Photo Credits: Watauga Yearbook
Wesley Coatney, former Watauga student, has taken his love for music beyond graduation. Currently, Coatney is committed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is traveling on a gap year, playing various shows along the way. In addition to that, Coatney has produced several singles, adding to an impressive collection of music.
“I started learning piano when I was very young, but I never really enjoyed it. It wasn't until middle school that I really started digging into the world of music,” said Coatney. “All of a sudden, music became a form of artistic expression, rather than just a mode of entertaining others. In high school, I started writing my own music. I also started experimenting with recording and mixing tracks.
Like many other young artists, Coatney’s journey through the world of music was bumpy.
“At first, my songs were quite bad," said Coatney. "But over time, I became more comfortable writing parts and lyrics, more competent doing studio work, and more confident in my final products."
Coatney’s talent and further pursuit of the arts beyond high school stand as testaments to the guidance he received from the community of Watauga.
“I owe a thank you to the choir department at Watauga for building my confidence in arguably the most important field: vocals," said Coatney. "Before joining choir, I had little experience and no vocal training. I am very grateful for my teachers and friends who taught me so much during my two years in choir."
One of the ways in which Coatney exemplifies his artistic talent is through producing and releasing music to online platforms like Spotify.
“My favorite song I've released is called Sailor's Dream. It tells a tale of a young sailor boy who loses his lover while at sea,” said Coatney. “I love this song because the lyrics are powerful and evocative. Additionally, my brothers worked with me writing the arrangement for the song. They recorded the bass and banjo on the track which adds a lot to the character and depth.”
Coatney is deeply creative and shows that in the music he carefully creates. As a former Watauga high school student, Coatney serves as an example of how students can pursue music beyond graduation to tell stories and grow as individuals.
To listen to Wesley Coatney on Spotify, follow this link.
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