Joey Lemon studied creative writing at Wichita State University and has played and recorded music for well over a decade with and without the band Berry. He teaches at Wichita’s Independent School.
“A student of mine died last year. This was at a point in my life where I had not played music for five or six years. I, obviously, went to therapy. That’s what everyone should do when they’re grieving and you’re struggling.
I ended up working my way around to talking about how music is really my only way to connect with people. Maybe this could be seen as a negative thing or frowned upon but my best friends were my bandmates and we live in different states, different sides of the country now.
As I went back and looked at my music, so much of what I was dealing with in my music was loss. Somewhat unintentionally and somewhat intentionally, I entered back into music as this understanding that I need to grieve and this is how I grieve. I don’t know how else to do it.”
