Today we’d like to introduce you to Tate Gifford.
Hi Tate, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
As a musician, I have always been a big believer in how art speaks to the soul. For myself, in many ways, music & the arts have been a huge lifesaver for me, being immersed in it ever since I was a little kid to the present day as a singer and a guitarist for over 7-10 years. A lot of my family was and still is involved in the arts. Whether it is painting & drawing, dance, and the biggest one being music. I do know there have been and continue to be multiple turning points in my life that have affected my overall journey as a musician.
I didn’t really begin to grasp that I wanted to be a musician until I was asked back in my 7th-grade year to play guitar, to help teach it to 4th graders. And this was the first turning point for me, which I really have to give credit to my brother Seth, and my amazing teacher at the time Mrs. Ahlborn for really inspiring me in getting started.
Everything else just kind of continued to skyrocket from there, as I was able to pick up guitar a bit faster; I was eager to learn more.
I wrote songs as I got started, and continued to write over the years throughout high school, (many of which will never see the light of day). I wrote and played my first love song for this one girl I liked at one point and wrote many more for different people over time (they weren’t all love songs of course).
And in my time through school, I witnessed many things related to mental health, had to help many, and also dealt with my own issues as anyone else.
These things became a big driver in the songs that I write. I always aim to have them tell a story or a message from my own genuine experiences that people can connect and relate with. It is always so touching to me when I’ve had individuals come up to me, sometimes in tears and tell me that they needed to hear the message that I played that day. I couldn’t care less about the fame, money, or recognition. I care more about the power of serving others and spreading love, and kindness in this world that can be so dark at times. Overall it is the people I meet every day, and the experiences I have had so far that have gotten me to where I am at today. And I will keep on pushing forward.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Just as anyone, I have dealt with many heartbreaks & heartaches, shortcomings of myself or others in the past who have not been a good influence on me. Overall, these experiences, relationships, mental health, whether it has been toxic, or just simply bad, have been hard for me over this time. Though, I look at the journey as it is a part of being human.
I have been knocked down and trampled so many times in my life, had kindness taken advantage of, even had different points with my mental health where I wanted to end my own life. But one of the biggest of many reasons why I am still getting up, moving forward, & am alive to this day, is because I have learned that I can make an impact for good in someone’s life. There are endless and countless opportunities that could arrive at any moment. I got comfortable with being uncomfortable. I learned to enjoy the journey before the destination, overall beginning with the end in mind.
I have gotten this far, and still have a long way to go, but I know that I will achieve what I put my mind to.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am 19 years old, I’ve graduated high school now, done a little bit of college, and I’m a singer/songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist. I write and compose my own songs, as well as do different covers of songs. I also specialize in believing in the goodness of others, no matter who they are. And I try my best to apply that in my music, performances, and just about anything in my life. From what I have been told, I’m really most known for my ability of being able to connect with people, and help them really feel like they can be their full and complete selves around me.
What really sets me apart, at least from what I have been told that it is cool how I know where I aim to be in life & who I want to be.
I am really most proud of how far I have already been able to come, but I can’t even take all the credit for it, as it has really been others who have helped push me forward and inspire me through everything.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
To be honest, I really don’t know. I really would say that it would be that some don’t know that I really enjoy acting a lot; for musical theater, theater, movies, voice acting, narrating, etc. The one I’ve done the most of would be theater.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/giffordtatemusic
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tate_gifford/
Image Credits
Tate’s brothers
Michel | @lonejalapeno
