In this episode of Out of Focus, we sit down with the multi-talented Shawn Highsmith, better known as Sax Fifth. We dive into his deep love for jazz music, his creative process as a musician, and how his passion for marketing and entrepreneurship fuels everything he does. From smooth melodies to smart business moves, Sax Fifth shares how he blends artistry with strategy. We also switch gears and talk sports—from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys rivalry to the timeless debate of Jordan vs. LeBron. It’s a dynamic, inspiring conversation about music, mindset, and the drive to create and compete on every level. 🎙️ Tune in for an episode that hits all the right notes—music, business, and sports—with Sax Fifth!

It was September 4, 2024. I was in downtown Maumee because I had just gotten a tattoo cover up done by the talented Scotty Biddle at Amity Ink, when I noticed a band playing across the street at the village idiot. I wandered over alone and made my way inside to see that Caswell and Co. was playing, a super talented group of men. I was invited to sit at a table with a group of acquaintances, and shortly after I was invited up to play a song. I tried to say no, they were too talented and I didn’t feel worthy, but they convinced me. Since I didn’t have any close friends there, I didn’t think there would be any pictures to capture this perhaps once-in-a-lifetime moment for me, but I was wrong. 

Chloe Ward was there. 

We had never met, but she knew who I was, and somehow she knew how important that moment would be for me, so she snapped a picture of me performing with those talented men. And when I was done, she came up and introduced herself and asked for my information to send me that picture. I knew in that moment that Chloe was the kind of person who really sees people.

We saw each other a few times in passing over the next several months, and finally this past summer after running into each other at the gym we decided to carve out one-on-one time, where we shared stories of life and passions and struggles and triumphs. It’s no surprise that our time together ended in tears, because Chloe is not a person who does small talk, because there is nothing small about her. She is a dreamer, a thinker, a feeler, an adventurer, an inspirer, and a vision-caster, and everything she does she does with her whole heart. It only makes sense that she would connect with people in that same way. 

I am honored to share with you a bit of her story. 

Ashley: Let’s start from the beginning. At what age did you get your start in music, and how did you first get started? 

Chloe: I wrote my first song in third grade! I remember how good it made me feel to create something. Everyone in my family played piano, and I wanted to be different – I started teaching myself guitar when I was 14. It really opened up songwriting for me, and has been one of the biggest joys in my life!

I’ve always loved to sing. My parents are artists, and my dad quit his job when I was in 5th grade to pursue his own classical vocal career. So music was really everywhere in our house. My mom had a rule: “No singing at the dinner table!” (because we’d all sit down to eat and be singing a different song)!

Ashley: I know you met your husband, Connor at an open mic. Can you tell me a little bit about that story? 

Chloe: Connor and I were students at the University of Toledo in 2016 when we began attending the same open mic every Wednesday night at Brew Coffee Bar. It felt so magical, meeting with this wonderful group of young people and sharing in this huge secret passion we all shared: music. Connor and I connected instantly, and he encouraged me to record the original songs I’d been singing at the open mic each week. One day in the UT library, a friend said he thought “Chloe & the Steel Strings” would be a pretty cool name for my first album, and it stuck!

Ashley: You both now host open mics together around town — what do you love most about those nights, and how do you see those making the greatest impact?

Chloe: Open mic nights have this exciting energetic charge: the mix of anticipation, giddiness and nerves that come with sharing a part of your soul in front of a group of total strangers. Channeling that energy into a welcoming, warm, and completely accepting space is our aim. For songwriters everywhere, it’s so common that we write in private, yet never share our work. Or maybe you take music lessons, or practice an instrument in your room, but need a lift to get yourself out there into the world!

Through our open mic night series, I hope to continue building community spaces for artists of all mediums and walks of life to be able to gather together and do the most important thing–START! Start working on your art, start sharing your songs, start meeting other artists… It’s the beginning of a movement!

Ashley: Sometimes starting is truly the hardest part! Okay, individually as an artist, you post a lot of inspiring things about being authentic, creating your own path, and following your dreams. And you do it all while wearing the BEST outfits! Who are some of the people you look up to, not only musically but just in general, people who have inspired you on your journey?

Chloe: Margo Price, Sierra Ferrell, Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks all inspire me. I love Rick Ruben and the Grateful Dead… I’m inspired by almost every type of artist or entrepreneur, because I think no matter what you create, the internal process is quite similar.

Sometimes, when I’m feeling really lost or low, I’ll go to the Art Museum and walk around. Feel this community with all the artists there. Look at their pieces, read about their lives, sit in communion with them. Acknowledge that they, too, went through ungodly struggles in pursuit of their art, (probably felt all the same emotions I’m feeling at the time), and remind myself that creative recognition in the span of a living lifetime is beyond the point (the point is to create).

Connection with other dreamers, past, present and future, helps keep me grounded, and prevents feelings of isolation. This is another reason I love open mic nights.

Ashley: When did you realize that music wasn’t just a hobby, but something you wanted to do full-time? What were some of the biggest challenges in making that leap?

Chloe: There is one particular day that stands out in my creative journey – the day I had my medical school interview: it was me and five other kids in a conference room. We were sitting there with our boxed lunches and bottles of water. Before they interviewed us, they said they had a short film to show: as it turns out, the film was about why you should come to Toledo for medical school. 

The film was beautiful, showing shots of Downtown, the Mudhens, the Metroparks. As the scenes changed, though, I realized that every other shot was of someone playing music.

At that moment, it became obvious to me why music and art are such a huge part of this bizarre yet meaningful life we’re all living. I knew that I was about to piss away the one thing I really wanted to do for a path someone else had told me was best for me.

I passed the interview. But declining that medical seat is surprisingly one of the easiest choices I’ve ever made. Stepping into the role I chose as a full-time artist and musician afterward has been the true test. 

Ashley: Well the world is blessed with your beautiful voice and so glad you made that decision! As a husband-and-wife duo, what’s it like balancing marriage and music? Do you ever find that the two worlds collide?

Chloe: Connor and I are a team in music. Being romantic partners is a lot like being good bandmates: We listen to each other (on and off stage). We divide responsibilities and conquer. We trust each other. We share thoughts and ideas, and feel safe being vulnerable with each other (in our songwriting and in our lives). Connor lifts all the heavy equipment, and I stand around and talk to people (lol)! And most important, he lets me pick out his outfits. It’s a good balance! 

We do struggle separating our lives from our work, because our work IS us. But we get a little better at that all the time (and still schedule nights to get $5 margs at Nick & Jimmy’s… not only after a gig)! 

Ashley: Who can turn down $5 margs?! How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard your music before?

Chloe: Our sound is warm, bright, calming, and introspective. We call it “cosmic” Americana for its groovy folk/rock feel. It’s the type of music you want to put on for a long drive down the open highway, and stare off out the window and contemplate the meaning of it all. We can rock your socks off or give you chills with a harmony filled ballad. No matter how you listen, prepare for some serious takes on life and inner purpose. We want our songs to make listeners (AND ourselves!) question what we do and why we do it. 

Ashley: You recently released an album — can you tell me a little about the writing process and what that project means to you?

Chloe: Three years ago, Connor and I went on a month-long road trip out west to visit our guitarist, Eric, who was living in California at the time. It was my first time getting out into the world. Colorado, Arizona, and California made a huge impact on me. I found myself writing about mountains and sunrises and driving down this endless road, realizing just how much the journey of that road trip was like the journey we’re on through music.

Our new album “Never Coming Back” is about this idea of leaving behind the life you knew to go on a grand adventure into the unknown – facing the trials, tribulations, hopefulness, joy, bittersweetness, and nostalgia that come with shedding an old skin and truly committing to the most authentic version of yourself.

I’m still learning things about myself through these songs. I have a feeling that they won’t be done working within me for some time.

Ashley: You’ve got an incredible collaboration coming up with the Toledo Symphony. How did that partnership come about?

Chloe: In March of 2023, we were opening for Reggae act Carlos Jones and the PLUS band at Brother’s Lounge in Cleveland. During the set, a woman came up and put her business card on the stage. Her card said she worked for a Toledo organization called TAPA. I didn’t know what TAPA was at the time, but after a few emails, she told me TAPA oversees the Toledo Symphony. She said they wanted to collaborate with us. Over the course of the last 2.5 years, we have met umpteen times with members of the Symphony, toured the construction site of their newly renovated concert space “the Toledo Center for Live Arts”, and dreamed of setting a date for this collaboration after construction ended. We are so excited to make this concert experience a reality on Saturday, November 1st!

Ashley: It’s going to be an incredible show! What has it been like working with the Symphony — how does that change or enhance your original music?

Chloe: Coming from a classical music upbringing, it feels like a homecoming in a way: I love how quirky, artsy, and intellectual everyone has been. It’s exciting to be in a space surrounded by people who take their art very seriously, yet are huge goofballs! I’ve seen more Grateful Dead stickers on cars in the Symphony parking lot than most! It’s a cool and eclectic group of people who care deeply about the development and continuation of music and art in this city, and we are thrilled to be a part of it. Something about this collaboration just feels right. It’s like a string section was always meant to be a part of these songs. 

Ashley: Looking ahead, what do you hope people take away from your music, and what’s next for you after this collaboration?

Chloe: When I’m 80, I hope to look back on my life and know I’ve inspired a new generation of dreamers (young and old) to believe that the life of their imaginations is entirely possible. I hope to share that message through my songwriting and community activism for all my days! In addition to an exciting holiday show schedule, featuring our annual “Holly Jolly Jamboree” on December 19th, and our debut at the Music Box Supper Club in the Cleveland Flats on December 26th, prepare for songwriting workshops, creativity retreats, and even more of our beloved Open Mic Series in 2026. 

We all exist in this big web; inspiring one person creates a domino effect. They’ll go on to inspire someone else after them, and over time, the encouragement will spread, and the world will continue to become a better place. That’s my hope.

Ashley: Where can people find more information about your music and events?

Chloe: https://www.chloeandthesteelstrings.com/

Facebook & Instagram: @ Chloe & the Steel Strings

I started a top 40 dance party cover band 8 years ago, and the moment I knew it was really going to take off was the moment Christian Lombardo showed interest in auditioning. “Auditioning”. As if he wasn’t a shoo-in. I had already seen some of his work–a promo video when he was the lead singer of local group Rock Candy, and some of the music videos he had done with The Sunset Villains when he toured nationally. I thought, “THIS GUY wants to be in MY band?” He “auditioned” and the rest is history.

I want to share his music, background, and talents with you all, so I asked him some questions to dig into his journey a little bit deeper.

Ashley: You’ve gone from being in a nationally touring originals band to fronting a local cover band and releasing your own music as a solo artist. How would you describe that journey and what each phase has taught you?

Christian: Humbling in the best way possible. There are definitely things I miss about touring the country while promoting my own music but it was very draining with little reward. I never had a “hit” so there was so much struggle. Don’t get me wrong, the memories that go along with the “struggle” are priceless but that’s because I can look at them now with rose-colored glasses and the benefit of hindsight. I have much more stability in my life now staying local, playing in my cover band with people that I love, making a living off of it and writing/releasing original music at my own pace. I’ve learned that touring the country as an “unknown” trying to “make it” is a young man’s game.

Ashley: Well I, for one, am glad you’ve decided to stay local! When you sit down to write your own music, what’s your process like? Do you start with lyrics, a melody, or a feeling?

Christian: Most of the time I sit down with a guitar because I’m feeling a certain way. That’s when I know I need to get something out. I start playing and singing out nonsense lyrics. Until eventually, some grouping of words and melody strikes me and I build a story around that, using my life experiences. 

Sometimes I’ll see or hear a grouping of words that I think is unique and I’ll write it down for later to try and put some melody to.  

Sometimes I’ll hear a melody in my head, out of nowhere, pull out my voice notes app and record it for later.

Ashley: How does performing your own original songs compare to singing covers with your band? Do you approach them differently?

Christian: Some of the fundamentals are always the same. I need to practice a lot and make sure I have everything down for original music and cover music. Note for note. That’s just my work ethic and I think it translates to both.

While performing original shows, the crowds are more like spectators for the most part. It’s a different vibe because I’m showing my personal art and feelings and seeing if they will connect and relate. More of a selfish endeavor.

There is more of a fluidity when performing cover shows for the most part. It’s more about entertaining than it is about artistic expression. It’s more about serving the audience than serving yourself. More of a selfless endeavor. Which also has value.

Ashley: Well I’ve seen you in action doing both and I think both are top notch. Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how do they show up in your style today?

Christian: As a child, I grew up listening to Queen and Neil Young at a very young age. Because of my mother’s influence. I then got into Green Day, which led to bands like 311, Sevendust, and the whole “Nu” Metal movement. I also was very heavily influenced by pop and hip hop. I was a huge Tupac Shakur fan while listening to Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC. I was kind of all over the place. I’m a product of MTV’s TRL and radio. It probably explains why my song styles are kind of all over the place. But very rooted in rock.

Ashley: Yeah, I was a TRL kid myself. When you played with The Sunset Villains and had songs on the radio, what was that experience like for you? Did it change how you saw yourself as an artist?

Christian: I mean, of course it was amazing. We would go from one radio station to the next and it was a lot of fun, but a lot of pressure. At the same time, I always felt like it wasn’t enough. I know that sounds weird, but I think there was always chasing the next thing. I guess that could be good for ambition, but I also didn’t enjoy the moment as much as I should have. I felt like I just had to keep going and getting more achievements. But I think that’s the dirty trick. Never enough.

Ashley: I can definitely relate to always looking ahead to the next thing. What do you enjoy most about being part of the Toledo music scene, and how does it differ from playing nationally?

Christian: I love that there are so many places to play! It took me a little while to get my footing around here, but it’s great to have so many venues that want to book you. Full cover band, acoustic, duos and trios. Lots of opportunities.

Ashley: What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a musician, and how did you push through it?

Christian: Confidence. Still working on it… I think any artist will tell you about the struggle with their ego. Too much and then all of a sudden, not enough. The only thing I can do is to keep trying to get better. Oh and making a living as a musician. But it’s gotten a lot better! 

Ashley: Well if you ever need a confidence boost just come to me, you know I’ll pump you up! Okay so between your old band, your solo career, or your current cover band—what’s one performance that stands out as unforgettable?

Christian: That’s the great thing about making/playing music. There are so many great moments. Sometimes unbelievable moments. I played a show with Jason Derulo and Avril Lavigne and had thousands of people singing my song back to me in an arena in my hometown. Can’t get much better. 

Ashley: That sounds incredible. I can only imagine! What’s next for you musically? Any new releases, collaborations, or big shows on the horizon?

Christian: Just shot a new promo video with my cover band, Pop’s Garage! Keeping it fresh for new places to play. Writing new material and hoping to do more collaborative songwriting. It’s been awhile. 

Also, working on some country music because it’s the one genre that I haven’t been attracted to. So I’m digging in to understand more.

Going to be doing more live original/story-teller music nights.

Ashley: What do you hope people feel or take away when they hear your music or see you perform live?

Christian: Connection. It’s always connection. Whether that’s celebratory or some type of commiseration. I think we all just want to be understood. 

Ashley: Where can people find more information about your upcoming shows and original music?

Christian: This link goes to all of my socials and dsp’s! 

https://linktr.ee/ct_lombardo

Christian has played a huge role in me being connected in the local music community, and I’m so thankful to get to be doing music with him.