Daily Inspiration: Meet Christy Fisher

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Fisher.

Hi Christy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have had two “stories” …both have been intertwined. I have been a fashion designer as well as a musician for over 50 years.
I have won awards in both fields . I have now retired from the fashion industry and am focusing on music full time.
Here is “short version” :
It all started by being the “Seamstress for the Band”.

..from Zappa to Zevon.. from Clapton to Hendrix to the local bar bands.. I was the girl with the sewing machine..who sang while she worked 🙂

I have always had one foot in the music business- while creating clothing for other musicians and at the same time I was doing background vocals on many of their albums,

I had a 45 out in the 70’s for the musical production “Jesus Christ Superstar” . The single was “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” . It landed me a contract and a slot on Merv Griffin ..but they wanted to “make me over” and I “wouldn’t wear that @#%* blue chiffon dress and tease my hair” …so….I ripped the recording contract, left the biz, and went into clothing design …for awhile ; )

Being the “chick singer” in many bar bands., I have performed and done road touring and worked the “loop”: the ski resort circuit, the winery circuit, and playing every type of venue from the street to the big stage at a major pop festival (Miami 1968 – while I was still in high school … yep.. I was the hippie kid : )

So…here I am – still that 15 year old hippie kid-with a clothing line that I sold through boutiques and galleries across the US and Canada …..and now I am finally back in the music business recording my own songs and touring, …

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth road ? Heck no.
Patriarchy is real ..still ..especially in the music business .
I realized that at a young age (you can read that story about them trying to “make me over” for the Merv Griffin Show in my answer to your previous question)
…..
The music business is slowly being more accepting on the “playing field” , but we still have a long way to go.
Much of the “business” is not actually about the “music” ….it’s about the “packaging- not the product “ …
….which is why we see a lot of “shiny celebrities” whose music is pretty bland , boring , and sounding the same .
…and with AI coming into play , not only the songs are being computer generated , but the actual “celebrity” doesn’t even exist , as the “image, photos, and story “ are also computer generated.
It is another “art form” in the “entertainment industry” , but one that takes a big cut if the financial pie for actual human songwriters.
Digital streaming of music pays hardly anything and people don’t spend money on albums, CDs,like they once did. (most people don’t even have cd players in their cars annymore)
So the digital streaming of music has been both a blessing (because any artist can upload and get global exposure ) and a curse (because the actual streams don’t pay even a penny for each stream)

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a “one girl band” . I play multiple instruments, and do studio recording as well as live performances. I have been songwriting for over 50 years. My 2022 album “Mixed Signals” won an “album of the year “ award from the International Singer and Songwriters Association . I flew to Atlanta, walked a red carpet, and came home with a crystal statue …it was a “Grammy style moment” and was definitely something to be proud of. The album was all original material .

What sets me apart from others when I perform:
Most of us musicians make a living doing songs by other artists (cover songs) ….and we pop in our originals as we go..
I have a recording studio in my home and I play multiple instruments…..so I create and lay down “tracks” of drums, bass , keyboard , etc. and use those as I play live guitar and vocals ..so I sound like a “full band” ….and I don’t use “canned tracks”…
This way, I can not only do my own original songs , but I can also rearrange popular songs from other artists ….so I , for instance, can mashup a song by Prince along with one from the Eurythmics and put my own spin on it ….so people will still recognize the song, but it will have its own unique flavor.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I’ve been pretty much on my own through most of my journey….observing others in the industry .
My biggest cheerleaders through life were always my parents ..I was raised well..taught how to be an independent human being ….and they always said “girls can choose to be anything they want to be ..just like boys can “
Other great cheerleaders have been the audience and people I meet through doing shows. I appreciate every one of them.
On the album that won the big award, I worked with an audio engineer named Mark Gifford who coengineered and coproduced , having fun bringing in a few outside musicians for various tracks …so thank you, Mark !

I also have to thank every band member in every band I’ve ever played in …….even the drunk drummers, egotistical lead guitar players , and the bass players who never learned their parts 😂….sometimes you learn the best lessons by figuring out what “you don’t want “

Also …must thank EVERY venue owner who supports live music ….

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.christyfishermusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/christyfishermusic
• Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/christyfishermusic
• Youtube: https://www.YouTube.com/@christyfishermusic

Image Credits
Images by Christy Fisher