A passion project born out of overflowing love from founder Mary Propes, the Angel Oak studio is the musical retreat for many artists to sharpen and develop their lyrical talents.
Angel Oak features top of the line technology for recording sessions PHOTO BY SAVANNAH SMITH
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle” is the philosophy that stirred the beginnings of Angel Oak Publishing, a recording studio haven that has become a home to creatives. Songwriter Scotty Cram (@scotty_angeloak) reflects on the divine intervention that disguised itself as a conversation with founder Mary Propes, who was unfamiliar with the music industry. However, when Cram wandered up to Bowling Green, Kentucky, just an hour north of Nashville, he found restored faith at a songwriting camp. “Scotty and Kelly McGrath were at a songwriters retreat that I hosted for my friend Rhonda Pholhill. They wrote a song, ‘Chasing Ghost,’ that nailed what I felt about my late husband, Dan. Scotty and I took a ride through the farm on an ATV, and after hearing his story, I knew” shares Propes. Rhonda Pholhill, a friend of Propes who also discovered Brett Young, prompted her to organize the retreat in honor of her late husband, where she would later meet Cram and become the key to keeping his musical dream alive. Propes’ grief became grace for Cram and many others, “When my husband died suddenly, I wanted to do something that he would have loved and would bring joy to others.”
This opportunity allowed Cram to pursue music while maintaining a balance as husband and new father, and Angel Oak Publishing was born as a passion project to support Cram with his story as the foundation for the song-writers escape. Only 55 miles north of Nashville, “Ms. Mary’s” welcomes anyone who wants to escape reality and find creative inspiration in seclusion. Made possible through Propes’ systematic approach, Angel Oak has the vibe, and Because of her keen business skills, they have not had to take a step backward. From top-of-line technology, a family environment, a host of writing locations, and even an outfitted 1850s hospital for artist lodging just across the street, the team that invests themselves into Angel Oak Publishing every day has curated a musically spiritual retreat. Not only is it an escape, but those waiting for you in Kentucky have only one mission, investing in aspiring artists to help them get where they want to be—a purpose. “I wanted to create a safe, relaxing and creative atmosphere where music, the universal language, could be created. It’s my way of offering comfort and a peaceful environment to a stressful competitive business. I get to meet some really incredible and talented individuals. What could be a better business model” expresses Propes.
Cram is the perfect example of what Propes’ compassion can do, “My journey has helped immensely. I was putting down the life because I had never made it very far. I reached a place where I had my first child but was playing bars and doing the southeast circuit,” Cram says, “[It] wasn’t what I needed to do.” Her initiative and investment changed his life, inspiring Cram to find those like him and bring them out of the mix. And in such a conducive environment, Cram has witnessed firsthand how writing teams can crank out multiple songs quickly because of the domain. Things are certainly taking off, and for Angel Oak Publishing, the sky is the limit.
Artists are able to utilize several spaces to write and draft tracks PHOTO BY SAVANNAH SMITH
Photography by: Savannah Smith
