Neil Salsich & The Mighty Pines shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Neil & The Mighty, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Exciting and unpredictable! ‘m traveling in Portugal right now 🙂
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Neil Salsich! Singer/guitarist with The Mighty Pines. We are a rock and roll band (some say folk rock, say bluegrass rock) out of St. Louis. We’re knee deep in preparing for the fourth annual Pines Fest (October 18th at Atomic) and prepping the release of a brand new live album, followed next year by a new studio album. Exciting (and exhausting) times!
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
I’ve been profoundly influenced over the last few years by the Sunday e-newsletter from Farnam Street. Look it up and subscribe! You can thank me later 🙂 It has soothed my anxious and overwhelmed mind and grounded me in the practice of consistency. Also, I guess I’ve gotta say, Jon Kabat-Zinn’s book “Wherever You Are, There You Go.” It introduced me to the ideas/practices/ways of mindfulness and mediation. These things have profoundly influenced my life and therefore my work–especially when it feels stressful.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Put down your phone and pick up your instrument!
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Not necessarily. I wouldn’t say that the public version of me isn’t real, but it’s curated and edited. Right? Isn’t that true for most of us? I struggle with the obligations I feel to display my life online in order to promote my/our brand and music. It’s a strange and sticky space that I’m still not sure how to navigate.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Yeah, I believe so. I was born to do this. To sing, to create, to write, to perform, to travel, to study. In other words, to be a musician.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/themightypines
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/themightypines
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@themightypines1988
Image Credits
Trells Eye Photography
