded in legendary recording studios. We were a great band! We also didn’t have the drive or confidence to shamelessly promote ourselves in the way we saw other bands doing it. Eventually, our band broke up, exhausted and heartbroken. But I came out of it as a better, stronger person and musician. That band taught me everything I know about playing with other musicians, understanding the strength of the family unit that is a band and seeing value in other artistic minds and talents; Understanding that when people use their strengths as a group, what evolves is something better than any individual can create. I learned how important it is to cherish other people’s strengths. I also met my husband in that band, who has been the inspiration for many songs.

After Tracing Amber, I was emotionally exhausted and stopped performing and recording. I was sick of the rat race. I headed back to school to get a degree in English and a teaching credential. It was exciting to try something so new! I loved it. I was a good student. It felt like I was finally putting my effort into something in which I could find success.

The musical itch never went away though. Through school, I was still writing and playing for myself. I also couldn’t help but think that I was wasting this innate gift; I was given this treasure at birth, and I was ungratefully ignoring it. I reached out to my friend Gabe Dulek, an incredible engineer, and asked him to help me produce and record my first mini album, “Don’t Kiss the Frogs”. Gabe is one of the most talented and patient engineers I know. We did it. I had never actually recorded an album for myself, and it felt amazing.

Some people have heard it, and some people really like it. It’s not for everyone, but “Don’t Kiss the Frogs” is me. I sincerely feel that if you like my music, we are kindred spirits. We think the same, feel the same, breathe the same. It’s been years since it’s release, and I am still proud of it. Since then, it has gotten a teenie bit of radio play, and has helped me to get some amazing fans (seriously amazing people) that have become friends.

Currently, I don’t make enough money for music to be a full-time job, so I am a High School English Teacher in Los Angeles. I love it! There is nothing musical about it, but in a way, I get to perform daily. It is also such a fulfilling way to connect with people (mostly young people) that feels meaningful.

I am still recording and releasing music. I am currently working on a new album that I think is going to be awesome! And unlike many other musicians, I don’t feel pressured or forced to “sell out” or be anything I don’t want to be, because I have a job that takes care of me.

This musical journey has definitely been at my own pace. Sometimes I go years without releasing anything. But this journey is 100% mine and everything I create is made up of pieces of me.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This journey has been quite a rocky road. I’ve been disappointed, even devastated more times than I can count after thinking, “This is it! This is the one!”. It’s embarrassing to admit, but every musician has felt it; the overwhelming, mind-exploding hope that crushes you when reality sinks in.

I’m a lot stronger now than I was when I first started. I think that because I’ve been doing this for so long, and know what it’s like for no one to pay attention, I am over-the-top grateful for any encouragement or support I get. When somebody actually goes out of their way to tell me that they connected with something that I wrote or sang, that it meant something to them, I am truly overjoyed. It fuels me.

Realistically, the biggest obstacle has probably been money. I have enough money to pay bills, but I never have enough to efficiently record. I’m so lucky to have a friend, Gabe, who believes in me enough that he is willing and able to record my music for free when he has the time, but having the time can be tricky, and we’re limited with what we can do. I can only afford to pay so many studio musicians, so we’ve had to be very selective when choosing which songs require what instruments.

Bright side: I do teach my students that when we are given limitations, we are forced to be more creative, so maybe the financial limit has helped me in a way. So far, we’ve made it work.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a singer, songwriter, and piano player. Leading with emotive vocals, my art-pop, piano-based music is a blend of soul, blues, and folk, in which I tell the stories of everyday experiences in a nostalgic light.

Stories are important to me. I share my own and I share others’. I sincerely feel that music and stories connect us and turn us into better people. We need music to feed us and to heal us in the most hopeful and the most desperate times of our lives. I try to convey the message that we are all going through similar journeys, we’re all making mistakes while just trying to do the best we can, and we’re all looking for something beautiful that makes us feel secure and valued.

I am proud of my songwriting. When evaluating my musical identity, I am primarily a songwriter. Singing and playing piano are just a way to get the story out to the world. But dang, I really love to sing and play piano too!

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I read a lot; usually a book a week. I’ve read almost every Stephen King book (I am a huge fan) but will read anything: biographies, self-help, classics, fantasy, sci-fi, romance, etc. That’s probably why I became an English teacher.

Stories are so important to me. The more I read, the more I feel I gain an understanding of the world, other people, and myself. It drives me nuts that I only have one life to live. Reading allows me the fantasy to live an unlimited amount of lives and have an infinite amount of experiences. What inspires me most in my songwriting are the stories; my own stories, and the stories of others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tracingabby.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbyberman
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AbbyBermanMusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AbbyBermanMusic
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/abby-berman

Image Credits
Carlos Ponce (personal photo)
Kihira Masato (all other photos)