MADDI | DREAMER | BLUE EYE, MO
I grew up in a tiny town in rural Missouri called Blue Eye. From a young age I loved music. I was constantly singing and imagining myself up on big stages in front of thousands of people. When I was 15, I performed a few songs with a live band and fell in love. I decided to teach myself how to play guitar. A few months, (and a lot of practice), later- I could play a few songs. I went to every open mic that would have me and sang my heart out. Being so young and inexperienced I was naive to how much work being a live musician is, but that didn’t stop me. A few of the venues that held the open mics gave me the opportunity to play my very own show. I was thrilled, but knew I had to learn a lot more material because live shows were anywhere from 2-4 hours long. I formed a duo act with a family friend and talented drummer-Dan Stricker. We performed every week, sometimes 4 shows a week while I was finishing high school and college. It was difficult to juggle school work, shows, and a part time job, but I loved music so much I kept at it. I finished college in 2017 and earned a bachelor’s degree in Entertainment Management.
Upon graduation I got the opportunity to work at the school district in my hometown. I come from a family of educators, and while I initially resisted the idea of becoming a teacher. This opportunity opened my eyes to how much I loved it. So while still playing live shows, I went back to school and got certified to teach. Currently I have been teaching for 5 years, and I love it. I will graduate with my master’s degree
this summer.
For the last 4 years I have been playing and writing music with my sister, Alli Butler. She has been pivotal in achieving the sound I’ve always wanted- the smoky, gritty, mountain music I love. We released our first album in the Fall of 2021. We are working on our second album right now, and I can’t wait to share it with the world.
While I love singing and teaching, I can’t ignore the biggest piece to my story - my family. My mom and dad have supported me in every way imaginable, and have always encouraged me to crush my goals. My husband keeps me focused and driven. He is my steady. My son is the best thing to ever happen to me. He is a constant reminder of love and I am forever grateful I am his mom.
I’ve learned many things on my journey, treat every show as if it’s the last one you’ll ever play. Don’t get discouraged by empty rooms or empty promises. Don’t let people try to put you in a box. Music and life have a lot of things in common - lots of highs and lots of lows, but the highs sure do outweigh all of the lows. I know I will always stay driven and humble. Always patient and thankful no matter what life throws my way. I will love big and stay stubborn.
So from a 15 year old hoping for the chance to sing a few songs at a bar in my town, to now, almost 12 years later about to embark on my very first tour- never stop dreaming and never stop working. - @maddiwarrenmusic
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☁️ DO NOT bleach
