Hannah McNeil Biography

Singer and songwriter. Hannah McNeil grew up ninth of ten children in Omaha, Nebraska where her father was a steamfitter for local 464 and her mother raised the family. When Hannah was about 12 years old her parents started a shelter for homeless people, The Stephen Center, in Omaha, in which her mom was the director. Her first experience with wanting to make a difference in people’s lives came from watching her folks be so much, to so many.

McNeil attended a catholic school for 12 years and then went on to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where, as a full time student, she worked 30 hours on the weekends at a Greek restaurant to put herself through college. In her first year at the university, she had her first official boyfriend. His name was Jason Vogt, and five years later she married that first guy she ever dated. She earned two bachelors degrees, one in biology and one in English, and started her career in pharmaceutical sales months after graduating.

She had plans to pursue music since she was young, but never wanted to be a starving artist or worry about paying her heating bills. So right after she started her business career, she formed a band with the wife of one of the doctors she sold pharmaceuticals to, and her music career was off and running.

McNeil honed her performance skills playing honky tonks, 1000+ seater bars, casinos and state and county fairs across the Midwest. In early 2006 she and her music partner/co-writer Rob Higgins invested in a recording studio and started to write catchy, mainstream songs with the intention of trying to make a difference in people’s lives through the music that they wrote and then performed.

In the winter of 2006, McNeil says she got a wake up call to do what she was born to do. And she answered, by having to leave her family in Nebraska, including 33 nieces and nephews that she adores, to pursue music as a full time endeavor. She and her husband bought a 5 acre farm in Franklin, Tennessee where they are building a 2300 sq ft recording studio.

Because of the changing environment in the music industry, McNeil is taking the road less traveled and has released her new country single, “What Am I Getting Up For” co-written by McNeil, Jeffrey Steele & Jesse Wray, as an independent singer/songwriter under Spinville and Red Records. This song is one of 13 on McNeil’s new self titled debut album, featuring her unique take on empowerment. During this time of stress in the world, she offers a refreshing, new perspective.