Running A Band Like A Business with Lucy Becker

Most people see the stage lights and hear the finished songs. We want you to see the part that actually makes it sustainable: the spreadsheets, the contracts, the delegation, and the decisions that protect your creativity from burnout. We’re joined by Lucy Becker, band leader, lead singer, and violinist of Lucy and the Love Letters, to talk about what it looks like to build a real music career in Lexington while thinking like an entrepreneur.

Lucy breaks down why forming an LLC matters for working bands, how getting paid under the band name changes the tax picture, and what surprises new artists the most once the gigs start stacking up. We dig into the unglamorous work that no one warns you about: booking emails, brand collaborations, social media expectations, rehearsal logistics for a larger group, and even building a contract process for everything from weddings to local media events. Lucy also shares the steps she’s taking to claim music royalties, including setting up accounts like SoundExchange.

Then we swing back to the fun stuff: creative identity and sound. Lucy talks honestly about fear, songwriting blocks, and refusing to squeeze her music into one genre. You’ll hear how a “play the opposite of what you think” rehearsal note turned into a bossa nova arrangement, why a rotating cast can be a feature not a flaw, and how merch like her positive affirmation jars can build real community. We also shout out upcoming appearances a bit too late because Michelle had technical issues trying to edit this episode.  

Follow Lucy:
https://www.instagram.com/lucybeckermusic/

Follow Lucy and the Loveletters:
https://www.instagram.com/lucyandtheloveletters/

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Transcript

Welcome And Guest Preview

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey besties. Our guest today is Lucy Becker from Lucy and the Love Letters. And before I jump into my interview with her that was recorded a couple of weeks ago, I have the amazing honor to be able to play for you her newest single. It's called Sweetest Shade of Rose, and it has definitely become one of my favorite songs. So give this a listen, and in a few minutes, we'll get started with the episode and hear from Lucy herself.

Premiering Sweetest Shade Of Rose

SPEAKER_00 0:26

But until then, here's Sweetest Shade of Rose by Lucy and the Love Letters.

SPEAKER_02 0:54

And if the trees could speak to me just like you do, Poe. The sweetest shade of So let's plant the flowers side by side, walk the forest hands in twine, build our own garden together. And if someday you would be mine, I would never change my I opened up my day. The world helped me disobey with you.

Lucy’s Musical Background And Roles

SPEAKER_00 4:44

I'm your host, Michelle Smock, and I have a special treat for us today. I'm super excited to have Lucy Becker from Lucy and the Love Letters, and I'm sure lots of other bands that I have no idea about yet. But um Lucy is a musician from the Lexington area, and I'm so excited to learn more about you and your journey and your business. So if you don't mind, take just a second and kind of give us the rundown.

SPEAKER_01 5:08

Yeah, sure. Hey everybody. Uh my name is Lucy Becker. Thanks so much to uh Michelle for having me. Um I am the band leader and um lead singer, violinist of Lucy and the Love Letters. And um I'm also a session fiddle player, session vocalist. So music is mainly what I do. Um I graduated with a degree in traditional music. Um, I spent a few years at the University of Kentucky also studying opera and uh violin music education. So very versatile in my music background. And uh now I have in the last two years started my own band. So that's kind of what I'm diving most of my energy to right now as far as business and music goes.

SPEAKER_00 5:48

It is incredible. So um I'm gonna give just a little of like my backstory of how I came to know of you. And um, so I was invited to go to the Lexingham Music Awards, and I'd never heard of Lucy and the Love Letters, and you guys took the stage and just blew me away. I was instantly hooked. It was so good. But then once I like got eyes on you and saw like more of your pictures and stuff, I started realizing like I think I've seen you around lots of different venues playing with lots of different folks, and maybe even, and I could be wrong, but I feel like I've seen you doing some like either solo or duet kind of things at different events around town. Definitely. And shortly after the music awards, I saw you playing at a top's release party. Yeah, that's right. Uh-huh. And I came around the corner and was shocked because I thought we were listening to recordings of all of these songs. It was incredible. So that's nice. Yeah. So if anybody out there is listening, you haven't heard Lucy and her amazing vocals and her skill in music, please check out her and all of her bands. But today I want to kind of change the way that the conversation goes just a little bit because I'm super intrigued as a business coach and as an entrepreneur myself. Um, I'm certain that there are so many things I don't understand about the music industry and what it means to be an entrepreneur, especially a young female entrepreneur in that space. And so I want to really just dive in and pick your brain about all of those things. Um, so I'm gonna start by saying having a band, uh being the lead singer for Lucy and the Love Letters, I'm just gonna go very high level here.

Why The Band Gets An LLC

SPEAKER_00 7:27

Is there like an actual business entity that is involved in this? How does that work?

SPEAKER_01 7:32

Yeah, so I actually just uh as of this week, we have an LLC. So now Lucy and the Love Letters is an LLC. Hey, it's awesome. We're big time professional now. Um, but really I'm still learning more about what exactly that means as a band leader and as someone who's kind of heading the band in that regard. But I know that especially for things like taxes, um, it kind of makes the whole music and art side of things a lot more relatable to someone like you, um, to having a small business, in that, let's say you see me somewhere performing at Tops and Lecks. So now instead of making a check out to Lucy Becker, they can make it out to Lucy in the love letters. And so then when I pay a bandmate, it's coming out of the band versus I get taxed on things on amounts that I pay other bandmates for other shows, if that makes sense. Exactly. Yeah. So I know that's like an immediate, like big time yes for me.

SPEAKER_00 8:28

Yeah, absolutely. That's so smart. So how long were you uh like formed as a band before you started thinking like this is something we need to do? Was it something that's been in the back of your mind forever and just kind of putting it off? Or was there like a moment where it was like, oh, now's the time?

SPEAKER_01 8:46

Um, well, I've spent probably the past six years, I'd say, almost straight, um, doing music full time, um, touring on the road with lots of different types of artists. Nashville, New York, you know, wherever, wherever the wind took us, wherever we needed to be. Um, here in Lexington, obviously, a lot as well, too. Um, but just via doing that, I learned so much. And I kind of got to witness really what it takes to have your own band. Um and that's been really the biggest difference for me is that I've been so used to being a session player where okay, I've been hired as a fiddle player, great. All I quite literally need to do other than learn the music is to show up where I'm told to be at whatever time. Uh-huh. Which, you know, is pretty easy. I've been playing fiddle for 22 years. So sometimes it can feel pretty second nature, you know, show up those gigs and just have a great time and really enjoy getting to know everybody. But now with your own band, you're kind of, I'm doing everything. You know, all the coordination and things like that. But it's kind of we can talk more about that. But what you mentioned as far as the band forming, I actually had a very specific talk with a r um mentor of mine named Raymond McLean. He's an incredible musician and educator. Um and I had this audition at the time for this big bluegrass band, and I was really excited. I was like, you know, I'm really nervous. I'd love to maybe squeeze in a fiddle lesson with you if I can before I feel like I'm not, I'm not sure I'm qualified for this role. And you know, we worked some together prepping for this audition, and he pulled me aside and he was like, Lucy, can I ask you a question? I was like, Yeah, of course. And he said, Do you want to be a side man forever? And I I just never really thought about it that way. To be honest, I loved it so much. I love playing music, I love collaborating with other people, and I love being given the trust from our other artists to contribute to their music, you know, in any any regard. And I was like, Well, no, no, no, no, of course not. And he's like, So why are you still doing it? And I was like, whoa. Like, I don't know, you know, I just, I just in that moment, I think that night, I ended up going home and reflecting a lot on that and thinking a lot about he's like, How many original songs do you have? I was like, I don't know, 50 or more. And he's like, Why don't you start a band? I was like, Yeah, yeah, I probably will someday. And then just ever since that conversation, it just stuck in the back of my mind. I was like, Whoa, I should start a band. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:03

Well, I'm glad that you did. I haven't seen nearly the 50 songs that are in your repertoire. Well, the ones I have seen are amazing. So thank you. Yeah, absolutely. I I'm a huge fan of like words of affirmation. So if it gets annoying, just tell me to hush. Um, no, it's really nice.

SPEAKER_01 11:19

I'm the same, I'm definitely the same way.

SPEAKER_00 11:22

Um, so you said you've been playing fiddle for 22 years and you've done a lot of tell me what it's called again when you play for other people.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

Um, I mean, you can really call it anything. I I like to call it session work, is I guess more affiliated with studio. So if someone's recording a song in a studio and they want to hire a fiddle player, a vocalist, um, that's some of the work that I do as well. Um, but also just being hired to play for other people's bands as a fiddle player or vocalist.

SPEAKER_00 11:51

Yeah, it's so interesting. Like there's so many parallels in in like business and our careers, but in creative endeavors as well. Like I, as soon as you started saying that, I was like, oh, that makes so much sense to me because as a uh, you know, trained massage therapist, for the first several years, I was working in other people's salons and spas and things like that. It was like, I show up, I do the job you asked me to do, you pay me, I go home. And then I had that aha moment where it was like, is this what I want to do forever? Or do I want, you know, to create something of my own? So even though very different industries, very different experiences, like there's always that same uh vein of familiarity of those feelings of wanting to create.

Merch That Builds Real Connection

SPEAKER_00 12:31

Um, so I'm gonna ask about your merch because I have been a fan of many bands over the years, and I've never seen merch quite as creative as yours. And I'm really inspired by it. So I'm wondering, um, and to give a little backstory, and you would do a much better job of explaining. So I'm gonna ask you first to tell us a little bit about the merch that was at your most recent show.

SPEAKER_01 12:52

Okay. So without diving too much into all of the chaos that was getting that show together in 24 hours, um I mean, basically, my so I I know that John, my manager and I, John, had spoken a lot about kind of that a big interest of yours in chatting more with me is that I'm very business-minded for, I don't want to say for a musician, but I don't know, we could talk more about that. Yeah. Um, but definitely the business side of it comes very naturally and is really, really important to me. Um and so I had to put this show together in 24 hours. Obviously, to have merch costs money, you know, to have unless you're an artist and have your own printing company and this and that. And so, you know, I'm outsourcing, I'm like, well, we can at least get some stickers. Maybe we can get a poster, you know, some things like that. And then I realized, I was like, what if I made some merch? I mean, I'm not an artist, but I'm definitely creative. I'm a creative, you know, everyone's creative. Absolutely everyone's creative. I stand by that. And so um, I made, are you talking guys about the positive affirmation jars? Oh, yeah. Yeah. So I made positive affirmation jars. Um, we started pre-selling tickets to our EP release show. And so that to me, in my brain as a business owner, was like, this is a good way to try and start to recoup some of this money that I spent, you know, preparing for a show that we weren't being paid for.

SPEAKER_00 14:12

So it was very creative and it felt very authentic. Thank you. Yeah, it was great. So I came home with one of the affirmation jars. Nice. So it was uh just to kind of give a little idea. It was a small, like maybe eight-ounce, four-ounce jar, I'm not sure. A small little mason jar kind of jar and had slips of paper with all of these beautiful affirmations on them. Uh, and I think even a little like happy, feel good glitter mixed in there.

SPEAKER_01 14:42

Always glitter.

SPEAKER_00 14:43

Always glitter, yes. Um, so I came home with that and I was excited about it. And I had it on my nightstand, and I have a seven-year-old daughter. And she came in my room. Uh, I guess it was probably the night after, and we were reading stories together. She saw it sitting there and she was like, What's that? And I was like, Oh, it's an affirmation jar. You should like pull one of these pieces of paper out. Yeah. The amount of joy and excitement she got out of that. Oh, yeah. And she's decided now that that is like a ritual we have to do. She's got to have her affirmation. Oh, that's so sweet. Yeah, it's you never know like what creative spark you have that's gonna inspire somebody else. So I tell that story to say, like, way to go.

SPEAKER_01 15:20

Yeah, thanks for sharing that. Yeah, absolutely. Well, so the first time I actually ever did the positive affirmation jar thing um was prior to Lucing the Love Letters ever existing. Um, at the time, I had a lot of fiddle students. I was teaching beginners, like three, four, or five-year-olds. Um, and I took them all to a fiddle contest just to get some performance experience. I was like, it's a competition, but everyone just needs to perform, just do your best, just have fun. And I had a little arts and crafts table for them to hang out during the day if they needed like a home base. And we had uh positive affirmations. I was like, why don't you go pass some of these out? And they start passing them out to people. And I'm watching, I mean, people are just so touched just by positivity and kindness, you know. And of course, there's these adorable little kids holding toy-sized violins. That obviously helps the happiness and joy. But it's just so nice, like to watch people genuinely react and say, like, wow, I really needed that. Yeah, and you can tell that they truly feel that way, that they're not, you know, I don't know when the last time, you never know when the last time someone was told that like they really matter, you know, and that you know, we're really happy that you're here. And so it's we always try to share that. Yeah. Thanks for sharing that. That's really cool.

SPEAKER_00 16:29

Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so tell me in your experience so far, I know you said you just started the LLC, but and one thing that um gets confusing sometimes is that people don't always realize that just because you don't have an LLC established or filed with the Secretary of State, if you are creating money, creating revenue, um, and you are presenting yourself as some sort of an entity, in your case, it would be as a band or a a musician, um, you have a business, even if it isn't a registered business with the secretary of state. So in your business experience to this point, has there been any particular part of the business that's been most challenging for you?

The Overwhelm Of Wearing Every Hat

SPEAKER_01 17:11

Oh my gosh. Um, I honestly do not know where to start. There I had amidst starting my own band, I mean, I would say about six months ago, I had a moment of I don't know if I can do this. I genuinely do not know if I can do this. Um Yeah, we it's been really challenging. Um because all of a sudden, right? Like I said, I went from okay, someone needs fiddle for this gig. Oh, I know him, I've played with him. Oh, I already know all the songs, great. What date and time? I'm available, cool, see you then. Get paid, go to now I'm getting emails, not only emails for booking, can I do this date? Then it's um, hey, can you do my podcast? Then it's hey, um, we wanted to see if you'd be able to volunteer just you solo to come do this. Hey, uh, we're tops and Lex magazine. We'd like to have just you and another member, so not only countless booking things, but then people wanting to do brand collaborations. Um, hey, I have my own violin-related music company. Would you be willing to promote promote my stuff? And then it's, are you posting on social media every day? And then it's um coordinating what, eight people for a rehearsal? Oh my god. Who lots of them are married or have kids or day jobs, you know? Yeah. Um, to we moved as well. And you moved in the middle of all of this. Yes. Moved in the middle of it. Yes. And so all of a sudden, I mean, you're wearing, as you know, owning a business, 10 to 20 hats, and you're like, I need help. I need help. So desperately bad. You know, and then right then merch. Well, I don't design merch. Who can? We don't have money to do that. You know, just like all of these things that you realize you're wearing 50 different hats. And then when was the last time you wrote a song? Oh, when was the last time you keep doing that? Right. And so just honestly wearing all of the different hats and trying to still find time to do what I want to do, which is musical, you know. And so still trying to find the time amidst trying to keep gigs and things going to still sit and practice violin for myself, not to teach a lesson, to practice, um, to take a vocal lesson, you know, all these things, to write a new song. So to teach the song to my band, you know.

SPEAKER_00 19:34

So I'd just overwhelmed just think about it.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

Just the the variety of different hats that you have to wear that aren't musical.

SPEAKER_00 19:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:43

Really challenging.

SPEAKER_00 19:44

You said you had that moment you said like six months ago, or it was six months in? Probably about six months ago. Okay. So you had that moment and you realized I'm overwhelmed because I'm wearing all the hats. What was the easiest thing for you to say, I can delegate this part? How did you kind of figure out what's the first step out of the overwhelm?

Delegation And Systems That Actually Work

SPEAKER_01 20:05

So I think the first step, again, like you said, is delegation of tasks. Um I'm definitely someone, if you couldn't tell from that one show, I like things to be a very certain type of way. And I have very, very high standards. So I would at the end of the day rather take an extra hour to write out a musical chart for one of my songs versus have someone else do it and have to correct it or fix it. Um I would just rather do it because I know it's going to be correct. But what I started doing is our drummer, who's actually my partner, I had him um make a Google sheet. And that was a game changer. It had all of our songs, all the keys, um, who starts on what instrument. Just it made it absolutely foolproof. He organized all of our music, the covers and originals, into a folder so that, okay, I need a guitar player for this gig. Here's the folder. Here's everything you need to know. So he made like a full set list of all of our files of recordings, of rehearsals, sheet music. And so then it wasn't always someone showing up, oh, do you have music for that? No, you already have it. You have it. It's in your email. I promise you have it. So just some of the organizational and kind of uh what would you call it, like kind of office type stuff really was helpful to let go of.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

That's amazing. I didn't even think about all of the systems and processes it would take to manage all of those moving parts.

SPEAKER_01 21:27

Yes. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 21:31

Yeah. Okay, so you were able to kind of get some uh some assistance, some help, support for the systems and processes on that end. Has there been anything else that you were like, okay, now it's time to let go of the next thing? Or is that really kind of where you are right now? It's like, okay, we're managing this.

Manager Support Contracts And Royalties

SPEAKER_01 21:52

So um we're actually in a really, really amazing place right now. We um we have a manager as of recently, Jonathan Powers. Um, and really what that means, it it means something slightly different for every artist and musician. But um another big part of our responsibilities I didn't even think about was uh contract writing and distributing contracts for gigs. So, like if someone wants me to play their wedding, that's a completely different contract than like a tops and legs thing, right? Right. I need to know um how many bridesmaids, is there a grandma, like any special ceremonies, like a unity candle? And so I was I've just been doing all of that writing and everything all myself. Oh my god. Um just via doing research and seeing what other people are doing. That's I mean, it's really all you can do other than hiring again an attorney or someone to write it for you. Um, but I mean, I'm so new with my band, we're really just trying to save money any any way we can. So I took on all the contract writing. Um, and now with our manager, he is handling basically all relations. Um, so all booking, all contracts, um, negotiating contract fees. And then really what I'm doing is showing up. It's see it's almost full circle. I'm now back in the place where, okay, I have a podcast at three. That means I need to be home at this time, make sure I'm dressed and ready. But it's already in my calendar. Yeah. Um, and I'm able to say, okay, I can confirm this gig that he already has all the details for. And now I can call. I know it's a trio, so I can call two other bandmates and see if can they do it? And that's easy. That's super easy. Yeah. So it's basically cutting my responsibilities, I'd say, by 75%. That's incredible. Amazing.

SPEAKER_00 23:36

Yeah. So as you are doing this, are you working with? I'm sorry, did you tell us the name of your partner?

SPEAKER_01 23:44

Um, so our drummer is Brian. Brian Keith.

SPEAKER_00 23:47

Brian. Um are you working with Brian and with Jonathan to like formalize any of these processes, like systems and documents and things like that, so that, you know, if one of them needs to release some of their responsibilities, there's a way for people to step in.

SPEAKER_01 24:02

Sure. Yes, definitely. So that's a nice thing about the contracts is that really, because I'm familiar with the language, once I have a contract for this gig, if there's somebody else that wants to hire us, I can look at the contract, change the specifics, you know, dates, times, how many people. Um, super easy. And so now we we basically have an outline and basis of everything that's so easily just adjusted based on the circumstance. So that's been a huge blessing. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 24:30

Oh, I love that for you. I love also that it doesn't seem like it took you long to make those adjustments. Like you realized, hey, I need help. I'm feeling overwhelmed. And within six months, you're like, I've got solutions now.

SPEAKER_01 24:42

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_00 24:43

You know, things are looking up. Um, and I'm sure that that expands your capacity uh creatively to be able to get those lessons and to be able to sit down and write songs and things like that.

SPEAKER_01 24:53

Yeah, I think I'm I'm still kind of getting back to that point. I've definitely been in a big songwriting block, um, just amidst kind of finalizing all of these kind of behind-the-scenes business things that all kind of need to happen at once. Like you make an LLC and now you register for a website called Sound Exchange that makes sure you get you get royalties for your songs when they're played. And so just making all these accounts, kind of lots of like the office type things, um, have been taking up a lot of brain space, but we're almost done with them. So I know that I'm going to be entering a new season of a lot more creativity.

SPEAKER_00 25:26

That's awesome. Well, I really look forward to that for sure as a consumer of the goods that you produce. Thank you. Me too. Yeah.

Creating A Genre Bending Sound

SPEAKER_00 25:34

So I want to switch gears just a little bit. I feel like we've touched a lot on the business side of things, which is really helpful for so many people. And I know that there are so many creatives here in Lexington, whether it's visual arts or music, um, you know, the art scene here in Lexington is thriving, which I love. And I think is one of the reasons that I got drawn to Lexington. But I want to ask a little bit more about your creative journey and like getting to the decision to start your own band. You told us about the conversation with your mentor who was like, you know, are you gonna be on the side forever? What what type of um conversations were you having with yourself in that moment? Were you feeling pretty certain like I can do this, or kind of what did that feel like to you in that moment?

SPEAKER_01 26:24

Um I think I was feeling a lot of fear. Like I was I was really hesitant, I was really nervous. Um I mean, I've I've spent a lot of time feeling that I have what it takes. You know, I was like, yeah, I could, you know, I could I could start a band, but like thinking about lots of the logistics and the steps it would take to get there. And then this whole idea of well I've really only played my songs alone with a guitar. Like I don't really know what my sounds sound or my songs sound like rather. And so, you know, what what genre am I? That's the biggest question we get all the time. What genre, what genre, what genre? And we're really, really trying to break away from that. We are all genres. But um, you know, what kind of instruments do I want in my band? I knew that I didn't want to have a traditional folk style band. I knew that wasn't what I wanted to do, but those were kind of the environments I'd spent most of my career life around.

SPEAKER_00 27:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:24

And so trying to kind of pivot from there and be like, wow, I think I want a saxophone in my band. Yeah. So just some of those things were were challenging and exciting. And I think it was just a process of really just trying out different sounds and unfortunately liking all of them. And so there were no wrong answers. And I think that's the important thing to note about kind of just diving deeper into your creative self is that there aren't, there aren't always just one answer for everything. You know, there's there's lots. There's lots of answers.

SPEAKER_00 27:56

Um my mind is like so blown right now to think that you took your songs from like you and a guitar and have evolved them into the sound that I've heard, you know, at a couple of shows that I've seen you with a band, because it is like you said, there isn't a wrong answer. There are so many sounds. It's such a full experience. And I was telling somebody about meeting you and going to your show, and they were like, oh, what kind of music is it? And I was like, I don't know how to answer that.

SPEAKER_03 28:26

Yay!

SPEAKER_00 28:26

No, how to describe it. It's like a little bluesy and jazzy and folky and Americana, and I don't know. Yay! It's all of the things. Well, I'm glad to know that that's what you were going for because you've nailed that.

SPEAKER_01 28:39

Well, there's there's actually a really a core memory I have of a rehearsal, one of the very first rehearsals I ever had with a band. And I brought them the song actually that we played at the Lexington Music Awards, Almost Feels Like Home. And I was like, listen, I know what this sounds like. I I can already hear what it might sound like with a band. I'm not gonna tell you that. I want you to listen to this and I want you to play the opposite of what you think you should play. Do something just crazy. And then we ended up with a bossa nova. That was how that song happened. Wow. Isn't that funny?

SPEAKER_00 29:14

That is crazy. Yeah, listening to you um give direction and like creative ideas with your band members uh at that show that night was listen, my only experience with music came from like high school band, right? I played the the Maremba in high school band. So I'm like, I thought I was a musician, you know? You are. You are I was listening to the way that I mean, it was so clear that you were hearing something different in your mind that you wanted to hear with your ear. Does that make sense? Like I could tell that you were like, oh, we're so close, we're on to something. I need you to tweak this one little part. It was amazing. I was enthralled. So is that how your creative process works for all of your songs? You just kind of start and like people jump in and then you give a little direction. Yeah.

Letting Each Musician Play Themselves

SPEAKER_01 30:04

Um, I honestly I try to give as little direction as possible. Um a big thing that we really that's a big value and core kind of um motive and intention with our band is that we want musicians to come as they are and offer what they have to offer. Um, so we don't want that's why that's and that's such a cool thing about having a rotating cast of members, and or I say a cast. Um, it's very theatrical. Um and so we don't want to have, okay, so Devin, our guitar player, can't make it this week. We don't want James to come and play like Devin. We want James to come and play like James.

SPEAKER_03 30:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:44

Um, and so that's what we've had a really, honestly, a really fun time doing is hearing each song sound differently almost every time we do it. Um and so that's been really exciting and really fun. It's that some it can feel like when you come to our shows that you're hearing these songs for the first time at every show because they're almost always different. Um, you know, we it's it's kind of we had this moment in the studio recording that song when um I had showed a guitar player this solo that someone had played. I was like, if you could play that in the recording, I think, I don't know. I normally wouldn't say that, but I think it does fit the song really well. And he's like, great. And it's just so interesting hearing it back. You're like, wow, it's not his style. Even when he's playing every single note correctly, he's perfect. He's one of, he's maybe the best guitar player I've met in my life. You can just tell he's sacrificing part of himself to play that. And I was like, that's not it. I want you to play something, just play from your heart, you know?

SPEAKER_00 31:38

Oh, wow.

SPEAKER_01 31:38

And so just just finding people that and allowing them to the freedom to do that, I think really shines through in our music.

SPEAKER_00 31:46

I love that so much. Wow. Okay, I've got a couple questions for you, and then we'll wrap up because I know that you have so many things to do in your life.

Favorite Songs Upcoming Shows

SPEAKER_00 31:55

You're good. Um, okay, I want to know specifically, and if you don't want this to be a part of the episodes, I'll totally cut it out. But do you have a favorite song that is kind of in your rotation right now that you're playing a lot of at shows?

SPEAKER_01 32:08

Um, original or cover? Original. Oh, let me have one of both. Ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, the cover would probably be Didn't You Know by Erika Badu. Okay. That's probably one of just in general, one of my favorite artists, one of my favorite songs. Um, and there's actually an original I'd really like to get back to um that we haven't for a while. I'm not sure that you've heard it, but it's a song called Eleanor. Um, and it's got a really pretty lead piano part. And so um, we're really looking forward to connecting with a pianist that's able to join us here soon so we can bring that back into the rotation.

SPEAKER_00 32:42

Oh, I love that. Yeah. Okay, so then my next questions are are there any um shows that you have on the calendar in the next couple of weeks or months that you're looking forward to or that we might be able to come see you at?

SPEAKER_01 32:56

Yes. Let me pull up my calendar. Um, so I know that I'm playing at Boondogs on the 30th of May, Saturday the 30th. I think probably six to nine, um, or six to eight, maybe something along that. And then tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00 33:11

Yeah, go ahead. I was gonna say if if I can get this episode out before the 30th, which I hope I can. Yeah. Um I'm gonna bring this full circle and then tell us more about your shows. Yeah, absolutely. The whole reason that you and I are on this podcast and that I connected with you is because I was hoping to find some local artists and musicians to donate to the Lexington with the day or Dancing with the Lexington Stars campaign. And so I got in touch with you on social media and you were like, sounds great. Let me connect you to my manager because you're delegating like a boss. Yeah. Um, but so you've you've donated to my Dancing with the Lexington Stars campaign, which is most of you guys probably know by this point, is a fundraiser for the Rotary Club. The event is on May 30th, the actual dancing competition. Wow. So you'll be there in spirit with me. I'll be at your show at Blue Dogs in Spirit with you. But if anybody who's been supporting the campaign wants to go listen to Lucy and support her that night, you guys can pull up the streaming competition and vote for me while you're listening to Lucy. So that's my plug for dancing at the start.

SPEAKER_01 34:18

I love that it's on the same day. We'll definitely be thinking about you. That's fine. Oh, same, same. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:23

Okay, so uh other shows past the 30th. I'm sorry, I interrupted.

SPEAKER_01 34:26

No, not at all. Please, please. Um, so tomorrow I'm actually playing fiddle with a young lady named Emma Handsman at Hounds at Houndfest. Oh, nice! Yeah, so I think what's gonna be really fun. I want to say 145. Okay, great. Um, and then let's see. We've got, I think we've got some things coming for June. Um, but one confirmed is Porch Fest on June 7th at 7 p.m. So stay in touch with us on social media and we'll post the location and things like that. So it's gonna be really fun.

SPEAKER_00 34:58

Amazing. I'm so looking forward to Porch Fest this year. Last year, um I thought I was gonna go, and then Ben Lacey was playing on the Camel Club porch and I couldn't peel myself away. I ended up spending almost the entire time just listening to Ben Lacey play.

SPEAKER_01 35:14

A hundred percent. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 35:16

So okay, so we'll make sure to link all of your social media channels, website, all of that in the show notes and also on social when we post the um the episode. But I cannot tell you how grateful I am, both that you supported me in Dancing with the Stars, even though I was just some wacko stranger on the internet reaching out to you. And also that you took the time out of your day to record this podcast with me. I think it's so valuable that we um are able to make the connection between all entrepreneurs, especially women entrepreneurs. It's not easy out there for us sometimes. And it's easy for us to think that like there are, you know, um uh walls between different industries and uh different ages and all of the things. And when we really get down to it, like we're all having the same feelings, we're all dealing with the same struggles, we're all trying to figure out how to wear all those hats and how like what's the first step to delegation and all of that. So hearing your journey and your experience is very valuable for all of us, and I really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 36:15

Yeah, thank you so much. And um, it's been really nice talking to you. And just like you said, I think in this time and more than ever, just realizing that we're all just a lot more similar than we are different, I think is really important and valuable.

SPEAKER_00 36:27

Absolutely. Well, Lucy, it has been just a major joy, and I look forward to continuing to follow Lucy and the Love Letters and your other ventures. So thank you so much, and we will talk to all of you guys later. All right, thanks, Michelle.

SPEAKER_01 36:41

Have a great day.

Thanks Community And Wrap Up

SPEAKER_00 36:43

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