Evergreen may be small, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t bursting at the seams with creative opportunities. I’ve always believed that true opportunity could only be found in the city, but I’m realizing that more doesn’t mean accessible. This month, I met with musician Jenna Weidner, born and raised in Evergreen and now pursuing music in Nashville, and I came to understand how fertile Evergreen’s ground really is.
As soon as we sit down, both of us sipping hot chai, Jenna excitedly dives into an archive of the valuable exposure she had here as a kid. When she first expressed interest in music, Jenna says, “No one ever discouraged me from pursuing a career in music.” Her first immersions in music and movement were through the Evergreen Children’s Chorale, the Evergreen High School choir, Kinetic Arts Dance Studio, theatre camps at Center Stage, and guitar lessons at Evergreen School of Music. Her teacher at the music school, Kevin Alumbaugh, put her in a band with several other students with whom she opened for EPRD’s Lake House Concerts. Jenna also did open mic nights at Muddy Buck, performing right where we now sit at a cocktail table in the corner.
“ …Nashville couldn’t be more different.”
Through a connection at her church, Rockland Community Church, Jenna discovered Belmont University. In 2017, she headed for Nashville to study Music Business. She got heavily involved in college ministry and the music world, deepening her faith and learning the industry.
During the summer of COVID, Jenna served as a worship leader for her church, spending many hours recording music for playback during virtual services. She tells me these songs and leading worship really helped her find her sound.
While Evergreen may have been supportive, opportunity-rich, and relatively low-pressure, Nashville couldn’t be more different. “Everyone is trying to ‘make it,’” she explains, and that breeds fierce competition. The constant grind of keeping up with gigs, writing, and recording (while working full time) can be exhausting, but Jenna’s passion is reinforced by exciting opportunities, like supporting Jelly Roll, Brandon Lake, and Jon Batiste at the 2025 GMA Dove Awards, and the Tommee Profitt Christmas Show, “The Birth of a King.”
For every high-profile stage or arena choir, there’s dozens of smaller rooms and late nights that do the deep work. Jenna frequently plays in Writers’ Rounds, where several songwriters take turns playing original songs on stage. Though these gigs are usually unpaid, she values the community and connection these spaces offer. “You never see a person just once,” Jenna smiles. Whether it be at Gibson Guitars (where she works), a random concert, or a networking event, she often runs into the same people. This is how connections are built, relationships form, and opportunities arise.
Jenna’s first studio record, “Breakthrough,” released June 2024, came to life through miracle after miracle of coincidence, blind luck, and the right relationships. Written across unique moments, the songs come together as a cohesive reflection of the season spanning Jenna’s graduation and her first year out of school. During this time, “I didn’t know what the Lord was doing with my life,” she says. Struggling with uncertainty, she turned toward her church for guidance. Jenna remembers a specific church celebration for graduates and a moment where her pastor told her: “It’s like you’re an arrow that the Lord has been pulling back… and when He does let go, there’s going to be a breakthrough.” She spent a lot of time sitting with this idea until the song “Breakthrough” came to her. It had a certain COVID-era resonance, reminding her to stay hopeful and keep looking forward. The song became the title track for a project she spent the next year writing. It’s now her favorite song to perform live.
When she felt ready to record, Jenna reached out to a contact she had at Dark Horse Studios in Franklin and secured a great deal for two days in a studio. The studio has been a recording house for many greats including Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Keith Urban, Neil Diamond and Carrie Underwood. It’s essentially a log house, she tells me, and it has a very Evergreen-like cabin feel to it. It was the perfect place to bring her songs to life. She recorded with producer Rocco Fiorentino, a “friend and genius” whom she met by chance at Belmont.
“Call Out for Me” is another of Jenna’s favorite tracks on “Breakthrough.” Fiorentino suggested having a child sing the last line of the song to solidify a multigenerational dimension to the lyrics. Jenna agreed, only to be shocked when the girl he picked looked like she could be Jenna’s younger sister. Fiorentino is blind; his choice of Ellianna Capri was somehow more perfect than he could have ever expected. They decided to shoot a music video—Jenna’s first—because the match was too good to miss. The synchronicity of the whole experience was both beautiful and unexpected. Jenna and I linger here for a while, talking about how it felt like reassurance that she was walking the right path.
Jenna’s most recent studio project was a Christmas EP released in early December called “Believe.” The songs have a classic, warm, and slightly nostalgic feeling. Throughout the project, she worked with friends and fellow artists, including videographer Sydney Jackson and children’s book illustrator Elizabeth Rose Hoffman. These relationships, Jenna confides, helped her build trust in her own intuition and in the value of community over exposure. She also learned that not every opportunity is the right opportunity. The best success comes from following her gut, trusting her friends and mentors, and choosing only what aligns.
While the “Breakthrough” era was one of big ideas, “Believe” is a compilation of vignettes. Jenna’s next releases will focus on more small-scale, intimate storytelling. “Smile,” an ode to her grandmother, is her favorite song she’s written.” The encouragement that once surrounded her in Evergreen still echoes in Jenna’s music. For her, growth has come from experimentation, trusting herself, and using faith as a compass. Seasons change, but the roots remain.
Learn more about Jenna, her music and her custom song service at JennaWeidner.com or on Instagram @jennacwmusic.
