Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Baker.
Hi Erica, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always had a love for music; one of my earliest memories being my dad showing me Train’s self-titled album when I was 5. I started collecting vinyl when I was 11 years old, and from there, my taste in music expanded. I attribute my expansion of music taste to a teacher I had in middle school (Go Mr. Howell!). A few days a week, he would come into my English class and give us mini-lessons on musicians from way back; the first one he did was the Buddy Holly plane crash on top of topics like Motown, The British Invasion, Ricky Nelson. I could go on and on. Because we had two periods of English, it worked out perfectly. I actually ended up doing my first podcast episode ON the Buddy Holly plane crash, as a nod to Mr. Howell. So basically, he opened up a century’s worth of history in music to my young mind and from there, I kept going. My second guitar teacher introduced me to heavier music like hard rock and metal, now which is one of my favorite genres now.
In junior year of high school, after spending years of trying to figure out what I wanted to do in my future, I decided radio broadcasting was my best fit; granted I knew nothing about the industry. My high school friend and I decided it would be a great idea to start a podcast. Only problem, I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do and center it around. It wasn’t until late 2019 that I finally decided on making it on music history. It took over a year to work out technicalities and we finally got the first episode out in early 2021.
Between there, my life has been consumed by school, working multiple jobs, working on keeping the podcast in motion, and dealing with self-improvement.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Anything but! In the three years I dropped out of college, I went through a lot (to say the least); while it did delay growth and realization, it didn’t completely stop me. I still deal with mental health issues that have taken me down a rocky path, but I’ve become stronger every day because of it.
The road for the podcast startup was the hardest. For a while, I even forgot about the dream of starting one. My high school friend Catalina (my podcast co-host) and I would go back and forth on different podcast topics/ideas while being student aids in the library. We even got to take a tour of the radio station on the FGCU campus. Being so unsure of what I could possibly talk about on my own “show”, it really slowed the progress down.
In late 2019, the idea of a music history podcast came to me, to which I instantly called Catalina and we set the ball rolling. Despite various delays and struggles with production, we managed to get it up and going in Feb. 2021. Sometimes it gets hard doing the research for the episodes, especially with school and two jobs. Episodes have often been delayed weeks out, but that hasn’t discouraged me yet.
Life has thrown many curve balls at me, but I try and not let them push me back.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
The podcast, called Music History on a High Note, centers around music’s rich history and a deep appreciation for it. I don’t stop at just simple, mainstream names either. So far, I’ve covered topics from the Billboard Charts to the GoGos, Frank Sinatra, Bessie Smith (a blues singer from the 1930s), and Snoop Dogg; our most listened to episode thus far is surprisingly the one we did on Fall Out Boy. But you know what they say, pop-punk never dies! But, in order to fully appreciate music, you have to hit every aspect! My personal vinyl collection ranges from the mid-1900s (1908 I believe) to, oh wow uh, sorry I’m trying to think of more recent ones I have! I recently found Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday, that’s one of them. I have the new Shinedown album Planet Zero on pre-order in a few different colors (they’re my favorite band). I recently got to meet the Nelson twins again and was lucky enough to have them sign their dad’s old albums for me!
I guess what sets me apart from others is just my willingness to be myself openly. I like to say I don’t have any guilty pleasures because I am open about what I love! For instance, I have 23 signatures tattooed on my leg so far; each signature is personally written on my leg and yes, I go get it tattooed after! My goal is to have all of my favorite musicians sign someday! It started off with dumb luck getting to meet some of my favorite bands (Theory of a Deadman, Shinedown) and stretched past there. I even won meet and greets for a Jonas Brothers show in 2019 and yes, they signed my leg too! My biggest goals are trying to get meet musicians like Stevie Nicks, Aerosmith, etc. to ask them to sign as well. A girl can dream right! And like I said, no guilty pleasures. I mean, I have a Deadpool/Bob Ross sleeve. That should say it all! I have one life to live with one body to live it in, and I don’t plan on living it plainly. I live for the moment and making every last second count.
I’ve recently become proud of myself in little ways, small victories I’d say. I was able to push myself down the path toward success with my goals and future dreams; that was something that seemed impossible at one point. I’ve also let go of what others think of me, my life decisions, and how I’m viewed. As Rick Nelson once said, “you can’t please everyone, so you’ve got to please yourself”. I’ve slowly come to live by that motto, and what a difference it has made.
This may sound silly, but I’m also proudest of how far I’ve come with my vinyl collection. If you had told me 13 years ago that I would end up owning History: Past Present Future Book 1 or Invincible by Michael Jackson, I’d laugh. Now? They’re some of the rarest pieces of my collection. Also, if you’d told me I would get to spend my days EMPLOYED at a record shop, I would’ve cried. Now? I gotten to spend 2 1/2 years as the manager of one. I no longer am one, but maybe someday I’ll be able to open my own!
What makes you happy?
I won’t say that NOTHING makes me happy, because it would be untrue. However, being as stretched thin and stressed as I get, the feeling is few and far between. But I guess what makes me the happiest is being surrounded by friends and good company, good music (whether a show or just at home), and enjoying the little things in life. We spend so much of our life working and grinding and not enough for ourselves, and I try to make sure I still find time to. Without things like my tattoo “therapy”, my list of pending concerts, and new vinyl albums being released weekly, I would probably lose my mind. Happiness is few and far between, but I try to find it when I can. Even in the little things.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-history-on-a-high-note/id1564190162
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ericas.vinyl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicHistoryonaHighNote
- Other: www.open.spotify.com/show/5iSxHv1eqFoJXz7pXgpdSd?si=J99kFv01Scy_JbzcbcSNSw
