Connie Brannock: Being Fearless, Staying Curious, and Making Music at 70 | Desert Soundcheck, Episode 6

At 70, Connie Brannock briefly considered retiring. Then she decided she still felt good, still had music to make, and still had plenty she wanted to share with the musicians around her.

In Episode 6 of Desert Sound Check, Connie joins host Derek Salois for a funny, thoughtful conversation about a lifetime in music, the Tucson community she loves, and why she continues to approach creativity with what she calls a “beginner’s mind.”

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It’s Not About Being Flawless. It’s About Being Fearless.

Early in the conversation, Connie sums up a philosophy that seems to run through much of her life as a performer: “It’s not about being flawless. It’s about being fearless.”

That attitude has helped shape the way Connie performs and connects with audiences. She talks openly about mistakes, missed notes, imperfect performances, and the unexpected musical moments that can happen when everyone on stage has to find their way back together.

For Connie, connecting with an audience has never depended on having the biggest vocal range or delivering a technically perfect performance. It comes from being fully present, letting go of self-consciousness, and being willing to put yourself into the song.

From a Garage Band (and a Trombone?) to Tucson Rockstar

Connie’s introduction to rock ’n’ roll goes all the way back to her teenage years on the Delmarva Peninsula. She originally wanted to be a drummer, but her school band director put her on trombone instead.

When a group of boys forming a garage band needed someone to sing, their logic was simple: Connie played trombone, so surely she could sing. She had never really thought about becoming a singer, but she showed up in the garage and gave it a try. That was the beginning.

Years later, after military service, teaching, graduate school, and nearly two decades away from performing, Connie found her way back to music. She remembers going to the Tucson Musicians Club at O’Malley’s around 2009, signing up to sing a song, and beginning to build the connections that would eventually become a huge part of her life in Tucson.

Tucson Is One Big Band

One of the things Connie loves most about Tucson is how often musicians move between projects. A Connie Brannock performance might be a blues band one night, a rock quartet another, a jazz trio, a duo, or something completely different depending on the gig and who is available.

As Connie puts it, Tucson sometimes feels like one big band. Instead of seeing that constant collaboration as a limitation, she sees it as one of the strengths of the local music community.

Every musician brings something different to the table, and Connie is still learning from the people around her — younger players, longtime peers, and musicians with skills completely different from her own. That exchange is part of what keeps the work interesting.

Keeping a Beginner’s Mind

When Derek asks how she continues finding new creative ideas, Connie’s answer is simple: keep a beginner’s mind. Listen to other musicians. Read. Talk to people. Stay curious. Stay open.

Turning 70 made that philosophy even more meaningful. Rather than stepping away from music, Connie began thinking more about what she could pass along to younger musicians and what she could continue learning from them.

She talks about becoming better at asking for help, letting go of things that no longer serve a purpose, and putting more of her time toward work that creates something positive. That willingness to keep learning has become part of how she approaches not only music, but life.

Music Is a Team Sport

For all of Connie’s experience as a front person, she is quick to point out how much of her work depends on other people. Musicians, producers, photographers, artists, designers, and collaborators all show up throughout her projects.

Her recordings are a reflection of Tucson’s creative community, with different musicians and artists helping shape the sound and look of each project. She also talks about the children’s songs she created during COVID, inspired by the animals and sounds of the Sonoran Desert. What began as a series of songs eventually became a book featuring artwork from a young local artist.

For Connie, surrounding herself with talented people is not something to be intimidated by. It is the goal. As she puts it, if she is the weak link, it must be a pretty good band.

Still Creating, Still Collaborating

Connie is involved in a constantly changing collection of musical projects. She plays with musicians across generations, works in different configurations depending on the gig, and continues writing and recording new music.

She also talks about a recent project reflecting on the current state of the United States, identity, community, and our relationship with one another. For Connie, creating music is not just about making another song or another record. It is also a way to process what is happening around her, raise awareness, and hopefully generate something good.

And She’s Definitely Not Retiring Yet

Near the end of the conversation, Connie shares one of the more unexpected results of staying open to new things. A group of younger musicians discovered her through Instagram and invited her to Portugal to record three rock songs with them.

They are flying her there, putting her up, and bringing her into the studio for a project Connie certainly was not expecting when she briefly considered retirement at 70. After Portugal, she plans to spend some time in England before heading home.

It is a fitting ending to a conversation about curiosity, collaboration, and staying open to whatever comes next. There is always another song, another musician to learn from, another project, or another adventure waiting — and Connie Brannock clearly is not finished yet.