Meet Liv Greene | Songwriter, Guitarist, Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Liv Greene and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Liv, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve known music would be a big part of my life since pretty early on- possibly as early as age 12 when I first picked up the guitar and started writing. But I’d say a career in music didn’t seem tangible to me until I went to my first “fiddle camp” in high school. It was there that I first met real-life working musicians who helped me to realize that, while it’s certainly not easy, it’s possible to not be a superstar-household-name and still support yourself with your art. (these people included some amazing Nashville musicians like Kai Welch, Kristin Andreassen, and Michaela Anne- (side-note, Michaela’s podcast “The Other 22 Hours” is a must listen for more on that delicate dance)

My “why” for pursuit of this career path has been ever-changing, and at times can be hard to find with how fraught the intersection of art and commerce is. But I’d say, being an artist, to me, feels like a constant dedication to self-discovery, to following my internal compass, and the more I feed that the more it feeds me, and hopefully others, in return.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
These days “artist” tends to resonate with me the most as a creative professional– there’s something really empowering about an umbrella term. But within that, I wear many hats: singer, guitarist, and songwriter being my oldest, but also producer, sideman (electric guitar, harmonies, and banjo), educator (I love teaching voice, and songwriting- both online and in person!), and activist (and of course the not-so-fun hats of publicist and booking agent that I often wear as an independent artist).

I’d say it’s taken me a lot of hard work and dedication to get to the point of musical freedom and exploration I’m at now- with one of my hardest obstacles being that I was raised, socialized, as a girl. In college, I attended a prestigious conservatory where I was one of the only women in my program, and I was often the only female instrumentalist in my jazz ensembles, ear training classes, etc. This was terrifying, much of the time, because even though I was technically a part of the program like everyone else, I felt crippled by imposter syndrome, terrified to take risks, ask questions, and mess up, due in large part to the utter lack of women in faculty, in the canon, and in the student body. I have countless horror stories about male teachers sexualizing women musicians in front of me, implying “women are just born naturally good singers” (discounting the hard work women singers do to hone our craft on our INSTRUMENTS), and repeatedly skipping me for solos– one time even taking my own guitar out of my hands (without consent) to hand to a boy in the class who had arrived late, without his instrument, so he could take a solo.

I am far from perfect in the hats that I wear- producer being the newest one- but I think one of the biggest obstacles I’ve had to overcome was thinking that I needed to be perfect at something to do it publicly or professionally. Perfection is impossible!! and how else will I improve as a guitarist, singer, producer, banjo player, (etc etc!) if I say no to anyone who asks me to play in their band or produce their project on account of lack of experience. I say do it if you want to. Do it badly!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend were visiting I would probably want to show them the sweetness of my slice of life here in East Nashville- so these are pretty much all East spots. I’ll frame it in terms of movement, eats, shops, community, and nightlife.

movement: either a hike at Radnor lake, a bike or rollerskate/blade at Shelby Bottoms, or a yoga class at Hot Yoga of East Nashville. see nightlife for DANCING options <3

eats: I’m a vegetarian so Be-Hive Vegan Deli is a fave for casual dining (I’m also a weekly participant in the Wednesday $5 vegan Crunchwraps (Taco Bell style)- they are EPIC) For fancier bites– we’d either walk to Graze or Cafe Roze, or mozey up to 5 points to dine at Margot. All three are incredible woman owned restaurants. 10/10 atmosphere, food, vibes. Oh, and FOLK is quite magical!

shops: the shoppes at Fatherland– Ellie Monsters, Gift Horse, Rusty Rats vintage. Also down the street you have Hip Zipper, and Thunder Moon Collective. On E Trinity, Grimey’s (magical record store) and Anaconda Vintage are dreamy!! I also love a stroll through the massive-Walgreens-turned-antique mall: East Nashville Antiques and Vintage. And on weekends, (check their IG for specific hours), Live True Vintage in Old Hickory is pure magic.

community: we’d definitely check out a friends show at either Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge, the 5 spot, the East Room, The Basement, Vinyl Tap, or the Bowery Vault (there are so many others I am probably forgetting). if they wanted a moment of stillness, I’d take them to a meditation at Wild Heart Meditation Center with me. If seeking queer community <3 I’d take them to a Queerfest or RNBW showcase, or to beloved lesbian bar, The Lipstick Lounge. Also, for coworking- I love the local library <3 (Inglewood, East, Madison locations) as well as a good coffee shop: Portland Brew, Ugly Mugs, All People Coffee, Dose, Madtown coffee (right next to the library!) etc.

nightlife: for DANCING- we could either boogie at the 5 spot for Motown Monday (highly recommend hitting Mule Monday at the Village Pub beforehand- can you tell I love a deal? ps. gotta love a cheap Uber- be smart Nashville!), OR we could 2-step at the American Legion Post 82’s Honky Tonk Tuesday. For KARAOKE and goofy dancing most other nights of the week, Fran’s Eastside (moody dive- beer only- on Dickerson) and Lipstick Lounge are the move. Some other bars I love include: Inglewood Lounge, Attaboy (for craft cocktail fans), Wilburn Street Tavern, and Honeytree Meadery and Bongo Java East for boardgames.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to fellow Nashvillian Kristin Andreassen, who co-founded the camp that most shaped me as a young teen. Kristin, along with epic fiddler/songstress Laura Cortese, has created such a beautiful multi-generational, diverse, and empowering community through Miles of Music Camp. Going there at such a formative time in my life, allowed me to see that as a woman in music I could grow up to do anything: shred, produce, write, organize, build community, etc, etc, etc.

Website: livgreene.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liv_greene_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livgreenemusic

Image Credits
PHOTO 1: via Ellie Jane Turner PHOTO 2: via Queerfest PHOTO 3: via Lacey Loofbourrow PHOTO 4: via Sarah Jarosz PHOTO 5: via Olivia Barton, side-manning it up in her band along with Jake Finch (drums), Max Helgemo (keys, guitars), and Corook (bass).