Photo credit: Wolfe & Von
Tell us about your tour vehicle. Any notable breakdown stories?
I own a 2012 Chevy Express 3500 15 passenger van and it’s been a great touring vehicle. It’s been all around the country countless times over the past 5 years with no major issues. It’s got about 150k miles on it now.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
I try to eat vegetables when I can but it can be tough. I made it through the Midwest one time on almonds, bananas and hardboiled eggs from Love’s haha.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
I don’t actually break a lot of strings. They tend to wear out before they break so I end up putting on a fresh set which costs under $10. Not really a huge concern.
Where do you rehearse?
My living room is set up with amps and a PA – we took out the couch a while back.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
When I was 13 I wrote “Forgive and Forget Me” with the first 2 chords I learned (G and A).
“forgive and forget me, but don’t ever let me fall in love with you again”
Describe your first gig.
It was at a house party with my high school band. It went so well that we played our only 5 songs twice through. Then we got booked at the next high school dance.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
I’ve been just doing music for the past 6 or 7 years. Before that I worked construction and on a food truck. Also I’ve done AV work and food delivery. I didn’t really like any of them.
How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?
My royalty checks have been getting bigger which is nice. Love that mailbox money. I’m working on making my online merch store better and easier to navigate. I hope to see that grow.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
It takes way more than musical talent to make a living.