WATCH // EXPLORE // CRAVE
Marked By Music A music fan since she was young, one of Heather Lynne’s biggest joys in life is sharing music. // B Y M E L I S S A P E T E R S O N
Photos by Steven Martin, stevenmartinphotos.com
“I
have been a huge music fan my whole life,” says Heather Lynne. “My parents always had music playing. My first musical memory is dancing in the living room with my momma to Janis Joplin and Carol King.” Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Heather Lynne has now called Ocala home for over 20 years. “The people, the miles of horses, the music scene here—it’s a special place,” she says. A singer/songwriter, Heather Lynne has several original songs I JUST WANTED TO BRING out on all forms of SOME LIGHT TO THE music streaming platforms. She wrote DARKNESS. I AM LUCKY and recorded the titles ENOUGH TO HAVE ANOTHER “You’ve Always Known,” “Headphones” and CAREER; HOWEVER, MANY “Shhh… Don’t Tell” MUSICIANS DO NOT. WE HAVE with Chris Ryals and together, and he is my Mixhouse Productions producer at Mixhouse SO MUCH AMAZING LOCAL and is working on Productions. It has TALENT HERE. I WAS JUST finishing up her album. been an amazing She also plays an journey for me.” FEELING DRIVEN TO FIND eclectic mix of cover While usually THEM A PLACE TO PLAY. music as well, with playing shows solo varieties including with just her acoustic country, rock and roll, ‘80s and ‘90s favorites, and guitar, Heather Lynne feels fortunate to now new and alternative music. have so many talented musician friends. “I enjoy all types of music,” says Heather “They show up and play with me a lot,” she Lynne. “There are so many artists that I love, but says. “It truly makes it so much fun. I appreciate my hands down favorite and most memorable each and every musician who takes the time to shows are Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. He play with me and help me grow musically.” just paints such a great story with his lyrics. As When the local bars and restaurants a songwriter, I appreciate a story in a song.” were closed due to COVID-19, Heather Lynne Although she’s always loved music and the livestreamed on Facebook weekly to stay in thought of performing, Heather Lynne didn’t touch with her fanbase. When the bars closed start learning the guitar until about six or seven for a second time this summer, she, along with years ago. Mixhouse Productions, helped organize an all“I am so very lucky to have Chris Ryals as day music festival at the Ocala Drive-In over my guitar instructor,” she says. “He helped Labor Day weekend that featured 11 acts. me achieve this lifelong goal of mine, and I “I just wanted to bring some light to the am grateful for that. He and I now write music darkness,” Heather Lynne says. “I am lucky
“
12
352PREVIEW.COM
enough to have another career; however, many musicians do not. We have so much amazing local talent here. I was just feeling driven to find them a place to play.” You can see Heather Lynne play in downtown Ocala at PI on Broadway on December 17 and on the downtown square on December 26. “One of my biggest joys in life is sharing music,” she says. “It’s hard to describe the feeling of creating music out of your poetry— your secret thoughts—and then to hear it come together in a song, a song that then gets sung back to you by your audience. To have your song connect with them in the same way I have always connected to other artists, well, that circle of music is pretty cool to me. For me, there is nothing like it.” Heather Lynne // See a full schedule of Heather Lynne’s upcoming shows at heatherlynnelovemusic.com or on Facebook at facebook/heatherlynnelovemusic. You can also follow her on Instagram at @heatherlynne_lovemusic.
