Not usually do schools get to call one of their own an award-winning music artist, but Grace Scott, with the Grace Scott Band, has made an impression with the town and school.
The Josie Music Awards, which was established in 2015, celebrated its 9th annual awards in the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee. According to the Josie Music Awards website, the awards show is the largest, most respected, revered awards and prestigious events association in the independent music industry.
One of the awards that an independent music artist can win is the Traditional Country Music Song of the Year Co-Writer. Scott and her husband, Wes Scott, won this award together for their song “Flowers.” Scott said that she had no idea that the first time she would be on the Grand Ole Opry stage would be to accept an award.
“The fact that my husband and I were co-nominated was an incredible moment for both of us,” Scott said. “When they called our names and started playing our song in the Grand Ole Opry, it was a surreal experience. I grew up watching award shows on the Opry and dreamed of one day setting foot on that stage.”
Being an award-winning music artist, mother, wife and teacher takes effort. Scott has to balance these pillars with calendars and the support of her husband.
“Music feeds my soul and gives me energy to power through when I have late-night shows and not much sleep,” Scott said. “My husband is very supportive, and we work hard to make sure our kids always have a parent at their activities. There are a lot of hours that go into playing shows—rehearsal time, travel time, tech time—but we strive for a healthy balance.”
Creating an award-winning song is taxing, but Scott and her husband have worked hard to make their dream a reality.
“I am so proud of the song ‘Flowers,’” Scott said. “My husband had the lyric idea, and he gave me a verse, chorus and bridge, and then I was able to write the melody. Once we had the core of the song, I was able to write the second verse. I was raised on traditional country, and I had a very clear vision for the song from the beginning.”
The song “Flowers” centers around a strong female narrator who finally stands up for herself. Scott said that she began the recording process with producer and musician Dave Elwert in Colombus, Indiana.
“Dave brought in an incredible team of artists to record the instrumental side of ‘Flowers’ and truly captured the essence of the song,” Scott said. “The recording process was such an enjoyable journey from start to finish.”
From being a small-town teacher to a nationally recognized musician, Scott has found motivation to encourage students to follow their dreams.
“I am so grateful to everyone who streams our music and follows the band,” Scott said. “I still can’t believe we have achieved the success we have. I want to encourage the students of LHS to never give up on their dreams. Hard work, perseverance and dedication pay off.”
