Temperatures dropped down below freezing last Wednesday evening, but that did not stop students from attending to the Coffeehouse for a warm beverage and live music from Austin Moody.

Moody opened the evening with a self-introduction, telling his name and where he currently resides in Nashville, TN. For four years, Moody has been touring through a college circuit, and this is the third time he has performed at Waynesburg, more than any other college.

Throughout the night, Moody stayed true to his country music roots by covering popular songs such as “Springsteen” by Eric Church and “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman.

Moody’s original songs were mostly inspired by personal events. He shared personal stories prior to singing his songs, to give more background to the story behind the lyrics. His song “Throwback” described his unease in the music industry, as in feeling like he did not fit in with the music genre and almost that he is “too country for country.”

Moody also attributed a song to his mother when, a few years ago, they were both reclining on the back porch and his mother said to him, “Sure can hear those frost bugs,” which eventually turned into another original song, “Gettin’ Over Starting Over.” Moody claims that Tom Petty is his “all-time favorite song writer” and guides the way Moody writes lyrics for his songs.

Instead of bold and straight forward lyrics, Moody tends to paint a picture that allows audience members to “create what you want to” from them.

Moody did not start out this way, though.  In fact, his musical career began with a desire to play the banjo. He “begged since six years old” until his parents gifted him a banjo. A few years later, Moody learned guitar and piano.

As years passed, Moody performed with a few small bluegrass bands, but his future plans revolved around entering the Airforce.  He even received a pilot’s license.

Music was always a “what if” in the back of Moody’s mind however, which drove him to change paths and follow music instead.

“Music always picked me more than I picked it,” Moody said.

Just a few years ago, Moody felt called to go on hiatus to Mexico – no phone or other connection to the rest of the world – and came back with a different opinion on where his happiness was coming from.

“I don’t wanna sound like the guy on the radio,” Moody said, “I wanna sound like me.”

This realization pushed Moody to make a major decision: walk away from a record he felt he had outgrown or stick with the music and a steady income.

“You had to make a choice. Was money more important or your soul more important?” said Moody. “I chose my soul.”

After walking away from the record, Moody felt his creativity opened up and  he wrote more songs in the following five months than he did in those three years with the record.

This experience left Moody with many lessons learned.  Jokingly, he advised aspiring musicians to learn bass, because bands could always use a good bass player.

“But seriously, start figuring out what you do.  Don’t be afraid to hit a wrong note or make mistakes,” Moody said.

To song writers, Moody said the best advice he learned “shut up.”  Do not be the member who walks into the room and loudly gets all his ideas out on the table.  Instead, be “sponge for information.”  As for lyrics, “it’s all about heart.”

At the end of the day, Moody urges people to “do what you wanna do.  If you don’t, you’ll look back in 30 years and regret it.”