Sherry Cothren signs GADFLY

Overview

Sherry Cothren has wielded a pen since her youth, recording her thoughts and feelings, her “writings” as she calls them, in reams of yellow legal pads. A longtime musician, Cothren’s words have often been used as song lyrics in her various bands, from the Germans and Beat Temptation through the Windbreakers and others. Beyond sharing them with friends and bandmates, though, her prose has largely just existed as ink on lined paper.

“I have always just called my notebooks my ‘writings,’” Cothren explained. “And after using them as lyrics for songs, I called them lyrics. A few friends called them ‘poems,’ which i am completely fine with.

“I never set out to write [with] a label of any kind, I just wrote my feelings and observations, and judgements, as it were. Being extremely shy and awkward and quiet as a mouse, my writings were my voice … my release.”

We are now privileged to be allowed access to Sherry Cothren’s inner world, a place that may not always be the warmest or most welcoming, but one well worth delving into.

Sherry Cothren is a musician and songwriter who began writing original songs and confessional prose at the age of 12. She has played guitar and bass, writing and recording with numerous acts. Her other interests include activism and worshipping cats. She was born and resides in Mississippi.