"That voice! You'll recognize it everywhere. Eli Conley possesses the rare gift of a distinctive vocal timbre that separates him from scores of singer-songwriters in the modern folk ilk.... This is the stuff that long, successful careers are made of."
Tom Semioli, Minor 7th
Tom Semioli, Minor 7th
News: Making Something New!
Hi! I’m Eli Conley, an indie folk singer-songwriter. I’m raising funds to record my third studio album, Searching For What's True.
I am a queer trans guy, and my songs tell stories that aren’t often reflected in roots music. I write music for queer and trans folks, justice seekers, and anyone who doesn’t easily fit in a box.
The album’s title song goes like this: I love trans folks with all my being We paint our lives in vibrant hues Scribble outside the lines we’re given And we make our own damn dancing shoes I don’t know why we need to do this To keep on searching for what’s true I only know that when I stop, I ache So I keep making something new |
This album is centered around the song "Making Something New," but there was a time when I didn’t know if I would be able to continue making music at all. Three years ago I started setting up my life so I could fulfill a longtime dream and spend more of my time performing.
However, there was a pain in my wrists that I had been ignoring. Eventually it got so bad that I couldn’t even chop vegetables. When I finally went to the doctor, I was diagnosed with a repetitive stress injury in both my wrists. Suddenly I had to stop playing guitar almost entirely. I did my best to put on a good face, but in truth I was distraught. I had to cancel shows and turn down new offers. If I couldn’t play guitar, who was I? |