From Porch Dreams to Songwriting: Rose Calkins’ Second Act

BECKY BOYLAND: Welcome to Second Verse, the podcast where we explore the journeys of indie artists finding their second act in music. I'm Becky Boyland, singer songwriter, StoryBrand certified brand messaging expert and web developer. And like many of my guests, I've taken a winding path that's gone back and forth with music for many years, and now I'm passionate about helping other artists step into their own spotlight.

If you've ever felt the pull to return to your creative passion, or if you love hearing stories of artists who took the scenic route back to their dreams, you're in the right place. Today, I'm joined by Rose Calkins, a singer-songwriter, published author and artist who writes heartfelt, fun-loving, and inspirational music.

Rose's journey is filled with creativity, faith, and resilience. From early theater experiences and family music traditions to rediscovering her songwriting voice later in life, her story is a beautiful example of how the dream never really leaves us. It just waits for the right time. We talk about following creative callings, overcoming fear, and finding the courage to share your gifts with the world.

So grab a hot beverage, settle in, and let's dive into Rose's Second Verse.

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

BECKY BOYLAND: Welcome, Rose. I'm so excited that you're here. Welcome to Second Verse.

ROSE CALKINS: Thank you so much, Becky. It's an honor to be here and, share about the music journey. Thank you.

EARLY MUSICAL INFLUENCES

BECKY BOYLAND: It's gonna be so fun talking through your story because I really identify with, being a little kid and being so excited about music and having it carry with you through a long time in your life and then just have it sort of sitting on the shelf for a bit. Tell me about you getting started with music and what makes you now and made you then so passionate about it.

ROSE CALKINS: I think as a little girl, I just loved to sing. We had, a cat and made up songs, my parents, cultivated that. I remember, they got an old big huge, organ to learn how to play it. My sister learned guitar.

I'm like, no, I want to play the drums. They're like, cause the drums are loud. But I said, no, I'll sing. And I love to sing. Like, our school had so many plays. And so, from there, I just love music. there were choirs in middle school. it was a K through 8 school. So, middle, 5th grade, 8th grade. And then I was chosen for specific leads in singing because I just love to, you know, I just did and in church, you know, that's I think where I picked up the joy of singing and then in high school, I joined the choir and had different parts, solo parts. A friend of mine, Mike Sullivan, he has since passed, we started a basement neighborhood rock band.

It was in the eighties. I sang lead and he, he's the one who was instrumental in pulling it together. Just an encourager. So I sang with that. In college I was in the choir there. I always loved music, but I never thought, well, this is my major.

That kind of didn't happen till later. It was just an evolution of different experiences with life.

THEATER AND FAMILY LIFE

ROSE CALKINS: When I was first married, my husband and I, tried out for a local community theater. he did theater in high school. I didn't.

But The Sound of Music was, there were tryouts. And I'm like, I don't know, we were married a few months and I'm like, I always loved that musical. Should I dive in and try out? And I was teaching high school English and journalism at an all girls Catholic high school at the time. I tried out and then I came back to our apartment and Tony's like, how did it go?

I'm like, you should try out. They're having, tryouts in the evening. So he tried out. We got the role of Liesel and Rolf, in The Sound of Music, and it was so much fun, I just loved it. Mary Lou McLaughlin was the music coordinator, and we became excellent friends. Subsequently, I was in a number of plays building sets, and, Fiddler on the Roof, I just loved that aspect. I have four children.

They're actually in theater. They're in music. Not all of them. Raising my children, was the priority, although kids got involved in things.

PASSING THE MUSICAL TORCH

BECKY BOYLAND: I'm just loving the story because, the thought of you guys as newlyweds getting this perfect pairing in The Sound of Music and being able to share that and have all this fun with the music and, the fact that it's progressively flowing through your family in a way, even though it is not yet at the forefront.

ROSE CALKINS: Thank you. And it's funny because my oldest is my daughter, Maria, I was pregnant, I think, right after the Sound of Music. They're like, are you pregnant? And we named her Maria, not because of the Sound of Music, but it's her background growing up, Italian background, ethnic, and my mother named us all with the Virgin Mary's name in there.

My thing was, I love the name Maria. There was an honor to her, I said, it's the most beautiful sound in a single word. Singing it, Maria, that's what I tell her. She has since put out for American Idol. She has a beautiful voice, I wasn't a pushy person. She did that, you know, I have three sons after Tony is the next son, he does theater, and Michael as well, but Mike's an artist.

So yeah, it's so neat. I played a 16 year old and I was teaching 16 year olds I got a role as a 16 year old. I go, cause I, I see you guys. So it was, it was fun. I just loved it and met so many wonderful people and learned so much.

OUR SPONSOR: ATTITUDE CREATIVITY

ROSE CALKINS: We'll be back with more after the break. Second Verse is sponsored by Attitude Creativity. Many indie music artists don't have a website that grows their audience and reflects who they are, so they get lost in the noise of streaming. Marketing and brand messaging with Attitude creativity helps boost your brand and build a site that hits all the right notes.

BECKY BOYLAND: You wanna be an artist who stands out from the crowd, and to do that, you need your music to be heard. If your website doesn't reflect who you are or make an impact, you feel like a singer who's been handed a pair of drumsticks instead of a mic. You deserve a website and brand messaging you can be proud of, and that doesn't take time away from your music.

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PERSONAL MUSICAL EVOLUTION

ROSE CALKINS: Growing up, my dad was a World War II veteran. He was injured in the Battle of the Bulge. My parents got married later in life. So they were older and he was ill. So we were caring for my dad. but he loved watching The Sound of Music,

You know, he was a bit of a Renaissance man. Cause he wrote and he's the one who encouraged music and all that. But I actually did this to honor my dad as well. Cause he was still alive. And in the program, I said, this is for my dad, although he couldn't come and see it. It's because he cultivated that, you know, I'm getting choked up.

It doesn't take much.

BECKY BOYLAND: That's so beautiful.

ROSE CALKINS: Thank you, Becky. I'll pause because I could keep going,

BECKY BOYLAND: And I keep loving that story because I have always been so passionate about music from the time I was a little child. we learned "Tomorrow" from Annie when I was, in kindergarten. I came home and sang it for my family and they were amazed because I could carry a tune.

And then after probably the third or fourth time, they're just like, can you stop now? It's just, we get it. We understand the sun will come out tomorrow. And, it was always something that definitely was in my life and an interest and a passion, but I was the only serious musician in my family.

And so the concept of doing all of these things with a family is really just kind of fun. I love hearing all those stories. That just is so beautiful how That thread keeps flowing through.

ROSE CALKINS: I can just see what a cute little girl singing "Tomorrow." It took a lot of courage because if that wasn't something that was solid in your family, you were breaking new ground. And not only that here that you're cultivating that with the people.

Thank you for that. That's awesome. Did you always, did you major in music? how did it evolve for you then with music?

BECKY BOYLAND: Well, thankfully, even though my family, they weren't musicians, they were a really good audience. They did appreciate what I did. Every concert, everything that I was involved in, they did. My first instrument in school was trumpet. I played all the way from fifth grade through high school, actually into college and loved it dearly until I discovered guitar in college and could accompany myself.

So I never really looked back, when I was in high school, I seriously considered majoring in trumpet and becoming a symphonic musician.

DISCOVERING SONGWRITING

BECKY BOYLAND: But it was about that time that I got involved in the church and started to recognize God's call on my life and decided to study Bible and educational ministries in college.

But I still hung out enough in the music department and played trumpet. So there were a lot of folks that thought I was a major in trumpet. Once the guitar came on the scene, I started learning worship songs and leading in churches and have done that for many, many years alongside marketing.

That always seemed to be the side gig. I always ended up in marketing somewhere. When I realized that all those things were just communication and there was a connection there, I, was so grateful because it opened a lot of doors. There's so many opportunities to use all of that knowledge, all that experience and mash it all together into something really cool.

ROSE CALKINS: Yeah, what a perfect thing. like you said, mash it all together into something really cool. Because you're able to promote music. shine a spotlight and communicate it. in a unique venue like this, you have the courage to dive in. So you're definitely a leader

a visionary. Thank you for

that.

BECKY BOYLAND: And I think that's, you know, so many artists, that's really what we are doing. We're trying to get a story out of us and out to other people. And the amazing thing is there are these stories behind the music that we don't really get to, particularly for independent artists. So this is such an exciting opportunity to get that in front of folks and be able to tell the stories they might not find.

PURSUING MUSIC DURING THE PANDEMIC

BECKY BOYLAND: So talk about that time.

What... clearly, we didn't even know what was going on, so it brought clarity. What did you always want to do? And, this class popped up on my phone, and it was a Six Figure Songwriting class, for Sync. And it was free for a week, and it was, Catch the Moon, Cathy Heller.

I'm like, yay! And then afterward, it's like, you want to join it, and I'm thinking the investment, the way things are. And again, things financially were okay until I joined the class. And my husband's been out of work but God's been providing, day by day.

COLLABORATIONS AND NEW BEGINNINGS

ROSE CALKINS: So I ended up taking this class and that's how I met different people. I dove in and was paying monthly and was excited. And that's how I met them 200 and something. These people are all music and I'm like, like music, but it wasn't like my bread and butter.

There were people like, this is it. This is my bread and butter. It was wonderful. But then they're like, okay, we're doing sync. I'm like, what's that? I just thought songwriting. But I'm like, well, I'm in it now I'm not too fond of computers, but it challenged me to grow and I loved it.

I met so many people that are all different ages, walks of life, and very open about their life stories because musicians tend to where, you know, you're expressing your heart. Other fields, I also was in banking, you know, it's very, logical.

BECKY BOYLAND: Yes.

ROSE CALKINS: There were times where I'm like, do I want to go in banking? Cause some of this emotion seems so much, I need some logical, you know? but it was so good. it kind of just evolved from there. Our small cohort started a group Sylvie Songs from the UK and Rachel Delgada, a little group from Vegas.

They would write songs together. That's where I wrote a song. That's how I met Good Canyon Lightning, Jeremy Jacobs. That's how I know this group, how I met you, which is Adassa and, Gabriel. He's like, you need to get in this group. It's funny how we all, come together and yeah, just wonderful people.

I'm just on a roll here.

And that's what I, needed to understand what I should have known all along, technically in music ministry, you could say that I was a professional musician and that is true, It didn't occur to me that there was anything between, you know, that was a middle ground in my mind, but you either as an artist so often are just giving everything away, or there are only celebrities we're just not aware of all the places in the middle. There are so many opportunities, even the opportunity of being an independent artist and finding an audience because there is an audience.

There are so many people on the planet that need to hear and will enjoy and be just moved by each of these independent artists. So all of that was really super exciting to me. The keyword for me was songwriting. Oh, yes, I want to do that.

I had a similar kind of experience And then the other aspects and features and deeper knowledge. for me, I had some ideas and concepts of production, but didn't know what I didn't know,

and it's just all been such an awesome ride, and it sounds like that's the case for you, too. And so you've now been co writing and putting out songs. And I know you have another one coming out in a couple of months.

ROSE CALKINS: Thank you so much. So yeah, writing different songs and then, I'm like, there's about 20 something songs. I need to get it into an organized place to send it out. The neat thing too is, Annette Arnold.

And I'm like, I was a little, nervous. And everyone's worried about COVID and it was the first time they lifted things more. Then there was a very divisive stuff, as we know, going on in all levels. So what happened was, it was wonderful. They welcomed me into their home and we wrote and recorded the song together.

And she had a neighborhood mom who played the violin. And so together we wrote the song. We were recording my vocals in her closet. It was just like, I always felt like I was in sixth grade, like with your pal. It was just, she's just lovely. And the other song we're writing is "Be Not Afraid." And funny thing, Becky, is, I've been afraid. I'm like, I've been holding on to this, you know? And she's like, well, I didn't do this right. My voice is off. And then we all have life things, you know? We're navigating things, and on an emotional level, I'm like, okay, I'm not thinking clearly. I'm kind of shut down. Just, you know, finance things or whatever.

So, I was afraid, and it's funny because you've been going through this journey. And like, here you are. I'm like, well, now that was an answer to a prayer. I'm telling my husband, I'm like, I'm going in an interview and I go, she's from Rockford. I didn't even know this.

So that song, it came out and there were another, a couple songs that I had pitched at What Up Pitches.

I was hesitant and brought my two sons. it was very interesting, watching the panels. I felt like I was in over my head and I'm like, we got to dive in. So that was really, that was really interesting and meeting people face to face

that I, knew from the screen. My first song, that I shared with you was, "Pictures in Motion." I wrote it with Dan Laureano and I met him there It was so neat, to connect that way.

And when we got online to collaborate with the song, he goes, how, how incorporate like Chicago kind of things, and then your sons do movies. It was so neat. And again, there's a learning curve because I'm like, I would improve this, I'd improve my voice, but that's okay because if you wait for it to be perfect, you're never going to do it.

And then I'm going to promote Dan. He wrote this wonderful book called Affirmusic. It's all different affirmations and he's just a lovely individual. It says here "affirmation for musicians" and it says, "To all musicians everywhere.

Thank you. Keep going." So let's just go. And yeah, so this is all the different and there's just "music can change lives," just lines, such an encouragement.

BECKY BOYLAND: Oh, I love that.

ROSE CALKINS: He doesn't even have any idea I'm doing this.

You have to share this, because it was such a blessing to me. That's a song we did.

WRITING AND PUBLISHING

ROSE CALKINS: And then, I know books come in play, because I was a high school English teacher, and I started a non profit writer's group when my youngest, he's 23, when he was one, I thought I want to write children's books.

So I took, again, the six week class at the local college and I met this one lovely woman, Carol. She's my age now and I was younger. She had a skill set more in IT and, and mine was more big picture. Together we created a non profit writers group and published 19 literary journals.

I did kids workshops, like you're doing, you're just diving in, your skills. Justina, Hodgson, I met her through 6FS. We did "Joyful, Joyful" with Jeff Michael. They're both beautiful people, Justina, her story, what she's overcome, is amazing.

She's an incredible violinist, cellist, musician. She wants to adopt. She and her husband, and they've had some struggles with, their children, but also they have babies in heaven. She's an amazing woman. She also plays music for people that are in hospice. She just has a wonderful heart.

This book is called The Eternal Goodness. I said, Justina, did you think of writing a children's book? maybe you could get it, we could get it out there, we could help raise funds. And she's like, no, I've never done it. for a year, every Monday for an hour, we met.

As she's telling me her story, the title, it's so beautiful about music. It's this little girl, Ling, she's Filipino, and her grandfather was in World War II. He led an orchestra in Manila, and was also a doctor, but he was killed in the war.

But he wrote this beautiful piece called "Eternal Goodness," that it was passed down through her mother to her. And that's how, Justina learned how to play the violin. So I said, that's the story title, that the eternal goodness that is meant for your family and us, that's what the title's gonna be.

And it's such a great story, and the neat thing is, in the middle, I said, why don't we do a QR code so that way when she starts playing it, they can listen.

BECKY BOYLAND: Oh, Wow.

ROSE CALKINS: We're going to do a first public reading at Stone Soup Bookstore. And then she's going to play her violin, and we're going to encourage the kids, the readers. It's been such a blessing. I'm sharing this because I met them through music.

And in here you know, she's got the score.

My friend Natalie did the artwork and she brought it to life, the vision. And it's just, so it's, it's It's beautiful, how you get the gifts of music arts and literary arts, and the people, you just don't know what role they're gonna play In your life, you know, and God is good.

BECKY BOYLAND: Absolutely.

THE RICHNESS OF LIFE EXPERIENCE IN ART

BECKY BOYLAND: And then what's so exciting about that too, is all these different types of art that come to life because of the life experience and all the twists and turns and all the places we've been. And I think it just makes it that much richer all of those encouraging books and all this music wouldn't be what they are or even come to be if that life experience hadn't been there.

I think that's what makes it so much more exciting to be independent artists who did other things. It's really easy, to think, oh, if only I'd been able to start this when I was 19, but it wouldn't be the same. The stories wouldn't be the same. The music that comes out, it wouldn't be the same.

And so it makes it that much richer. I love it..

I love it.

ROSE CALKINS: I was thinking "richer" was on my tongue and you said it. Yes, richer! Oh, man.

Possibilities is the name of our literary journal that comes out annually.

Now this is, Derrick Brown. Derrick Brown wrote 365 songs. Every day, for Songs of Light, to encourage and I'm like, amazing. And he lives where all the garbage happened in North Carolina. What this man, all of us have our life stories, and I'm like, I'd love to publish some of your writing.

So it says, "I hear you, I see you." And poetry, you know, or lyrics. "I hear you and I see you. Clear view, I believe you. The world really needs you, and the joy that precedes you, I've seen it in my dreams too. The way you let love lead you," Becky, "how all creation pleases you.

The flowers and the trees do. All the seeds and weeds do. All the changing leaves too. All rising up to greet you. I hear you, and I see you. It's clear of you, I believe you. The world really needs you. And the light that precedes you."

BECKY BOYLAND: That's just so it's so beautiful.

THE JOURNEY OF INDEPENDENT ARTISTS

BECKY BOYLAND: And it's such a message for artists who maybe do music on the side before they,

just pretty much all of us. You do it on the side before you want to make it more of the forefront. It can be kind of an isolating experience. you sort of get down into the lyrics and it's maybe a little bit of a refuge from busyness in life.

The challenge with that is. it's hard to imagine that other people are going to really get anything out of it because you've been so deep in it yourself. And that's so beautiful that we can say right here, the world needs you, the world needs your art.

Even if you're making it all by your lonesome, we need it to be out there.

ROSE CALKINS: Yeah, there's so many beautiful people Canyon, I'll read a bit of his, because that's the connection. It says, "Where life happens, what you think or might believe in how we feel and really need when it happens, how it happens, where life happens, dream away and make it happen, starry nights or city lights, where life happens, where life happened.

Fade away, but don't start napping. Daisy nights, the ends in sight. Where life happens, where life happens. Oh, pray and be. Oh, play and see. Oh, strive and live. Oh, I will give. In the end, there's you and me. Our real friends don't make believe. Shaken, stirred, it's not too late. Even if the hour is late. Games played, they just take.

Hate and break, they forsake. Where life happens, where life happens. Dreams fade, it's everything. I'll be how. Where life happens, where life happens. Oh, I pray it's free. Oh, music powers me. Oh, rise on high. Oh, laugh and cry. Just forgive my own self. I'm not to blame for their how. There's nothing wrong with my pride, my joy.

To be alive when it happens, how it happens. Where life happens, where life happens." And I wanted to share because he's the connection. He's how I ended up in the group because he's like, Rose, you need to do this. I'm like, I don't know if I could join another group because you need to get Adassa and Gabriel.

Just how, cause then this wouldn't have come about, you know, and different things like, so I just, I thank the Lord, how he moves. Sometimes I try to micromanage God, not that we know, maybe we'll go down this path. It's like trust, but that didn't work out. Even if it didn't work out, he's with us there.

BECKY BOYLAND: We try to figure it out all the time and, armchair quarterback and reverse engineer the best part is being able to look back and say, oh, I see you had all these things lined up. And I love being not only surprised by what God has done, but I don't have any problem with feeling a little bit embarrassed in front of him like, oh, I'm sorry.

He came through and yeah, I absolutely love that. So I think that your faith and your encouragement, are things that come through in your music. Talk a little bit about your style and the themes and types of things that you like to have your listeners connect with and the feelings you want them to come away with.

ROSE CALKINS: I, yeah, faith that's yeah. It's so important because he gave them the gifts and just the joy of the Lord. So there's songs that have an obvious spiritual expression. There's ones that are a spiritual expression. It's just not overt, but it's still the gift of the Lord. I, I think because my parents...

Actually I wrote a and it was recorded. And that's the first one I shared with 6FS. It was "Voice to the Air," but there's also the part of me that just loved, back in the day, I used to love dancing at the club. I love dancing. So dancing and upbeat and fun stuff too.

Encouraging. I like taking different things and mixing them together like a soup. Like how if we take jazz and mix it with a little bit of, reggae and then pull in a little bit of orchestral and have fun. I love orchestral because I sing with the West Suburban Symphony Choir and just singing with the full orchestra it's a beautiful, blending of the voices.

So I love orchestral music. there's those types of songs, but I love kitschy fun songs too. There's some that I have to finish, like, went for a ride and we're getting, pistachio ice cream. And it's something fun, kind of light, kind of like Accentuate the Positive," you know, that song from the thirties, "You've got accentuate the positive,

So yeah, all kinds of different music. I like a variety. And when you collaborate, you see what comes out of it. like, well, that became a hip hop song. Well, we'll let it go. Cause that's where the song is going. And it's so much fun learning different people that you wouldn't hang out with naturally.

And you learn so much. And you're birthing this together, you know, the warts and all the sometimes butting heads and all, and then I'm like, seeing this side of me and gain understanding of one another. I like rock, like I said, Pat Benatar and that type of rock back in the day I would sing lead.

So there's a part of me that loves the guitar. the rock guitar. I'm so excited about getting it out there, but I have to get it organized and know how to effectively distribute that.

And I'm like, I need to get organized for this year, and get my songs out there because it's no good if they're stuck in the computer and I'm not sure how to take the link and share it.

BECKY BOYLAND: Yes. it's part of the, hard drive graveyard, as we've heard many times. and that's very true.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A HOME BASE FOR ARTISTS

BECKY BOYLAND: that is really part of the challenge, of course, everybody wants to, do all the things, be on TikTok and be building an audience and just making it big that way.

But that in and of itself, is not a plan. There are so many other things that have to be in place. So often we use all these different platforms and we'll have our streaming links over here. We might have some backing tracks uploaded for sale. We've got our social media profiles, all these different places.

And that's sort of like saying to a friend, Hey, I want to get together. So let's go to a restaurant for 10 minutes and then we're going to go window shopping at such and such a place. And then we're going to maybe go to the park and go to all these different locations to say that we've made this connection.

When in reality, you want one place, come over to my house, we'll have dinner, and that's sort of like having your home base, your websites, and making sure that all of the incoming links, all the different places that you're found across the web will actually reside there. So you have one place to send people

it's the one place you can control that actually is your brand. If you're on Facebook, I remember probably 15 years ago, there was a whole industry around hiring people who would craft your cover images. You could have five photos at the beginning of your profile, and if you line them up just so, then you got this almost like a banner to it. And probably most of the people listening will not even remember that because it was so long ago, but it was a big feature. when Facebook took it away, there was no warning. It was just gone. So people who actually built up segments of their marketing businesses to promote that as a service now had a channel that was completely gone.

And you get mad, but you can't really, because we don't own that platform. No one who is using any of these platforms has any ownership in that. But when you have your website, you can control the way that things appear. you use that to guide the way that you set up all your profiles, but you don't ever have to be so dependent upon these other platforms.

BALANCING ART AND BUSINESS

BECKY BOYLAND: That's a challenge for indie artists who don't realize that we're all in business. If we're trying to promote our music musicians very often are the only folks who are in business that don't know it.

ROSE CALKINS: This is true. When my daughter was going to Columbia College in Chicago, I remember talking to an academic person. They're like, make sure she majors in business because a lot of the music people, she's music, they need that. And that's key.

It's an important aspect.

BECKY BOYLAND: It is and you think about it too, with people who, become doctors. Unless they're going to work in a hospital, they are by necessity going to be business owners. most of them, although I've known a few doctors who are local to me that actually have their MD and an MBA.

And those are the ones that I'm like, you understood the assignment. You knew what was coming. And that's the fun part for me because I have a master's in educational ministries and a master's in internet marketing and I never realized how important those two things were going to be in coming together.

But it, has been so important because marketing for so many people is such a scary or icky word. I don't want to do this marketing thing, but it really amounts to messaging more than marketing. If you. don't know who you are, don't know what you say, and don't know what people need to hear from you and what they're coming to you for, then it's going to be challenging for the great thing you offer to make a difference in the life of the people you care about, even though you don't know them personally or haven't met them.

And that's the only way to overcome that is to understand that there are important things to have in place because you are running a business. The reason you run this business is because if you are able to make a living, even if it's a part of your living to do this art, you can make more art.

And as we talked about already, the world needs your art.

ROSE CALKINS: That's good, the way you boiled it down to layman's terms, and basically said it's messaging. It's like, oh, that takes away this fear of not understanding it and making it more complicated than it is, you breaking it down and explaining that, that's great.

So, yeah, thank you.

BECKY BOYLAND: It removes the used car sales vibe that we all get when we think about marketing and sales, but no one needs to really convince somebody to turn on the radio or, turn on streaming and listen to great music. we all know that we emotionally connect. When I think about all the places in our lives where we are constantly hearing music, we're consuming music all the time.

And it just depends on if you're in a store and you're hearing upbeat current hits, or if you're in a grocery store where the music that you grew up with has now become the oldies. You want to break out in songs, just sing along to the music in the aisles. And you realize. Wow, this song is so old and yet it's just so great.

ROSE CALKINS: Yes. And I think you need to break out in the aisles and sing this. We need more breaking out in the aisles, I think, and singing in this time of life.

BECKY BOYLAND: It would be good. There's the encouragement we need and the connection. I think that's also why so many songs have that emotional, imagery that can pop right up into your head, you know, with songs, they have that deep emotional connection.

Those of us who really had that experience, mainly because our music was so segmented, I think that's why we had this emotional attachment because we didn't have access to all genres at all times. I've noticed that those genres come out in what we write.

But that emotion and depth, I think comes out in what we write because we're used to having big, big feelings around the music that was so important to us that somehow now is called oldies.

INFLUENCES AND INSPIRATIONS

BECKY BOYLAND: But, I think that works out just fine, You know, you've commented about rock music in the eighties and crooners.

And I think you'd mentioned folk, and I can hear all of that in pictures in motion, your song that you shared with me. And I love that vibe because, I love eighties music, My oldest sister is, 12 years older than me. So when I was really little, instead of listening to, the classical children's music of the day, I was listening to music from the seventies.

And so I have this folk vibe that goes, through my singing and my music. I love how it just, you know, sort of comes out anytime I have a more acoustic kind of focused song, there's still going to be some kind of hint of 80s that's going to pop into a lot of it. And it's just because it's so deeply embedded in what I do.

ROSE CALKINS: Isn't it funny, you think of your sisters, your brothers, and their influence, and that's so neat. They're with you pretty much the stretch of your entire life, siblings, you know what I mean?

Parents, God bless them, come on the scene and leave usually before your siblings. Siblings typically are, I just listened to that somewhere recently about what an impact they are because they're usually there from the beginning to the very end of your life and then, other people come later on into your life.

But it's so neat that you have this sister 12 years older and her music influenced you too. That's so cool.

BECKY BOYLAND: Yeah. I listened to a lot of Carpenters thanks to her and I'm very grateful for that.

ROSE CALKINS: I love it. I love Karen Carpenter.

BECKY BOYLAND: Oh, my goodness. Yes. One, definitely one of my earliest vocal influences. And, yeah, there really wasn't anybody better. I mean, the skill and it wasn't even until I was an adult that I found out what an incredible drummer she was.

ROSE CALKINS: So neat.

BECKY BOYLAND: And,

ROSE CALKINS: Her parents let her play the drums, not mine. I'm teasing.

BECKY BOYLAND: I, I, I, I pushed on a wound there.

ROSE CALKINS: No, I think it's so funny because I do have pretty good rhythm, but I, cause I love dancing, I'll beat on, you know, things, but friends are like, why don't you take drums? And here's my thing. Now with my age, it's like, you gotta cart them around. I'm like, I got a harmonica, put that in the back pocket.

And I want to learn. I took guitar a little bit here and there and violin, but I need the discipline to just keep doing it. And piano. But I think I like guitar because you can take it and go. You can go on the beach. You can go in the park. and I love being outdoors. Um, you know.

BECKY BOYLAND: Yes.

ROSE CALKINS: Piano, you really... keyboard you can.

And because I, I don't, I don't think I could handle the super loud full on acoustic drums either. But, it is fun. It's not too late. you can try electronic drums.

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ASPIRING INDIE MUSICIANS

BECKY BOYLAND: Well, let's wrap up, I think with what would you recommend, what would be your big piece of advice for other prospective indie musicians? Maybe those who are either wanting to follow that dream for the first time or to come back around to a dream they might've dipped their toe into.

ROSE CALKINS: Do it. You only get one go around. something that's come up in your heart or in your mind over the course of your life. You got to silence those naysayer voices and distance yourself from those bring yourself around people who will be like, yeah, do it.

So, it It gives you the clarity and the courage to just jump in and, do it. You'll be happy. And everyone else around you will be a lot happier because when you're happy, everyone else is happier too, and it'll bring you great joy and you'll find, things within you that you discover about yourself it renews the joy of your inner childThe joy of your childhood. So just do it and you'll be happy. and if those thoughts say, Oh, I can, or this, just silence them, get this Affirm book. I'm not promoting it, but it's great because I think that's what Dan was saying and surround yourself with people who are encouragers.

BECKY BOYLAND: Yes. you deserve to be happy because you'll make other people happy. And we all have something that not only can we give, but we should give because there is someone who needs it. Especially for artists.

WHERE TO FIND ROSE CALKINS ONLINE

BECKY BOYLAND: So where can people find you online on social media, all the places.

ROSE CALKINS: Social media. Instagram is Rose Calkins, Calkins music, R O S E C A L K I N S music, that's on Instagram, and, and, skyblueliving. com. Now, I need to update this stuff, so that's my website and it's more of the books that I have published,

but there will be more of my music there. Facebook, Rose Calkins, and there I have usually my faith and my prayer and I just go share everything. and Skyblueliving, the name came from, my mom when I was a little girl, I remember in summertime, you know, we're bored or whatever, what are we going to do?

And she goes, did you ever hear of skyblueliving? And I'm like, what's skyblue? Not skyblueliving. I go, what's that? And she did hopscotch. And she did this big, beautiful cloud. And she had beautiful handwriting, sky blue. And I remember as a kid, she showed us how to, throw the rock.

But I remember at the end, I sat in the cloud, and everything was right with the world. There's the tree that I love to climb. So when I was trying to think, what is my music, what are children's books about?

It's about the joy and the innocence of that child and that moment of feeling loved on that hopscotch, sitting on the word sky blue. That's where it came from, the name of it. But I had to add living because, you know, sky blue was taken. That's where that comes from.

And my mother was one of my greatest encouragers. You could do it and my father as well. Thank you so much Becky for sharing your gift and the opportunity to come on and share my story because this came out of left field and I guess it's yeah, "angels in the outfield" there

BECKY BOYLAND: And thank you. This has been such a delight. we're going to have everything in the show notes so that everybody can find you and your music. I'm so grateful that we had this opportunity and thank you so much for being here.

ROSE CALKINS: Thank you, Becky.

RECAP

BECKY BOYLAND: What an inspiring conversation with Rose Calkins. Her journey is such a great reminder that creativity isn't linear. It weaves through different seasons of our lives, and it's never too late to step into it fully. Here are a few standout moments.

Do it afraid. Rose talked about how fear often holds us back from pursuing our creative dreams, but waiting for the perfect moment or perfect confidence means we'll never start. Taking action is what builds confidence.

Second, there's the importance of creative community. Rose found momentum by surrounding herself with fellow songwriters and collaborators. Whether it's a songwriting group, an online mastermind, or a local music scene, finding your people helps you stay accountable and inspired.

And then there's getting your art out of the hard drive graveyard. So many of us have unfinished songs, half written manuscripts or unreleased music sitting on our computers. Rose acknowledged this challenge and is actively working to organize and release her music. A great reminder that our work only impacts others when we put it out into the world.

One of the biggest obstacles for indie artists is not having a clear home base for their audience. In StoryBrand terms, if people don't know where to find you or how to engage with your work, you're missing an opportunity to guide them. Take a look at your website or social media profiles and ask yourself, is there one clear place people can go to find everything they need? Your music, bio, upcoming shows, and ways to connect.

Do your social media bios point to that home base, your website, a link hub, or even just one primary platform? If someone discovered your music today, would they know what to do next? If not, that's your next step, and if you need help clarifying your brand message or website strategy, I'd love to help. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, leave a review and share it with a friend.

Every little bit helps more indie artists find the show and take the next step toward their own second verse. Now, to close things out, I'm excited to share a song from Rose Calkins. Stick around to hear "Pictures in Motion," and as always, keep chasing your Second Verse.

"PICTURES IN MOTION" BY ROSE CALKINS