Leaving your mark in a world that strongly tries to create your path for you can be a challenging endeavor. From setbacks to struggles, achieving your personal and professional goals is never an easy task. For country music group Chapel Hart, their inspiring and resilient story is nothing short of triumph. Devynn Hart, Danica Hart and Trea Swindle, sisters and cousins, passionately express their journey and pour out their soul through their music.
Chapel Hart’s love for their community and fans shines bright, from their overflowing appreciation for small towns to their encouragement to others who want to pursue a dream that feels impossible. The heart of this group consists of passion, hope and tenacity. Continuing in the same way, Chapel Hart graciously sat down with Gallatin Lifestyle to share about their professional and personal accomplishments, pursuits and goals:
GL: Where does your passion for music come from?
Danica: Our passion for music definitely comes from our family! Our grandparents had 17 children and 108 grandchildren; they were pillars of the community. Absolutely everything was surrounded by music: birthdays, church, graduations, marriages, divorces, etc. Also, as a kid, music was the way that I coped in a world where I never really felt like I fit in. Music just “GOT” me.
GL: Has creating country music always been your goal? Did you have interests in other genres before country music?
Danica: We grew up on Gospel music. We have an original song called “If You Ain’t Wearin’ Boots” that makes references to going to church seven days a week, so Gospel is where it all began for us. However, I always had an interest in classic rock and country music. They were the two genres that were closest to my heart and made me feel alive. But I think as a 90s baby we all have to admit that Pop music was a huge influence on our musical upbringing!
GL: What’s the story of how the three of you decided to start a band together?
Danica: Well, it all started when I lost my job in 2014 and then I moved to New Orleans to sing with Trea. In 2018 Dev lost her job as well, and she started singing with both of us as a 3rd harmony. I always say we were a family of job losers, but it worked out for us.
GL: What inspires you to share your talent with local communities like Gallatin?
Danica: When we were growing up, we used to always say, “Man there’s nothing to do around here," so I particularly love getting to go to small communities and small towns to perform. Also, I’m a product of a small town and I think it’s amazing for kids to see that you can come from a small town/community and become anything you want, as long as you work hard and you dedicate yourself to it!
GL: What drives your love for the communities you visit?
Devynn: I truly believe it is always about the people. When you have a community of like-minded and sound individuals it makes it hard not to fall in love with that place in some kind of way.
GL: What has been your favorite part about being on tour?
Trea: I think we can all agree that being able to meet our fans is one of the greatest joys of being on the road. It can be just the boost we need to push through. It’s also fun being able to put faces to the names of people who always show up and support us online. When we finally do meet, it’s as if we’ve known each other for years.
GL: What is your favorite performance in your career so far?
Trea: The performance that will forever leave a mark on me was the first time we played in Liberty Hill, SC, at the Beaver’s Den. The love and positivity across the field was almost tangible! To top it all off, when we did our salute to the troops section of the show, it turned into something that seemed like a scene from a movie. We usually sing our original song “American Pride” followed by some of our favorite patriotic tunes—and we just so happened to be singing one of my absolute favorites, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” Right at the climax of the song a boat full of Vikings approached and fired off a canon, then they stormed the field with an American flag at full extension blowing majestically in the breeze. It still gives me chills thinking back on it now.
GL: Do you have any goals, as a band, that you are currently working towards?
Devynn: As independent artists, our goal is to always find new ways to keep us growing and evolving. As long as we are doing this on our own we know and understand that putting in the work is detrimental to the success of our careers.
"I never really felt like I fit in. Music just 'GOT' me."