Lindsey Hinkle, age 27, is a self-taught musician armed with resonating lyrics that are filled with insight into the human condition, as well as haunting and penetrating vocals that seem to echo mercilessly inside your head. She has been writing and performing original material since age 13, and has opened for Shawn Mullins, Marc Broussard, Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, Sugarland, Michelle Malone, Antigone Rising, and Sarah Bettens of K’s Choice. In the summer of 2012 she opened for Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, and Thompson Square on the Charter Stage at Oak Mountain Amphitheater.
Her lyrical ability is, undoubtedly, far beyond her years. This is repeatedly evident in songs such as “Whole,” where she candidly describes the agony of losing not only love, but the unexpected attachment to the two sons that came with it.
We got to ask Lindsey a few questions about her fans, her music and her live performances. Check out what the singer-songwriter had to say!
What is the strangest thing a fan has done for you or at your show?
Well, one fan bought me a car once. Seriously, I had wrecked mine, and they showed up at a show with the title for the 1992 Jeep Cherokee I still drive today and WILL NEVER SELL.
What is the funniest moment you have had as an artist?
Once I had a girl jump on stage and decide to crowd surf. No one caught her, but she lived to tell about it. I gave her a CD and T-shirt for her enthusiasm.
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
I avoid talking 30 minutes to an hour before I perform. Sometimes people take it personally that I don’t hang out before a show, but I save my voice so I can sing my best. A lot of people are unaware that talking stresses your voice more than singing. I always walk out and talk to everyone who wants to hang out after a show until the very last one leaves. If someone is willing to take the time and money to spend on me, I’m willing to spend the time I have with them. I love my fans, and I consider them friends.
If you could describe your music in one word, what would it be?
Honest.
How do you connect with a crowd?
That is a loaded question. My songs are snapshots of a moment in my life summed up in three to four minutes. My lyrics are brutally honest and very real which makes me extremely vulnerable. People feel like they know me after they listen to an album. When I’m performing a song like “All Your Life”, which was written to my future unborn child, I’ve seen people crying in the audience. Without either of us speaking, we connect in a way that is very real and very humane. Moments like that give my life purpose, and it’s the reason I still sing when the overhead can sometimes put my bank account in the negative. Those moments keep me keeping on.
What is the best way to write music?
It really writes itself. I have God to thank for that. I really have nothing to do with it.
Catch Lindsey playing at Eddie’s Attic, Sunday June 9th! Tickets below!
