Julie Livingston – Top Ten Finalist
2016 Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Contest
Music, for some people, is profoundly more than mere entertainment. It’s therapeutic, healing and helps you find faith when you feel as if there is none left. Julie Livingston found there is more to music than just accompaniment and lyrics. In fact, Julie would rather sit at the piano and play for an hour than get a massage. Music and songwriting is her therapy, and she hopes to help others find their strength with her words and lyrics.
Exposed to music at an early age, taking classical piano lessons and listening to anything and everything on the radio, Julie didn’t truly explore her passion of songwriting until she was settled down and married. In college, she would write poetry with piano accompaniment but felt she didn’t have anything meaningful to say. Now she writes songs about love, loss, relationships, faith and, above all, healing.
Julie often draws inspiration from poetry and her love of piano as well as performers like Billy Joel, Elton John, Cat Stevens and the sounds of 60’s and 70’s folk rock artists. She finally took the stage at Banter in Denton, TX for an open mic night with her friend Kathy, unknowingly forming Wise Ruby, a band she describes as very Avett Brothers. Named after her wise grandmother Ruby, Julie and Kathy regularly took the stage at Banter to sing original pieces.
“Banter gave us our home, our start, our everything.” – Julie Livingston
While her own sound away from Wise Ruby is more Sarah McLachlan and Dido, Julie has found not having a genre is best for her. Performing at the Live in the Vineyard festival in Napa Valley, California led to her song “Love” being featured in the “Vampire Diaries” season finale promo trailer. As she says, “I’m this super square, stay-at-home mom, and I have all these teenagers liking our songs and our Facebook Page!”
In 2014, Wise Ruby produced their first EP containing what they considered the top five of 50 original songs Julie had written, including the single “Pioneers.” When she learned she was a finalist in the Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival, she was over the moon.
“I was floored and honored to compete and perform. I entered last minute, but I didn’t have a basic recording, so I sent in four songs including “Cracks” and “Pioneers.” I was blown away when I got the email I was in the top 10. I’m feeling unworthy against the other artists.”
Julie has no plans on leaving her family any time soon to tour. “I love the process of writing music, but I’m a mom, I’m a wife, I’m not going to go on tour.” Her big picture plan is to be able to collaborate with other artists and have them take her songs and make them bigger. Songwriting is her passion, but her family is her career. More information about Julie Livingston is available here: https://www.reverbnation.com/wiseruby including all her songs and show dates.
The award-winning Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Contest encourages the growth of the art of independent performing singer-songwriters. The genres include Acoustic, Americana, Bluegrass, Blues, Celtic, Country, and Folk music. The Singer Songwriter Stage is located inside the Bank of America Theatre in the Eisemann Center for Performing Arts. The 2016 Top Ten Finalists will compete for cash prizes on Saturday, May 21st at 11:30 a.m. More information about the finalists and contest are available on the website: https://wildflowerfestival.com/songwriter-contest/
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“JULIE LIVINGSTON – Music Helps Find Faith” written and contributed by guest blogger Christina Kennedy for Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival. #WAMFest2016