Photo credit: Kriea Arie
Tell us about your tour vehicle.
I drive a 2000 Chevy van with over 250,000 miles. I bought it from a friend’s band who bought it from another friend’s band. I’ve replaced the radiator, tires, alternator, bulbs, and much more. The exterior is pretty ugly, but it runs, blows cool A/C and warm heat, and gets us to the show.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
I enjoy making friends at shows, and often, we crash in spare rooms and couches with fans we’ve gotten to know. It’s great to build relationships with folks over time. We also take an ice chest with sandwich stuff to keep us going on the road.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
Personally, I’m fortunate and only break about a dozen in a year. It’s not a big deal to replace one, but it’s usually a good excuse to replace them all.
Where do you rehearse?
We rehearse in my living room, but we’ve done garages, school marching band rooms, churches, you name it. Honestly, the crap we tolerate just to be in a band is pretty hilarious.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
I started out as the world’s worst songwriter. I wrote my first song in high school called “With Her,” and I’m fortunate to have forgotten all of the lyrics.
Describe your first gig.
My first rock-n-roll gig was a one-off in college. An ice storm kept a group of us in a trailer house for a couple of weeks. Bored out of our minds, a bunch from my music fraternity decided to start a band and play our school’s annual music festival, SWOSUpalooza. We played covers and had a blast. That was the first moment I knew I belonged on a stage.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
I’ve been a State Representative in Oklahoma since late 2022, which is an interesting dichotomy. The State Capitol is a beautiful building, but you have to remember that it’s an office building, and we all just work there. But, the work we do has real-world consequences for everyone who’s not working there. It’s a heavy job, but I dig the work.
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 solo career took off decently in 2016, with a debut album that received excellent press and radio play, and I was able to sustain myself for a bit. But, like nearly everyone, 2020 took the legs out of my business. So now I work a job and tour when I can. Two jobs is a tough life, but one I’m accustomed to. In 2024, I’ve relaunched my music business and have a five-year plan to build something sustainable.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
Everyone is trying to get ahead in this just-getting-by world, and I’m no different. I wish I could’ve had a mentor who would sit me down, shoot me straight, and show me positive directions to take. Being in rural Oklahoma, I spent so many years making it up as I went with no one to guide me. I spent too much time and money on the wrong things before I finally developed a business model that worked. Now, I have serious goals and understand how to keep putting one foot in front of the other.