Most Memphians might recognize artist Cameron Bethany as the son of a Southern preacher with an extraordinary voice — but Bethany’s unique musical and life experiences have deeply shaped who he is today. His music, his lyrics, his style, his personality, and his passion for the arts have all been influenced by his ever-changing life journey. “It’s hard to measure who I was back then and who I am today,” says Bethany. “My life is always changing, and often, as people, we don’t even realize when we’re in those changes.”
The Covid-19 pandemic is a concrete example of one of those major life changes. “I released any idea of a plan because if there’s one thing 2020 has taught me, it’s that we don’t have control over what’s going to happen,” Bethany says. The pandemic has put many live-music events on hold, and after three years, Bethany returns to give Memphians a captivating and nerve-calming experience at the Levitt Shell on Friday, October 15th, at 7 p.m.
The secular artist’s love for music began at church and only bloomed from there. Born into a religious family, church was more than just a Sunday service for Bethany; it was a lifestyle. “We were in church two or three times a week. Choir, bible study, Thursday service, Saturday choir rehearsal, and then Sunday — church. I was literally there … all day,” he says.
Although gospel music was the main soundtrack to Bethany’s life, his naturally free-spirited nature led him to venture out into other music genres. But it wasn’t easy. Around the age of 20, Bethany experienced an internal struggle when he began performing and doing gigs outside of church. “I would do the gigs and hurry up out of town,” Bethany remembers. “I was afraid that someone would tell my parents that they saw me performing music that wasn’t gospel.” Worried by the idea that secular music was somehow “wrong,” Bethany was taken by surprise when he discovered that his mother was actually enthusiastic and supportive.
While Bethany continued to do music part-time, a traumatic experience pushed him to leave the typical 9-5 job behind. “I experienced a murder where a resident took his sister’s and girlfriend’s life and then took his own life. It was that year that I said, ‘Enough is enough,’” Bethany says. “I don’t think I fully recovered from the shock of that.” After this experience, Bethany took some time to heal, tap deeper into himself, and think about his truest desires.
In 2017, Bethany’s music career continued to take off with the release of his album YouMakeMeNervous. The album paints a picture of his transformative journey of healing and self-discovery. “I was going through some rough things in life,” he says. “I was trying to find my way as an adult, and the album incorporates my journey of navigating love, my identity, my sexuality, trials I faced with the world — period.”
Bethany hopes that audiences will feel the rawness of his personality and expression through his performance. “I want it to be a nerve-calming experience. I want my audience to feel enchanted when they hear my music,” says Bethany. “I want them to feel my vulnerability.”
In addition to performing new original music and covers from his favorite songs and artists, Bethany has other projects currently in the works. The multifaceted artist is honing his craft in digital and graphic art, which will be sold at the Levitt Shell through Unapologetic. He is also hoping to create an animated television show inspired by the different zodiac signs.
“Ultimately, I want to make great music, great sounds, great art and put that out into the world,” Bethany says. “This is something that I’ve been yearning for. This is something I was called to do.”
