Sandy Pickett: A Local Voice Helping Young Talent Find the Spotlight

She sets up free open mic and guitar lessons and pays for showcase performances.

Sandy Pickett wears a lot of hats and somehow makes each one look effortless. On any given day she might be showing a family their first home, answering questions about neighborhoods and mortgage timelines with the calm confidence of a seasoned real estate agent with Meisburger Realty. Then, when the sun goes down, she becomes someone else entirely: a musician and singer who knows how to hold a room, lean into a lyric, and even make a familiar cover sound personal.

What makes Sandy stand out isn’t just that she performs gigs with Hippie Fingers, fellow musicians, and solo — it’s that she opens doors for others to perform, too. Over the past few years, she has become the quiet force behind a growing number of youth-friendly shows at local venues. She organizes and personally sponsors Open Mic and Guitar Lessons for kids and Young Voices Showcases. She works with coffee shops, small stages, the Liberty Theater, and community spaces to create afternoons and evenings where young singers and musicians can step up to a microphone, plug in a guitar, and experience what it feels like to be heard by a supportive audience.

For many of the kids, it’s their first “real” gig beyond a bedroom practice session or a school recital. Sandy manages the behind-the-scenes details that can make or break a young performer’s confidence: the set list order, the sound check, the introductions, even the gentle reminders to breathe and have fun. She also welcomes her professional musician friends to ‘play backup’ for the kids. Parents arrive with phones ready, friends show up to cheer, and the room fills with that rare kind of energy that is part nerves, part pride, and part joy that only comes from doing something new.

Sandy’s support doesn’t stop when the last song ends. She also offers guitar lessons and practical voice advice, meeting students where they are, whether they’re learning their first chords or trying to strengthen pitch and projection. She teaches the basics, but she also teaches the things that aren’t written on a chord chart: how to recover after a mistake, how to choose songs that fit your voice, and how to practice with purpose when motivation runs low.

That guidance carries weight because Sandy has put in the time herself. She’s an accomplished performer who understands the discipline behind the fun. She knows about rehearsals that run long, equipment that fails at the worst moment, and the need to connect with a crowd that didn’t come specifically to hear you. She brings those hard-earned lessons into her coaching, translating stage experience into encouragement that feels real, not rehearsed.

When community events need music Sandy is often one of the first people to say yes. Sometimes that means performing herself; often times it means coordinating a small lineup so a handful of young artists can share the stage. Either way, she treats each event with enthusiasm that can turn a crowd into a community of fans.

Sandy may help people find the right house during the day, but after hours she not only finds time to record at local studios, rehearse and perform, but also helps kids find their voices. Ask her why she does it — why she keeps booking venues, coaching beginners, and making room for one more performer — and she’ll tell you it’s simple: talent grows when it’s nurtured, and confidence grows when it’s shared. She proudly says, “These kids have it! It’s a real joy seeing them get better and better.”

You can find scheduling and locations for upcoming free Open Mic & Guitar Lessons and Young Voices Showcases on Sandy Pickett Facebook.