Meet Erin Quinn: Musician

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

Hi Erin, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
My advice is to not give up entirely, but to let it rest. Whatever it is that you may be doing, let it rest. If it’s a creative outlet, don’t put so much pressure on it. If it’s a new business idea, don’t be afraid to let it sit. I most definitely will get some critics on this mantra, but it’s something that I’ve had to learn and take time to understand. It doesn’t mean give up, it doesn’t mean to not give it your full effort, but to let it simmer sometimes. In my personal journey, this translates to my creative outlet in making music. I’ve had lots of moments where I was questioning myself and my abilities and if this was something I thought I could do. But instead, I let it rest. I sometimes went weeks without touching my guitar, or trying to come up with lyrics for a song. I think by giving it time to rest, I was able to let go of that pressure, and let go of the heavy weight that hangs over me sometimes as a creative.

And some of my favorite songs I’ve written have come after moments of rest. And to think that if I had given up entirely I would’ve never had the experience of writing some of my favorite pieces. So my advice is don’t give up entirely, but don’t be afraid to take a step back either. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
So I first started making music back in highschool. I was in a poetry class my Junior year, and fell in love. My peers and I actually started a poetry club at our highschool, and so every Wednesday I had a chance to express myself through my poetry. In turn I started teaching myself guitar, and started to create lyrics with the poems that I had written. It wasn’t until after highschool that I had played my first few shows, and actually started trying to make a name for myself in the music world. Years later, I’ve dealt with the ebb and flow of trying to book a show, releasing music, selling presages, etc. and it’s been difficult!! I’ve taken quite a step back from the pressure of trying to book shows because my work schedule was so inconsistent for years of working in the restaurant industry. Fast forward to 2020, I had a massive career change because of COVID, and now live shows aren’t a thing right now. So trying to navigate that has been a bummer too! I don’t have a large following for my music, so it’s mostly just friends that enjoy my music, and I’m totally okay with that. And that’s taken a while to get used to. I released a record of demos back in July of 2020 on my bandcamp, and now it’s on all streaming platforms. I had some hype for it because I had just started a YouTube channel, and I had two videos reach around 1K and for a little person like me that was huge! So I took that opportunity to plug my new record and it still didn’t do as well as I hoped. But the thing with writing and releasing music is it all takes time. And ultimately anyone who listens to my music is appreciated and it means a lot to me. Something I’ve learned is that the numbers and statistics don’t really matter, as long as that’s not what I’m doing it for.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I currently live in the DFW metroplex but spend most of my time around Fort Worth! Pre-pandemic I spend a lot of time out and about at restaurants and bars and all sorts of cool places. We’ll start with drinks. One of my favorite bars here locally, is Winchesters off of Throckmorton in downtown Fort Worth. The environment is super relaxed and you feel like you’re at a pub in Europe. Another to add is right around the corner, Thompson’s. It’s a modern day speak-easy with gorgeous handcrafted cocktails. On the weekends peep their Facebook page for the password for the underground speak-easy. Now, in terms of food, I have to preface and say that I am a vegan so all of these places have great options. Number 1 is Spiral Diner. There’s three locations throughout all of DFW, but the Fort Worth is the one I call home! An all vegan restaurant off of Magnolia Street in the Fairmount district is the perfect place for all things “diner food” but vegan! Burgers, sandwiches, AMAZING nachos, and milkshakes—all vegan!! I’ve been going here for years and can’t get enough. Number 2 would be Sikhay Thai and Lao food off of 28th street. It’s a ten minute drive up 35 north from downtown. My boyfriend and I are constantly craving this place. My personal favorite is the Drunken Noodles made vegan and add tofu and extra noodles with a coconut veggie soup on the side. Absolutely incredible food, and very nice people! Number 3 is Seven Mile. This is a brunch place with a few locations as well, but oh my golly. Delicious. They have a coffee bar where they make your lattes fresh and hot, mimosas, and the best vegan pancakes I’ve ever had. Aside from food and drinks, another favorite thing to do is thrift! There are lots of great thrift and antique shops around Fort Worth. One of my personal favorites is Doc’s Records & Vintage behind Montgomery Plaza off of Carroll Street and 7th. A huge record collection and lots of super cool vintage clothes, shoes, and memorabilia. My last favorite memorable thing to do in Fort Worth is visit the water gardens, south of the Convention Center. A concrete jungle infused with super neat water installations. A must see when you’re in Fort Worth!

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?
Without a doubt the recognition has to go to my parents. They built a foundation for everything that I do and they’ve always been the most supportive. From being a multi-team soccer player in highschool, to helping me get my first job, to helping me move out and live on my own, to being there financially when I was really struggling, to helping me go to a music production school. They’ve done SO much for me and have helped me get to where I am in life. I feel extremely fortunate and blessed to have the parents that I do. I also wanted to recognize my boyfriend for the endless support and faith he has in me. Anytime I have a new adventure he’s always encouraging me to go after it and does what he can to help make sure I achieve my goal. He’s been a backbone in my new music endeavors and for that I’m really thankful.

Instagram: Instagram.com/e__quinn
Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCeULxMCBKZDt3qr-DVOdI3w
Other: shortwavesroughseas.bandcamp.com

Image Credits
2nd picture-Corielle Wilson