Meet Shannon Meske | Lead Singer & Guitarist for “The Bettys”

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shannon Meske and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
As an artist, the general consensus is that one should be writing and performing their own music and anything other than that is a lesser form of art. We should all be songwriters paining over old journal entries, looking for any glimpse of inspiration. I think sometimes it’s easy to lose touch over what I really feel is the crux of being an artist, and that is creation. To me, creation is undefined, allowing an artist to do with it as they please. Another element of creation is play, which is another aspect of artistry that can often be lost to the “suffering artist” mindset. All this to say, is that as a singer/songwriter in Los Angeles, I had started getting to a point in my career that I couldn’t create any art without it being incredibly emotionally charged (usually in the negative sense). I was yearning for the feeling that inspired me when I first began to play the guitar and write my own music as a teenager. This is why I started “The Bettys,” my Taylor Swift cover band. Not only had I been a lifelong Swiftie, learning how to play her songs on my guitar are some of the earliest memories I have as a musician. I wanted to break out of typical ideals of my own views on performance and really give myself and my bandmates an avenue for something as simple as having a great time on stage, and giving the audience a fun time. That’s it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The Bettys is a Taylor Swift cover band based in Los Angeles and Ventura County. Not unlike other cover bands, each member is a fan of her music, spanning more recently, and also over decades. Sticking to traditional renditions of her songs, each bandmate is skilled in multiple instruments, making the three person group a musical powerhouse of sorts. One element that especially excites listeners is the incorporation of traditional fiddle playing, done skillfully by bandmate, Rebecca McBride, in order to capture the elements of some of Taylor’s more country leaning eras. The Bettys was born of a mutual interest in playing live music, having fun, and sharing a love for the artist. So far, the major challenge has been getting our name out there for lineups in shows and festivals, as we are relatively newer on the scene and all working around full time jobs, but we believe with persistence and consistently quality shows, the talent will speak for itself. One thing we want the world to take away from our band, even if you’re not a fan of the music, is that there can always be room in your life to pursue passions outside of the grind of daily living.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If you’re a Swiftie visiting Los Angeles for the first time, there are a few locations you might be open to viewing. This includes: The Millenium Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles where some of the Delicate music video was shot. This is a great locations to take pictures sight see. Plus, the hotel is gorgeous. Another place is the Grammy Museum LA to check out some of Taylor’s iconic outfits of eras past. Similar to the first recommendation: The Orpheum Theatre where the Mean music video was shot, followed up by the A.O.C restaurant where Taylor was spotted many times in 2014/2015. If all that seems too on the nose, then perhaps something more symbolic, like enjoying some time at a cat cafe! Bonus points if you meet a cat named Meredith.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The most glaringly obvious person who deserves recognition is the woman who wrote all of the music that myself and my band perform, and that’s Taylor Swift. Fans of her music know all too well the various reactions one can get from the admission or declaration of being a fan of hers. All ranging from eye rolls, to fervent and one-sided arguments about why her music is terrible, and anything in between. Every once in a while, on a good day, there is a mutual passion and exchanging of favorite songs and eras amongst two strangers and this is something I am so thankful for. For many of us fans, Swift’s music has ushered us into the many eras of our own lives, and comforted us through heartbreaks, aided us through confrontation, and been present with us through our own personal victories. Unintentionally, she has been the soundtrack to my own ups and downs, as well as an inspiration to my own songwriting process. So, in a way, this band is an ode to her and the many memories myself, my bandmates, and our audiences share with her music. Thank you, Taylor.

Website: https://thebettys13.wixsite.com/mysite

Instagram: @thebettys13

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-bettys-simi-valley

Other: https://www.voicebyshannon.com/thebettys