Classic Music Saved Me with Cecilia Castleman

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Classic Music Saved Me with Cecilia Castleman"

Podcast: takin' a walk (iHeartPodcasts)
Host: Lynn Hoffman
Guest: Cecilia Castleman (Glass Note Records recording artist)
Release Date: October 12, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode explores the healing and transformative power of music through the personal journey of Cecilia Castleman. Cecilia, an up-and-coming artist with deep, classic-rock roots, reflects on how music provided solace during her formative years and continues to shape her sense of identity and purpose. The conversation also delves into Cecilia’s creative process, the influence of musical legends, and the emotional significance of sharing her art with others.

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Healing Power of Music

• Cecilia’s Testimony:
  • “Oh, a thousand percent, yeah. I mean, that’s the whole reason I got through my childhood was because of music.” (02:23)
  • Music was a lifeline during challenging times, especially her parents’ divorce when she was 11.
• Host Perspective:
  • Lynn relates as a child of divorced parents, emphasizing the resonate nature of Cecilia’s story (05:32).

2. Early Connection with Music and Family Influence

• Musical Environment:
  • Cecilia’s parents were musicians, and instruments, especially guitars, were always accessible at home.
    • “Instead of, you know, giving me 20 bucks to go to the mall, it was here, here’s a guitar.” (02:41)
  • Her mother introduced her to classic records; music was an affordable and cherished escape growing up with limited resources.
• Music Shopping Ritual:
  • Cecilia and her mother would save up lunch money to buy discounted records at Best Buy, underscoring both their financial struggles and enduring love of music (02:41-03:41).

3. Private Songwriting Process

• Writing for Herself:
  • Cecilia revealed that, initially, none of her peers knew about her talent or passion:
    • “I wouldn’t show anyone. Like no one in school knew I even played guitar, loved music as much as I did. … I kept it to myself because I didn’t want anyone to have really opinions about it.” (04:14)
  • This secrecy protected the sacredness of her art until she secured a music publishing deal.

4. Song Inspirations & Personal Relevance

• Autobiographical Themes:
  • Her single, “It’s Alright,” is written as self-reassurance during restless, tumultuous youth:
    • “It’s very much so … my restless, sort of rebellious song … like, you know, everything is gonna be fine. … I write a lot in third person, but all of those songs on my record are about, you know, me.” (05:32)
• Hope Through Music:
  • “If I didn’t have all of those records that I did growing up and sort of that drive to do something with my life, I mean, I came from nothing. …it gives me hope for the future for sure.” (06:32)

5. Songwriting as Therapy

• Subconscious Relief:
  • Writing was a subconscious coping mechanism:
    • “It was very much so a subconscious thing for me back then. In the words that I write, I would have never said out loud, but somehow I felt a way that I could through lyrics.” (07:15)
• Transition to Sharing with Others:
  • The shift from private songwriting to performing her music publicly remains overwhelming and emotional:
    • “It’s still so new for me to hear people, like, sing words back to me … I have to look away or it’s gonna make me not be able to finish the song and just break down and cry.” (07:48)

6. Influences and Musical Heroes

• Classic Influences:

  • “I just remember growing up on, you know, Fleetwood Mac and Prince and John Mayer…” (02:41)
  • Her mother gifted her Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk for her 15th birthday, with Stevie Nicks being a profound influence:
    • “I’m a huge Stevie Nicks fan. I think she’s, like, the best thing that’s in the world. … all of her lyrics really resonated with me growing up.” (09:35)
  • Other guitar icons (Tom Petty, John Mayer, Prince, Lindsey Buckingham) shaped her guitar-centric taste (09:35).

• The Magic of Rock:

  • Growing up in Nashville, rock music offered a vital counterpoint to the country scene, stirring inspiration and a sense of belonging.

7. Memorable Career Moments

• Collaboration Highlights:
  • Met and worked with Benmont Tench (Heartbreakers) and John Mayer, describing these as surreal career achievements (11:10-11:15).

8. Advice to Others Experiencing Hardship

• Empathy for “the quiet ones”:
  • “I can see people, you know, the quiet ones, I feel like, always have the best stories. … those were the thinkers, and those are the dreamers to me.” (12:00)
• On Healing and Growth:
  • “Time really does heal. I’m a completely different person from back then than what I was now. … I think as hard as it is in the moment, I think in a weird way, you learn a lot of beneficial lessons from it.” (12:00, echoed from 01:05)
• Practical Approach:
  • Take it day by day and recognize each hardship as an opportunity for growth.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Music saved me. Time really does heal.” – Cecilia Castleman (01:05, 12:00)
• “Both my parents were musicians. … Instead of, you know, giving me 20 bucks to go to the mall, it was here, here’s a guitar.” – Cecilia (02:41)
• “I kept it that private for a reason because it was so sacred to me.” – Cecilia, on songwriting (04:14)
• “That’s all I’ve ever wanted is for, you know, people to sort of find company within my songs and make them feel better about stuff or make them cry or, you know, whatever they’re feeling.” (07:48)
• “I just became silent. I would go to school, and I would remember I could go all day and not say a word to anyone.” – On coping with her parents’ divorce (12:00)
• “Stevie Nicks is like, my … If I smell a duet somewhere down the road, I don’t know…” – Cecilia, on her musical dreams (11:15-11:27)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:05 – Cecilia states, “Music saved me. Time really does heal.”
• 02:23 – Discussion of the healing power of music.
• 02:41 – Cecilia explains her formative musical experiences and family influence.
• 04:14 – On keeping her music private and songwriting.
• 05:32 – “It’s Alright” and the link to her parents’ divorce.
• 06:32 – How music gave her hope and purpose.
• 07:15 – Songwriting as an unconscious, therapeutic process.
• 07:48 – Emotional impact of hearing her songs sung by others.
• 09:35 – Musical influences (Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, classic rock).
• 11:10 – Meeting music legends and career highlights.
• 12:00 – Advice for those struggling, embracing the journey, and healing.

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Tone and Takeaways

This episode radiates sincere warmth and a sense of solidarity for anyone who finds healing in music. Cecilia Castleman’s gratitude, modesty, and old-soul wisdom shine through as she and Lynn Hoffman share personal stories and insights. The dialogue is heartfelt, with themes of resilience, self-expression, and the profound, often unseen, impact that music can have—on both the artist and the listener.

For new listeners and aspiring musicians, this is an inspiring, empathic conversation about music’s power to transform pain into art and isolation into connection.

Transcript

[Cecilia Castleman]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Jonathan Goldstein]

Wishing the holidays could come early. If you own or manage your business, they can. With help from iHeartRadio, people are already shopping for their loved ones and hunting for deals wherever they can find them, including right here. They're listening to the radio, they're listening to podcasts. They could be listening to you. Don't wait for everyone else to kick off the holidays. Get your best season of the year up and running today. Call 844-844-IHeart or visit iheartadvert advertising.com I'm Jonathan Goldstein and on the new season of Heavyweight. And so I pointed the gun at.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Him and said, this isn't a joke.

[Jonathan Goldstein]

A man who robbed a bank when he was 14 years old and a centenarian rediscovers a love lost 80 years ago.

[Lynn Hoffman]

How can 101-year-old woman fall in love again?

[Jonathan Goldstein]

Listen to heavyweight on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Cecilia Castleman]

Music Saved Me Time really does heal. I'm a completely different person from back then than what I was now. And I think everything that's hard, you just mature. I think. I think I wouldn't be right here if I didn't go through everything back then. So I think as hard as it is in the moment, I think in a weird way, you learn a lot of beneficial lessons from it.

[Lynn Hoffman]

I'm Lynn Hoffman and welcome to the Music Saved Me podcast, the show where we talk with musicians about the deep healing power of music. Now, if you like our podcast, we hope you do, follow us and share with your friends, please and thank you. We talk with hall of Famers and rising stars and today I get to speak with Glass Note Records recording artist Cecilia Castleman. Her latest single is called Looking for June and her self titled debut album will be out in early 20. Explore Cecilia's inspiring journey and how music has impacted her life on Music Saved Me. Cecilia, welcome to Music Saved Me. It's so good to have you.

[Cecilia Castleman]

Thank you. Thanks so much for having me.

[Lynn Hoffman]

So I'm going to start off with. I'm hoping it's not a hard question, but I just need to know, do you feel that music has healing powers?

[Cecilia Castleman]

Oh, a thousand percent, yeah. I mean, that's the whole reason I got through my childhood was because of music, so.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Well, let's talk a little bit about that. Let's start off with your first experiences that led you to your deep connection with music. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

[Cecilia Castleman]

Sure. I mean, I just remember always having A guitar within reach. Both my parents were musicians. And so instead of, you know, giving me 20 bucks to go to the mall, it was here, here's a guitar. You know, that's something free to do. But yet, you know, now it's become such a priceless thing in my life. And yeah, I was just. My mom just sort of bottle fed me everything music wise since I was, you know, such a young adult. And I just remember growing up on, you know, Fleetwood Mac and Prince and John Mayer and I would save. We didn't have a lot of money growing up, my mom and I, and so I would just save my lunch money and we'd go to Best Buy to the cleric clearance section. Back when Best Buy, you know, had a music section and I would pick out records and that, that's what I did. And. And that's all I did. I don't remember ever doing anything else besides, you know, mowing the yard and listening to records growing up. Wow.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Now, was it, was it music and writing songs? Was it writing songs first and then writing the music for you?

[Cecilia Castleman]

It was always, I love guitar. I'm like a super guitar head. So it was always me, you know, writing a track and then sort of putting melodies and words over it. Yeah.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Now, would you often write just for yourself and not to share with others, or did you write it thinking it was for other people to listen to?

[Cecilia Castleman]

I wrote it for myself. I wouldn't show anyone. Like no one in school knew I even played guitar, loved music as much as I did. I think I, I kept it to myself because I didn't want anyone to have really opinions about it subconsciously. And I think I, yeah, that's all I did. And it wasn't until later when I got a publishing deal and everything that people were like, oh, you, you like, you do music and. And I was like, well, yeah, I always did. But I think I, I kept it that private for a reason because it was so sacred to me. Yeah.

[Lynn Hoffman]

So it's very personal, for sure. Anyone I've ever talked to has always said, you know, it's like, I always use this example. It's like birthing children, you know, and then you, you put them out there for the world to judge and you have no say over what anyone else thinks about it. And you can hope, but you just don't know. I was just listening to your song it's all right and I actually was watching the video and you play a mean guitar. At the beginning of the show, I'd asked you if you thought Music had healing powers. And that song and the words sort of resonated. Did that have anything to do with your life with maybe your parents? Because I know when you were very young, it was pretty traumatic for you for them to get divorced. And as a child of divorced parents, myself, I can totally connect with that.

[Cecilia Castleman]

Yeah, they split when I was 11, which was when I was started writing. And yeah, it's alright. It's very much so. That, like it's my restless, sort of rebellious song that I'm talking to myself in that song. Like, you know, everything is gonna be fine. You're gonna make it through, you're gonna grow up and you're gonna, you know, find your way as like a young girl in this world and everything's gonna be fine. And I write a lot in third person, but all of those songs on my record are about, you know, me. And it's sort of a way to sort of shield me and not, you know, expose everything, which I guess I just did. But yeah, it's alright. That's about me saying everything's gonna be fine.

[Lynn Hoffman]

That was so interesting because before I heard that, I had no idea that that's what that song was about, but I knew it was something that was going on in your life. Do you believe that the music has ability to give people hope?

[Cecilia Castleman]

Oh, 1,000%, yeah. If I didn't have all of those records that I did growing up and sort of that drive to do something with my life, I mean, I came from nothing. I didn't have anything growing up but those songs and what I could play and what I could make myself. So, yeah, it gives me hope for the future for sure. I mean, I wouldn't have anything without it. And if it went away, I don't know what I'd do. So, yeah, 1,000%.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Did you know when you were writing songs that it was like therapeutic for yourself or did you just know that you felt good after you got it on paper? How did that work in your mind?

[Cecilia Castleman]

Sure, I think it was all subconscious back then. I think I did it and I do it now and I still don't know the reason why. I think that's what's so magical about music. It was very much so a subconscious thing for me back then. In the words that I write, I would have never said out loud, but somehow I felt a way that I could through lyrics. So yeah, I got it all out.

[Lynn Hoffman]

16, 17 and a record deal at 21. Am I right? Yeah, that's pretty amazing.

[Cecilia Castleman]

Yeah, I was very, very lucky That I had such great mentors and, you know, everyone around me. Yeah. I still have a long way to go, but it's been. I can't. I can't take it. I mean, it's still so new for me to hear people, like, sing words back to me that I just have to look the other way. And most of the time, it's really nice because I can. You know, it's so dark. I can't really see anyone. But smaller shows here in Nashville and I see people, whether it's, like, my friends or even my mom. Like, I just can't. I have to look away or it's gonna make me not be able to finish this song and just break down and cry. But, I mean, that's the dream. That's all I've ever wanted is for, you know, people to sort of find company within my songs and make them feel better about stuff or make them cry or, you know, whatever they're feeling. Yeah, it's wild to me. It's very surreal, I bet.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Especially going from not wanting to share any of it to having it be out there. Yeah. Can you describe what it's like when you're writing a song or when you're creating the music to a song? What comes first and what's your process? And also, when you were going through something as a young child, whatever it was, what music and artists did you turn to? Maybe specific songs that you listened to that helped you through those times.

[Cecilia Castleman]

When I was growing up, it was a lot of Fleetwood Mac. I remember that my mom got me that Tusk record for my 15th birthday, and I just got my permit, and she had gotten me that. And there's a song on there called Storms that Stevie Nicks. I'm a huge Stevie Nicks fan. I think she's, like, the best thing that's in the world. And all of her lyrics really resonated with me growing up, I think, because it was just. She showed a woman's heart, even though I obviously wasn't a woman then. But I could just feel, like, that feminine sort of, you know, a woman trying to figure out her life and going through stuff and heartbreak. And I really resonated with her growing up, obviously, still, too. But it was songs like Storms and Beautiful Child and, you know, Sisters of the Moon, sort of that rage, you know, but also the vulnerability of being a woman. And it was a lot of her. But then I loved, like, you know, very heavy guitar music. I feel like everything I listened to, it was very guitar heavy. Tom Petty, John Mayer, Prince, all the Lindsey Buckingham stuff. I very much so gravitated towards all of that. And, yeah, I think it's because I grew up. You know, Nashville's very. It's super country and. And. Which is awesome, but I think once I heard that, like, rock stuff, I was like, yeah, like, that's what I needed.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Have you met anyone from Fleetwood Mac or Stevie?

[Cecilia Castleman]

No, no. I met Benmont Tench from Heartbreakers. He played on my record.

[Jonathan Goldstein]

Wow.

[Cecilia Castleman]

That was crazy. Yeah, I met John Mayer. But, no, Stevie Nicks is like, my. She's like, if.

[Lynn Hoffman]

If I smell a duet somewhere down.

[Cecilia Castleman]

The road, I don't know.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Could you imagine? Well, tell me this. And I'm sure she would be so excited if she was listening to this, that. That you had. That she had such an impact on you. She's super sweet. I've worked with her. I've been lucky enough to. And, yeah, you'll. You'll find out, I'm sure, in the not too distant future. Can I ask what you would give for advice to someone who may be dealing with some difficult times in their life? What you would suggest for them in terms of any part of the song making, writing, listening process?

[Cecilia Castleman]

Sure, yeah. That's so tough because you kind of don't know. I mean, everyone acts sort of differently no matter what, you know, people go through. But I think it's just. I mean, it's hard because some people are. For me, when I went through everything, I was very shy. Like, I just became silent. I would go to school, and I would remember I could go all day and not say a word to anyone. And I think it's. I can see people, you know, the quiet ones, I feel like, always have the best stories. Just growing up in school, you know, the ones that, like, wouldn't say anything and would sort of hide. And those were the thinkers, and those are the dreamers to me. And. I don't know, it's so hard to go through things, no matter how little or how big, but I guess just taking it day by day and time really does heal. I'm a completely different person from back then than what I was now. And I think everything that's hard, you just mature. I think. I think I wouldn't be right here if I didn't go through everything back then. So I think as hard as it is in the moment, I think in a weird way, you learn a lot of beneficial lessons from it.

[Lynn Hoffman]

No, no. That was a wonderful answer. And I have this feeling that you're a very old soul. Not just from the artist that grew up listening to because you blow me away. I mean, those are all of the artists I grew up listening to and you're half my age, so it's pretty amazing. I'm just so excited for you and I hope that all good things continue in your life and in your career and I will be looking forward to your self titled debut. You said it was coming out in 2025?

[Cecilia Castleman]

Yeah, day before my birthday, January 24th.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Oh my goodness. How exciting. And looking for June is the single that'll be out soon as well.

[Cecilia Castleman]

Yeah, June is out and then. Yeah, we might have one more before the album. I'm not sure.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Awesome. Well, thank you so much for coming on the show and, and good luck. And it. You just make me smile so much, I can't even think about how to say goodbye. But I'm very excited for you and it's always wonderful to see new artists coming up and coming and doing great things and thank you.

[Cecilia Castleman]

Thank you, thank you. This is so, so fun. Thanks for having me.

[Jim]

This is Jim.

[Cecilia Castleman]

Hello.

[Jim]

Jim started advertising with iHeartRadio way back in April and now I have customers out the door. And this is Sarah.

[Cecilia Castleman]

Hi.

[Jim]

She started putting a portion of her marketing dollars in podcasting back in June.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Business is booming.

[Cecilia Castleman]

That's why I'm working on a Saturday.

[Jim]

Want to be like Jim and Sarah. It's easy. All you have to do is own or manage a business and reach out to iHeart. Get started today at 844-844-IHeart or iheartadvertising.com.

[Jonathan Goldstein]

I'm Jonathan Goldstein and on the new season of Heavyweight. And so I pointed the gun at.

[Lynn Hoffman]

Him and said, this isn't a joke.

[Jonathan Goldstein]

A man who robbed a bank when he was 14 years old and a centenarian rediscovers a love lost 80 years ago.

[Lynn Hoffman]

How can one 1 year old woman fall in love again?

[Jonathan Goldstein]

Listen to heavyweight on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Cecilia Castleman]

This is an iHeart podcast.