Rising Stars: Meet Nadine Sekerez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nadine Sekerez.

Hi Nadine, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in Northwest Indiana, near Chicago. My mom, grandmother, and uncles were from Dyersburg, Tennessee, and we would have large family dinners complete with Southern fare, and Southern accents. As far back as I can remember, music was one of the most powerful influences in my life. I remember when I was very young, a turntable sitting on an old buffet in the dining room, playing anything from the Beatles to Dean Martin. My mom bought a Wurlitzer organ sometime around then and had me take lessons. In middle school and high school, I played violin in the orchestra. My brother, who was 8 years older than I, learned to play guitar and piano. He would play John Denver songs for me before bedtime and eventually was in high school musicals and performing in various ways, so he taught my other brother and me to sing harmonies. We would prank call people and sing them ana capella song for fun, and we would sometimes perform, as well. Eventually, I sang harmony in a duo in Houston and met a lot of interesting musicians at a place called The Boat Yard. I was first exposed to Gypsy Jazz and Bluegrass there and even took a couple of bluegrass guitar lessons from Kelly Lancaster–a beloved and award-winning bluegrass mandolin player from Nacogdoches. I didn’t really take up the guitar fully until years later. I moved to Estes Park and soon after joined a rock and roll band.

After that, I owned a restaurant with my husband where the first bluegrass jam in Estes Park was held for a time. After having two children and moving back to Texas for a while, I returned to Estes Park and joined a bluegrass jam for the first time, hosted by the same musicians who had held it in my restaurant years before. I started to be immersed more and more in the bluegrass community. In 2016, a local business owner, Candice Mohr of Snowy Peaks Winery, hosted a small bluegrass day festival in a town park behind her business. She called it SnowyGrass and had three local bands, a couple of food trucks, and free admission–a small yard party. In May of 2017, I stopped by the winery to listen to live music and thank her for supporting it. I thanked her for having held that little festival, which I had attended. She told me she wouldn’t be able to do it again since her focus was her winery. In about 15 minutes, I realized I would be the one to carry it on, with her blessing. In 8 weeks, I had sponsorship money from local businesses, booked 6 local bluegrass bands, lined up food trucks and permitting, and held a one-day festival. I felt it was an important tradition to continue for our community and for my friends. 2022 marks the 7th year of SnowyGrass, and my 6th year of producing and owning it. It has grown in quality and attendance each year.

Every year I find some way to improve. Hospitality for the musicians is always a priority, as is supporting Colorado bands, but also including a couple of great national bands. We were even able to hold the festival in 2020 by following stringent protocol for COVID-19. While I am the sole organizer–I do all of the artwork, marketing, website design and maintenance, booking, and any kind of planning you can think of, I am so reliant on the support of the local community–sponsors, Town of Estes Park, volunteers, and the people who love the festival and attend. I continue to play music in a band called Lost Penny while doing all of the things I do to get ready for the festival. We recently released our first single, a song I wrote called, Dolly Do, about Dolly Parton. Two years prior to COVID, I also hosted a songwriting retreat, and hope to do that again. Next year, the festival will include camping at a new, larger location. This year I am excited to have Lindsay Lou, Seldom Scene, The Way Down Wanderers, Blue Canyon Boys, The Sweet Lillies, Pete & Joan Wernick, Wood Belly, Jake Leg, David Lawrence and The Spoonful, Orchard Creek, Jason Hicks & KC Groves, Hunker Down, and my own band, Lost Penny.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I tend to not see things as struggles so much as challenges. It is a challenge each year to get sponsorship money, but because of the support of the local community, always attainable. 2020 and 2021 were challenging years, with COVID. But we were able to still hold a safe festival, giving people something they really needed during those difficult times–Live music. Producing a festival or any event is always about problem-solving, and I just go through the steps methodically and get it done.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have always been drawn to the Arts, whether visual, performing, or musical. When I was a kid, I would spend hours drawing. In college, I studied graphic art, particularly illustration. Currently, I prefer watercolor and do commission pieces, specializing in portraiture, whether of people, cabins, or animals. A large amount of my time is spent writing music and performing with my band, Lost Penny. Sometimes I design websites for clients. And, oddly enough, mixed in with that creative side, I love spreadsheets and planning. I have done restaurant consulting, particularly regarding food costing. My greatest love is music, though.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Being open to new experiences is probably the best advice I could give someone wanting to network. Surround yourself with interesting, motivated people, and pick positive environments to spend your time.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.snowygrass.com
• Instagram: @snowygrass_upstream
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SnowyGrassEstesPark
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbkTkPjVCToY50mYHgCjYKQ