Meet Abbey Duncan | Singer-Songwriter

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

Hi Abbey, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I attribute a lot of my success so far to having an amazing support system. I am very lucky to have a group of family and friends that is so encouraging of my music. I have been playing music for 10 years, and they all still show up to my gigs whenever they can. They are constantly sharing my songs, buying merch, and supporting me in any way possible. I may be a one-woman show, but there are lots of people behind the scenes that make it possible for me to make music a career.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The music itself is what excites me! I am a performer, but I also love being a spectator and hope I never lose the feeling being at a live show gives me. Any time I am able to catch a show, I leave with a renewed sense of energy and determination to work even harder. I especially enjoy watching the people I’ve met through music succeed and grow, and I learn so much from watching others perfect their craft. Even though this business is often hard and disheartening, the Texas Country scene is full of encouraging people who support each other.

I think I became a songwriter because I have always been somewhat attentive to the things happening around me. Most of my songs are based on my own feelings and experiences or those of people in my life. I try to find ways to take common situations and put them into relatable words, and I’ve been told I have a unique way of expressing universal emotions in songs that make a lot of people feel heard,

An important lesson I have learned is that music is subjective and not everyone is going to like mine. As I’ve gotten older and done this longer, I have accepted this. I started playing music as a hobby, and though I am grateful it has turned into a career that I love, I am still doing it as a creative outlet for handling what life throws at me. I try to ignore negativity and make the music that makes me happy!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Even though I don’t live in Fort Worth, it is one of my favorite cities. I visit often and never miss a chance to hang out at The Stockyards. As a student of interior design and architecture, I love to have drinks at The Drover and soak in the atmosphere. The Kimball Art Museum also fascinates me because the whole building was built entirely of five materials.

Of course, you can always catch live music that is worth hearing at places like White Elephant and Filthy McNasty’s. When we are in town, my brother and I can often be found at the Basement Bar. And I recently played at the Magnolia Motor Lounge for the first time, and that was really special because I have enjoyed going there for a while.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mother, Melissa, has been a champion of my career from day one, and I honestly wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t have her. She was writing songs before I was born and introduced me to the craft. We started writing together when I was 12 as a way to pass time in the car. Ten years later, I still write most of my songs with her! We have a really special bond and our close relationship makes us good writing partners because we can be open with each other and are often thinking along the same lines. She has helped me chase any dream I have ever had, no matter how crazy it was!

Website: abbeyduncan.com

Instagram: abbeyduncanmusic

Twitter: aduncanofficial

Facebook: abbeyduncanmusic

Image Credits
Charlie Stout, Sam Choate