Tess Mangum shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Tess, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Reels of people randomly dancing with strangers in the streets or in retail stores. It’s semi staged but I don’t care. It makes me happy to see people happy.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a seventh-generation North Carolinian and I love my beautiful home state. Though I grew up in a musical family, I always felt my role was behind the scenes. In the winter of 2013, after ten years as a curator/talent buyer at a venue in Carrboro, I founded Sonic Pie Productions, a concert curation and production company.
This means we provide P.A. systems, staging, sound engineers, lighting, stage managers, production management and consulting services for everything from festivals to fundraisers to small, community-building events. This year’s projects include/included: Boxyard RTP, Missy Lane’s Block Party, Pride Durham, Freight Train Blues Series and Rhiannon Giddens’ Biscuits & Banjos Festival.
One thing that makes Sonic Pie Productions unique is that our crew reflects the diversity of Durham and North Carolina. We are a bunch of music-obsessed female, male, young, old, queer, straight, black, brown and white people.
Also, one thing I noticed when planning the company’s launch, is that so many organizations and municipalities don’t need what we do, full time, but when the do, they need it on a highly professional level. That’s Sonic Pie Productions.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
Definitely my father, Larry Mangum. He’s a musician, but he was also the first in the family to go to college. He had a day job, but he also leveraged it later to co-own and operate his own recording studio. I used to answer the phones there during the summers. He taught me how to negotiate, good record keeping, the power of following your instinct and to love the Allman Brothers and Bob Wills. I’m so glad I can still call or text him about anything.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Oh boy! Here it goes. So, I was born 2 1/2 months premature, and with CP (Cerebral Palsy). I’m a “miracle baby” as they say, but walk with a limp. One night, a long time ago, at a sound check, the award-winning national songwriter I’d booked, told my sound engineer (I was out of earshot) the way I walked was “distracting, like a bad toupée.” Luckily, my engineer knew I was tough enough to take it, and told me.
I don’t mind if children stare at me. They’re curious, or have never seen someone like me. But coming from an adult, and someone I invited to perform, it was unexpected.
I healed by never booking him again, and by, eventually, telling this story.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Probably not. This boss, leader and creative problem-solver likes to do traditional things like bake, sew and grow things at home. My PBS crush is Dr. Henry Lewis Gates, of Finding Your Roots. There! I came out with it.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m definitely doing what I was born to do. They’re one in the same, due to my inner voice, and supportive family who never said “you want to do WHAT?” I do, however, still want to join the Peace Corps.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sonicpieproductions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonicpieproductions/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tess-mangum-b2a3286a/
- Twitter: Deactivated my Twitter but Bluesky is https://bsky.app/profile/sonicpienc.bsky.social
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonicpieNC/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sonicpieproductions8366
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sonicpienc
Image Credits
Headshot doesn’t need a credit and either I took the others or someone in the group did a selfie
