Peach Jam Podcast: Will Terry - Rome, GA

 

“Everybody’s got something to say… and I’m choosing to say it.”

That’s how 20-year-old country artist Will Terry explains his drive for making music. On the latest episode of Peach Jam, host Jeremy Powell sits down with Will for a raw, funny and inspiring conversation about growing up in a small town, chasing a dream, and learning to stop caring what people think.

Will started playing guitar in sixth grade, but didn’t sing in public until high school.

He was just 15, playing solo, opening for a band called Betting on the Mule. “Quick’s just how I live my life, honestly,” he says. “Didn’t really have much choice. With mom and dad, it’s always been go, go, go.”

Even though he was performing young, Will says he wasn’t always so sure of himself. “I wasn’t always great with words. I kind of held myself back, and the only way I could get my words out was through a guitar and through my voice. It gave me an input… or an output… whichever one it is.” Music, for Will, isn’t just talent — it’s survival. “It’s the driving force. If I ain’t got music, I don’t know what I do have.”

Will is from Silver Creek, Georgia — a dot on the map about 15 minutes outside of Rome. “If you’ve never been there,” he jokes, “I promise you you’re not missing anything. Just keep on blowing by.” But it’s where his family is, and that closeness still means everything. “My mom and dad are divorced, but they live a mile from each other. My grandmother lives right up the road. My aunt and uncle live right smack in between them. So it’s great. We got the family all there together.”

At Darlington School, a private artsy high school in Rome, Will kept to himself. “You can ask anybody I went to high school with — I was not the way I am now. I was a really shy kid. I just didn’t always express myself ‘cause I was scared.” He says it wasn’t until his senior year that something shifted. “I just learned not to give a… well, not to give a crap. Be you. Don’t try to be anybody else. As soon as you start giving a crap, your mind takes over, and it’ll discombobble you.”

After a short-lived attempt at college in Alabama, Will came home, played a show, and told his dad he wouldn't go back to school. “I was like, ‘Dad, I ain’t going back. It’s wearing me out. I feel like I’m losing myself.’” His dad was supportive. “He said, ‘Well, I got your back… but you know your mom’s gonna be madder than hell.’”

She was. But eventually, they came to understand. “I’ve always just had this sense that I need to do more. And then ever since I moved to Nashville… I feel right at home.”

That move — three and a half hours away from Silver Creek — marked the beginning of a new chapter. Will describes Nashville as both exciting and challenging, especially since he’s not old enough to get into most of the bars where the industry hangs out. “I can get in, but they’re just like the tourist bars. The writers ain’t really going in there.”

Still, he’s making it work. “The first thing you do is meet people. Then you start writing. And once you’ve got the songs, you figure out how to make them sound really good.”

He isn’t in a rush. “I don’t really plan like, I have to do this by this date. I let the plan unfold for me. Because at the end of the day, it’s all God’s plan. You just gotta let it unfold how it’s going to.”

When asked what he wants out of all this, Will’s answer is heartfelt. “I’d like to be able to provide for my family and make sure they don’t have to worry about stuff that doesn’t matter — like money. But I do it for the love of music, man.”

Though he's still finding his footing, he's learned a lot already — especially about putting himself out there. “Before, I was a little shy. But nowadays, you never really know who you’re gonna meet. And I think that’s the fun part about it. A stranger could know somebody you know, but you’ll never know unless you grow a pair and go talk to them.”

Will’s honesty is refreshing, and his perspective is wise beyond his years. He’s not chasing fame — he’s chasing connection, meaning, and a sound that’s entirely his own. “You do what you love, and you don’t ever look back.”

You can hear more from Will Terry — including his full musical performances — on GPB's YouTube page. And wherever you listen to the podcast, don’t forget to leave a rating or review. It helps Georgia voices like Will’s reach even more ears.

The Peach Jam podcast from GPB features songs and stories from a variety of the incredibly talented and diverse bands and artists who call the Peach State home.

Recorded live in our GPB studios, you get a front row seat for the intimate musical performances and free-flowing conversation from a truly eclectic variety of Georgia musicians. You can find more at GPB.org/PeachJamPodcast — and please download and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.