Music is the longest companion I have ever known. I have always depended on it through the highs and lows that life has thrown my way, and I have been focusing on learning various instruments since I was very young, starting with piano at around age five…guitar came shortly after, and that sparked an endless journey of curiosity…I wanted to learn every instrument I could get my hands on.
I studied at CalArts in a multi-focused music program, mostly strengthening my composition, music theory, and arrangement skills, but I also took four years of Latin percussion and African drumming. The drumming, guitar studies, and world music classes I took at CalArts crept into my songwriting in a major way. I like to write accessible music with a few tricks tossed into the mix like odd meters, Latin grooves, and of course some classic roots and blues guitar stylings as well, which has been a HUGE influence on my music since I started playing guitar.
I have spent the past 15 years teaching private lessons (guitar, banjo, mandolin, drums, bass, keys, and songwriting), scoring for films, writing music for SYNC placements, and touring/recording my own music both solo and with my band Abby & The Myth.
My newest album is called Kisbee Ring. It will be coming out on November 12th, and I am very excited for you all to hear it! I played every instrument on the record (minus a few guest vocal/musical appearances: Mary Scholz, Ross Newhouse, and M’Gilvry Allen), and I mixed and produced the album as well.
The record Kisbee Ring is about urgency, reckoning, and repairing. Each song on the album takes a deep dive into topics such as depression, racial unrest/injustice, and the urgency of getting help while being in a dark place or “lost at sea.” Kisbee Ring is another word for Life Preserver, a metaphor that carries through the entire album.
Over the last year and a half, I went through a lot of changes, as most of us did…and I learned that the only person who can really save me is me. Making this album was the life preserver that I needed to get me through 2020.
Tell us a little about your musical background; how old were you when you started playing guitar, and what inspired your musical desire?
I started playing guitar when I was eight years old. I took private lessons, and the first thing I learned was how to play the blues scales, then we started learning Stevie Ray Vaughan, Chuck Berry, and B.B. King licks. I was obsessed with playing the blues.
My dad had a huge influence on me; even though he wasn’t a musician, he’s always been more of a music historian. He would play old blues, gospel, and jazz tracks when I was a kid. There was music on in the house constantly; I know that had an influence on me wanting to pursue music.
Where do you find the inspiration for your music?
I get a lot of inspiration when I am riding my bike. I do a lot of long-distance rides all over Los Angeles, and I find that I get a lot of ideas when I am moving around in nature. I also feel inspired watching my favorite bands perform. One of the most inspiring shows I have ever seen is when The Wood Brothers performed at The Largo. It was truly one of the most spiritual experiences I have ever had. I had tears in my eyes the entire time, and it made me want to up my game as a guitar player and songwriter.
What is your songwriting process?
I always start with the chords and melody first; I sit around mumbling gibberish to myself and recording ideas into my phone. Usually, I hear the entire production of a song while I am writing it. The lyrics have always been last, but I want to challenge myself and switch it up a bit.
What’s your go-to guitar for songwriting?
Hands down my Gibson Songwriter Deluxe. It is my better half.
Music to me is…
It is an endless language, it is therapy, it is soothing, you can always find it even when it is quiet, it is a way to connect with others, it is inspiring.
One of my favorite quotes is from a professor of mine from CalArts: “I quit being a painter because there weren’t enough colors, this is why I became a musician instead.” – Vinny Golia
Connect with Abby Posner
WEBSITE | Social media: @abbyposnermusic