Anthony Newes shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Anthony, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
A friend recently observed that my wife and I are rural people who have been living in the city for a long time. It’s been just over a year that we moved back to the country, and it brings me endless joy. It’s quiet, calm and slow. I didn’t realize how much stress I’d been holding onto. Returning to the fields, creeks and rivers of my childhood is not something I ever expected to do, but it has been so good.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Anthony Newes and I am a musician, educator and parent. I play a wide variety of music and have been fortunate to work with great musicians in the Twin Cities. I’ve also had the chance to learn from some fairly influential artists throughout the country. In recent years, I’ve shifted from playing shows to focusing more on writing and recording. This led to more production and engineering, which has been a fun challenge.
As an educator, I work with adults who didn’t finish high school for whatever reason and are returning to complete what they started. I also work with immigrants and refugees who are learning English. All of these people are wildly inspiring and filled with stories you wouldn’t believe. They keep me on my toes.
Beyond that, I’m raising a couple kids with my special lady friend and trying to show them how to be.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Gosh, good question. For the first time since I was a teenager, I haven’t been playing shows. I have nothing on my calendar and it’s liberating. I love playing live, but I don’t have that need like I used to. I’m guessing it’ll come back around, but for now I feel released from it. With that said, I started teaching music lessons, so I’m passing on all these skills that have formed who I am. There’s a bit of a full circle situation going on that I’m enjoying.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Alcohol was a big thing where I grew up. It was very normal. Over the years, I’ve seen alcohol do gnarly things to people I love, so I’ve always tried to have a healthy relationship with it. Almost a year ago, I decided to stop drinking altogether, and it’s been a nice thing for me. It feels like healing is happening. Plus, it’s kind of punk rock.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
That’s a simple one: Family, Music, Community, Nature
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Ever since I was a little kid, music moved me. All I knew was that I wanted to be a musician and a father. Isn’t that weird? Even as a young child, I knew I wanted to be a dad. And so those are things that I get to do every day in a variety of ways. I write and record songs. I play them for my family and other audiences. I teach music lessons. It has always felt like a gift. These days I listen to my 12-year-old daughter singing and playing my songs on her ukulele. It blows my mind. As far as being a teacher goes, I wouldn’t have guessed that in a million years. At least once a week, I chuckle to myself (I was not an ideal student).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://anthonynewes.bandcamp.com/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX8oOXCqQOd2uyEV4-29r3Q
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1NlfNuVbIeGVsfLvOY1z1j
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/anthony-newes/216090130
Image Credits
Photos by Charlie Quade
