By Christian Warren Freed
Sometimes our paths are set by the most innocuous events. A chance encounter. A precious gift. Words of encouragement that stick to your ribs like a good home-cooked meal. For Holly Springs resident Heather Sarona it was a small Casio keyboard at the age of three. You know the kind. A simple gift many of us receive, but so few explore to its full potential. A few years later she discovered her father’s old six string in the attic. Heather took it and ran with it. Little could she, or her parents, know it was the gift that would come to define a large part of her life.
Music has always been in Heather’s blood. Her tiny fingers blazed over that Casio until they discovered an upright piano. Throw in being the granddaughter of a well-respected bluegrass musician and one might get the feeling there was never any doubt. Heather fondly recalls spending countless hours with her grandfather teaching her how to tune a guitar or strum a few chords.
They became inseparable, to the point the family joke was he had to wait a generation to find an heir who loved bluegrass as much as he did. Heather dove in with both feet, continuing to hone her skills and expand them to the point she would eventually become a music powerhouse in her own rights. Grandpa taught her all he could (though she admits she has never quite gotten around to the banjo, but there’s still time).
Growing up in the Uwharrie Mountains where the sounds of folk and bluegrass echo, Heather felt the pull immediately. It was a time of mirth and innocence, and she was able to get her feet under her and let the music flow through. A child of the 90s, Heather identified with singers like Jewel (although she’ll tell you Led Zeppelin remains her favorite band) and began drafting her own songs.
Creativity running in her veins, Heather started developing her unique voice under one of the most influential music decades in recent history. Never one to become too consumed with herself, she remains amazed with how others can sit down and create epic songs. Somewhere along the way Heather figured out who she is and how she wishes to be portrayed in the industry.
Heather’s songs are built upon foundations of experiences we all collectively share. She acknowledges a universal complexity of emotions and relationships in her songs, using that bond to give her lyrics power capable of resonating with the most hesitant listener. Being able to process these feelings into lasting melodies is a gift and she isn’t one to take it for granted.
“I’ve always found it so amazing how, through music, I can take feelings or experiences that are very specific to me, put them in a song, and people can then hear that song and think to themselves, ‘Oh, yeah. I get that. I’ve been there. That’s my life too.’”
Like anything worth obtaining, Heather demonstrated a combination of perseverance, determination, and patience. Today she stands upon the brink of success as her debut album is set for release. Is she proud of her accomplishment? That and more. This marks the culmination of a childhood dream and the continuation of her grandfather’s legacy.
“This album covers a lot of ground. So what connects the songs? I think they’re all about love in some way, though more are not love songs; nor is it always obvious how love plays into their meanings. These songs are about losing love, healing from love, hoping for love, finding love, and then navigating love as it grows and ages and is tested.”
I know what you’re thinking. Plenty of folks make a music career. True, but how many of them are doing it with four small children at home? Heather is the proud mother of four and she credits them as inspiration, knowing how much their drive her to be better in all aspects of her life. Juggling running two of her children to Holly Ridge Elementary and then shuffling the other two off to Imagine That Preschool and she has her hands full.
“I think just having children helps with songwriting, even if the songs aren’t about them. When you’re a parent, your emotions are always right on the surface—your empathy is pulled to the forefront every day, soothing and loving and taking care of little people. I tend to be an emotionally vulnerable person, and I think that’s where the music comes from sometimes.”
Heather’s debut album, Head Above Water, is her first full album with her banging out heartfelt tunes from a variety of instruments, from the acoustic guitar to the ukulele. Throw in an experienced and lauded group of performers to help on various tracks and you have the making of something great. But don’t let this rookie effort fool you. She has been a growing staple in the industry for a few years now.
Heather was selected by the International Bluegrass Music Association as a showcase songwriter for the esteemed World of Bluegrass Music Festival in both 2020 and 2021 (ahem, which has been held here in Raleigh for the past few years). She has been recognized for her genius in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, the Backwoods Beat Music Songwriting Contest, the WHIW Songwriting contest, and the Don Gibson Singer Songwriter Symposium. Not bad for a lady trying to balance being a mother to four young children, a wife, and a career taking her to different venues.
We live in a world of instant gratification. One where everything must happen right now. Not only does this steal us from enjoying life, it reduces the effectiveness of knowing when greatness happens. Heather shows us all how to slow down, enjoy the simple things in life, and live each day to our fullest. Perhaps what this world really needs is a tender melody that stays with us during our darkest moments.
I don’t know about you, but I think this isn’t going to be the last we hear from North Carolina’s own Heather Sarona. Keep flipping the dial. You never know when you’ll catch her on the air.
