Sammie Hershock recognizes diligent women whose valuable contributions often go unnoticed on “Gold Sticker.”
The Marshall, Michigan, singer-songwriter and pianist pays tribute to women who support family, friends, and community behind the scenes on her new indie-folk single.
“That’s really where the song came from, and originally when I wrote it, I was thinking about my mom,” said Hershock, who’s also a mother of three children. “It just put it all in perspective for me, and it came from realizing how much she actually did.”
On “Gold Sticker,” she sings, “But can she get a gold sticker / Can she get a prize / Or maybe a metal around her neck to reflect the light in her eyes / It took me long enough to see / That in the race of humanity / There is no winner / But can we get a gold sticker.”
“When I play this for people, I can’t even tell you how many people come up afterward and say, ‘I needed to hear that,’” Hershock said. “I almost always play that song, and at the end, I have free gold stickers.”
“Gold Sticker” features an A-list roster of musicians, including Dominic Davis on bass, Mike Shimmin on drums, Spencer LaJoye on violin and background vocals, Kyle Joe on background vocals, and producer Chris DuPont on guitar.
“When I started working with Chris DuPont, I already had amazing musicians on it, and the skeleton of the record was perfect,” said Hershock, whose new single will appear on her upcoming album, Wings. “I loved it, but I just knew that I wanted it to be filled out a little bit more.”
Hershock also recently entered “Gold Sticker” in the Grassy Hill New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters, which is affiliated with the Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, Texas.
She placed as one of 24 semi-finalists for the competition and is traveling to Kerrville this weekend to perform at the festival on May 24.
I recently spoke with Hershock about her background, new material, and upcoming plans.
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