I grew up playing junior and high school golf with Jillian Speece.  For years Jillian has been performing in front of audiences- little did I know she used to have stage fright!   Jillian attended IUPFW and graduated with a double major in Media and Public Communication and Interpersonal Relationship Communication (and while playing on the varsity golf team! phew!).  This past year Jillian and her long-time boyfriend and fellow performer, Nathan (who also played division I golf), teamed up to create the band The Bergamot.  And now as a college-grad, Jillian and The Bergamot’s are hitting the road for a national tour! As a lead singer about to go on tour, I asked Jillian how playing golf and pursuing her dream of singing have had an impact on each other...

WTW: What got you interested in playing golf?

Jillian: At a young age (3) my father encouraged me to play golf. He loved the sport  and saw it as a fun activity that my family could do together.  My mother and father both saw golf as an opportunity for me to learn many life lessons, and they saw the potential it had to impact my education (via college scholarship).

WTW: You could have focused 100% on your music in high school and college but played on both your high school and collegiate golf team (which can be quite time consuming!)- what made you stick with playing golf?

Jillian: I stuck with golf because I saw the potential opportunities it offered me. I loved playing golf for many reasons. It kept me focused, disciplined, physically fit, organized, it offered me socialization, it gave me quality time with loved ones, and it offered me both competition and opportunities to excel in my educational goals. Because, I continued playing golf I reaped the reward of landing a full ride to play division one collegiate golf and from that I earned a wonderful education.

WTW: What skills did you develop playing golf that have helped you in your singing career?

Jillian: Geez, the life skills I have developed through the game have been life altering in more than one way. Through the game I learned what it meant to be a person of character and how to hold a positive attitude . Both are  indispensable assets that work and help me be a successful musician. Additionally, I learned how to socialize and network. I can not tell you how often those skills come into play in the music industry. With persistence, talent, and good communication skills you can make it happen!

WTW: You are certainly following your dreams!  What words of advice do you have for girls following theirs?

Jillian: I would start by sharing that life may not always give you a good hand or seem fair, especially when pursuing your dreams. So make sure when you follow your dreams that along the way you are having fun. When pursuing your dreams be true to yourself and your creator. Be sure to recognize when you are pursuing your dreams it is very important to have a yearning passion to help others through your talents and deep down in the pit of your soul make sure you are following your dreams because you have that yearning passion to help others, not a sole passion to  fill up your bank account.
Never, lose faith in yourself or humanity. Be patient, continue to try, continue to be better,learn from your mistakes. Did you know that it took inventor Thomas Edison 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”  I love this quote because it displays how important determination is. Imagine if Edison would have stopped at 999, we probably would not have lights today. In conclusion, be strong, flow your heart, and give your talents to the world in hopes that you can inspire others to live life in a more profound way. Be the change you wish to see in the world. Follow your dreams to make the world a better place, and everything will be OK.

You can follow The Bergamot’s on their website www.thebergamot.com and be sure the check out their songs on iTunes.