Meet Sadie Bass, the Bass Master

With a last name that nods to her love of music and the outdoors, Sadie Bass, the bass master, is set to make a name for herself in Nashville.

Name: Sadie Bass
Age: 25
Hometown: Bath, Michigan
Current Residence: Nashville, Tennessee
Instagram: @SadieBass__

Question 1: You grew up in Michigan. Tell me about your childhood, when you started hunting and fishing, and who got you started?

Sadie Bass: I grew up in a small town on the outskirts of Lansing. I graduated high school with 60 kids. I was very into sports as a kid, and I had good grades. I started off in the outdoors pretty young fishing with my dad and going in the blind with him. I would shoot with him, and then I got my own bow. I was the son my dad never had. 

Question 2: When did you start singing and writing songs? What was the first song you ever wrote?

Sadie Bass: I started singing when I was a little girl. And I wrote little songs in my song diary.  My mom got me a guitar when I was 14, and I learned to play on YouTube. My best friend and neighbor’s dad was a pastor, so I grew up in church because of them. And I would sing at church with her and go to church camps. It wasn’t scary because I was singing for Jesus. 

I always loved music, but I had terrible stage fright, so outside of church, no one really knew I sang. I went to a local community college to play college softball, and I really started seriously writing songs then. My first song was “Son He Never Had.” 

I started posting videos of me playing guitar on Instagram and got a lot of comments and encouragement. Then I posted a video of me covering a Luke Combs song, and a lot of outdoorsy people who listen to Luke saw the video and it grew my following even more. I ended up quitting college ball to pursue music. I started growing a fan base in Michigan and performing with national acts.

Question 3: How did you decide to pursue music as your career?

Sadie Bass: Music meant so much to me. I have a strong faith in God, and I really felt like God was leading me to music. I knew my parents wanted me to finish school, and I felt like I was smart enough. My cousin Emma, who is now my manager, encouraged me. 

We were on the beach the summer after my first year of school, and I was telling her about my songwriting, and she told me she thought I should take the chance. I decided that day on the beach. I called my coach the next day and told my parents I was going to do music. They thought I was nuts.

Question 4: When did you move to Nashville? 

Sadie Bass: I moved the day after Christmas in 2020. I loaded up my car and moved by myself. I had built a good fan base in Michigan, so I was getting bigger shows. I had traveled back and forth to Nashville several times before I moved and met people. I have a big circle in Nashville now. 

Question 5: You appeared on an Outdoor Channel show called For Love or Likes. Tell me about that.

Sadie Bass: I was on seasons four and five of For Love or Likes in 2019 and 2020. We were in Olla, Louisiana, and did hunting challenges for the show. I won my first season. There were four of us, and we lived in a lodge together to film the show. I shot my first hogs for the show.

Question 6: Do you still hunt and fish?

Sadie Bass: I still hunt and fish but not as often as I’d like. I shoot off my porch! I go back home and hunt. I went to Kentucky with my dad to bow hunt for the Sportsman’s Channel. I love hunting deer, hogs, and turkey. I want to hunt duck. Deer are my favorite, I love venison. I want to fill my freezer. 

My dad retired to our lake house at Bass Lake, so he’ll get to fish every day. I like to fish for bass, bluegill, and pike.  I have a buddy Todd who has a boat, and when he goes out, I go with him. 

Question 7: Tell me about your favorite hunting or fishing memory? 

Sadie Bass: On the show, I was tracking an enormous buck. It was dark and pouring down rain. I had to shoot out of a blind instead of a stand. I shoot better from a stand. Me and the cameraman who was with me said a prayer together. The deer walked out, but I couldn’t get a good angle. I could hear my dad in my head. 

I got on my knees with the buck at 30 yards and shot him low. I could tell I hit him, but he was still standing so I shot him again. I had to track him in the dark, and I finally found him. It was the biggest, most beautiful deer I had ever seen.

Question 8: What are your music goals?

Sadie Bass: To release my first song was exciting, but to do it at the level I want takes work. You can play Broadway (in Nashville) and the honkytonks, and you can make money that way, but the real goal is to co-write songs. I play writer rounds with other musicians. I keep putting out music and playing shows. The goal is to write amazing songs. I release songs on all streaming services every couple of months. I continue to get new fans and a bigger following.

Question 9: What music do you listen to when not making your own music?

Sadie Bass: I grew up on the Eagles and Beatles—things my parents listened to. The first song I Iearned on the guitar was “Peaceful Easy Feeling.” But I also loved Britney Spears and Rihanna. 

I listened to everything growing up. But I really loved country music because I could relate to it. I loved Miranda Lambert and Brantley Gilbert. Now my favorites are Hardy and Ashlyn Craft writing-wise and music-wise. They are so good!

Question 10: What’s been your favorite music moment so far?

Sadie Bass: I played my first real big show in front of 10,000 people in Michigan opening up for Brantley Gilbert. Then I went on a cruise with him. On the cruise, it was crazy. I was elbow to elbow with artists that I’ve looked up to for a long time. And there were so many fans all there for country music. 

Also, I opened up for Craig Morgan for the Archery Trade Association show. At the time, I had an old Baptist church bus—we took off the logo and put Sadie Bass on the side, and we put a couch and guitar racks; no AC mind you. We rolled up in our little bus and parked right behind Craig Morgan’s huge tour bus. As we’re unloading our stuff, Craig Morgan came and helped us unload the bus. He was so humble and sweet.

Question 11: What is your five-year plan?

Sadie Bass: I want to continue writing and putting out music. I’m planning a full-on tour this year. I’m looking to do an EP or an album. I want to get a record deal. I hope I’m making money off my music and touring. I want to keep putting out crazy good music.