//Rooted in Rhythm herbalist and founder Kayleigh Stone-Goering works on a customer’s order of tea in her Englewood home on March 27. Photo by Ali Mai | alimai@msmayhem.com
Being a musician means doing what you love, oftentimes for low wages and an exhausting schedule. For touring musicians, the hours are long and awkward, accommodations are usually less than ideal and they’re away from their home, friends, and family for weeks or months at a time. Part of the job is to forget about these circumstances when they walk out onto the stage each night and give the audience a strong performance.
While Kayleigh Stone-Goering toured with a band for some time and became good friends with the musicians and the crew members, it became apparent that the group were dealing with a load of things off-stage. Even so, they still had to present themselves as cheerful when they got on stage.
“[The musicians] didn’t get the support that they needed,” a tearful Stone-Goering said. “I saw one of my idols break down behind the scenes, and it made me realize how much support is needed in the music industry.”
A study published in Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy found that of the 300 drug-related celebrity deaths between 1970 and 2015, 38.6% were musicians. A goal of Stone-Goering’s is to “try and steer away from all of that.”
Musicians aren’t inherently drawn to substance abuse, but the conditions of life on the road can often lead to a decline in mental health. According to Backline, a reported 73% of independent musicians have said that they have experienced negative emotions such as stress, anxiety or depression in relation to their music creation.
It’s the grind of life on the road that inspired Stone-Goering to start Rooted in Rhythms, an herbal remedies business that focuses on both mental and physical health. With a mission to “increase the vitality and longevity of the musical community,” Stone-Goering took her degree in herbal studies and set off to help her friends, peers and even her idols feel their best while touring.
With Rooted in Rhythms, Stone-Goering can offer herbal support through her homemade and natural remedies. Her goal was to incorporate rising mental health awareness with natural remedies, instead of people turning to pharmaceuticals and alcohol.
Originally from Colorado, Stone-Goering moved to California a few years ago and found herself in a town called Forestville, attending the California School of Herbal Studies. After two years of schooling, Stone-Goering returned to Colorado and went on to study psychology. As an advocate for mental health awareness and a live music fan, she found a desperate need for that awareness within the music industry.
“It’s a good way to connect the fans with the musicians, through herbal remedies and self-care,” Stone-Goering said. “These fans see these musicians taking care of themselves in a natural way, so they are more inclined to do so.”
A year or so ago, Rooted in Rhythms client Carina Immer met Stone-Goering through Goose, the band her boyfriend plays in. “It’s become a staple in our daily routines,” Immer said. “All she really needed to do was give a sample of the product to us and we were sold.”
Stone-Goering left a box of throat syrup, lip balm, tonic, tea bags and cider in the green room and Immer, her boyfriend and his band loved it. Immer sees how Stone-Goering intertwined her love of natural remedies and her ability to create remedies for health and the home, and mix that together with her love for musicians. “This works. It makes me feel good; it’s not synthetic; she makes it herself; it’s a friend that we trust,” Immer said.
Rooted in Rhythms carries an array of natural, feel-good products that are great for preventative use, or as an on-the-spot cure. All products are alcohol-free, THC-free and CBD-free to steer away from any addiction triggers, and in true musical fashion, each product is named after a song.
There’s the Emotional Rescue Tonic, which is an anti-anxiety tincture, Immer’s personal favorite. “With the stress of the workday and when things get really busy, having the Emotional Rescue to keep me grounded is really awesome,” she said.
Stone-Goering also makes Sleeping Monkey, a sleep aid-tea and super sedative, High & Dry Throat Syrup, Fire Cider, Sweet Spot Salve and Ginger Glycerite—all of which are her original concoctions.
Though originally created for musicians and their crew members, the products at Rooted in Rhythms can be used by anyone. Take Immer for example, who is not a touring musician herself but uses Stone-Goering’s remedies to rouse her from the tedium of working from home.
Stone-Goering has popped up at local marketplaces as her product line grows and extends outside of the musical community. As she continues to expand her business and help people across all industries and lifestyles, she’s looking forward to landing her products in more physical locations in the near future.
Enjoyed this article? Help us keep the lights on! Supporting local press ensures the stories you want to read keep coming, become a member for free today! Click here.
100% support this amazing idea knowing the need it has – I’m so glad someone has stepped up to the plate and is consistently hitting home runs! 💕