If for nothing else, moving here allows you to peak over the fence at what it really is, or what it can be....sometimes thats enough to know that maybe being a 'professional' in the music business isn't really what you want.
@@felixblanco6604 I guess it depends on the area of the business you're interested in. If you wanna be a player, this is the perfect town...if you really wanna be playing your instrument 40 hours a week on broadway...many do. Good living too. As for being an 'artist', I think most just want to be paid for their art, not be in a business, which is what it becomes...when other peoples livelihoods become a part of your own, it tends to change things...most artist find out that they don't want to co-write with strangers everyday, trying to come up with a 'hit' and keep up with current trends. Sometimes doing it professionally kills all the things you liked about it in the first place haha. Like everything though, depends on the person. How much do you like playing covers? Thats what a lot of it here winds up being...some move here to get out of that and it's surprising just how high up you can get and still wind up being playing covers in bars....sometimes thats fun....I don't know...just speaking from personal outlook, not for anyone else obviously. You can move here and finance you're own passion project that will sound amazing, utilizing some of the best talent in the world...thats YOU paying though...not you being paid haha. Big difference. Who knows, were all on our own journeys...
No I get it - some believe that being a professional musician is a dream but once you live it - it’s not what you thought. I like planning covers but playing your own songs is where it’s at.
Living in Nashville ten or twenty years ago might have been advantageous to either a career on stage, as a recording artist or even a studio session player if you could break into the ranks of the establishment. I moved from the Chicago area to Nashville in 1997 and remained until 2010 and during that period it was a tight nit group of artists and song writers however if you were able to get to know some of the people working there you could eventually make your way into those circles. Fortunately I was able to establish solid relationships and had a lucrative period of time. I liked the area and the people were great. I lived a few blocks from the Bluebird Cafe which was a short drive to downtown Nashville and a good location to access many of the studios for session work. It was a pleasant experience however things started to change and there was an over abundance of people relocating to the Nashville area, some for the music opportunities and some for the reasonable housing and atmosphere of the area. I saw the start of the over crowding and the rising costs of housing and general living there. People were flooding the area and the music scene, partially do to the recession, seemed to decline and opportunities started to dwindle. I decided to leave and after several recent visits back there I was glad I left. In my opinion I don't think Nashville has the same impact as it once did. As you have stated in your statistics the population is exploding, the traffic is crazy, the cost of living is rising and the over abundance of musicians and song writers is absolutely insane to the point of idiotic. Nashville in my opinion is a thing of the past and diluted. If I was to to go to an area where the scene is hot it would be Austin Texas.
The problem songwriters are facing is, in most clubs and venues or festivals ,they are to many good talented ones but the music bizz want covers Bands, or already known established artists, we all have been turn down not because our music is not good but clubs want the top 40 the easy things ,so social media’s is one way to get ahead but playing live is the best way to get known and get real fans , I kept my day job cos unfortunately you need to make a decent living ,I consider music like a hobby or a wonderful sport than I enjoy that cost me money but at least I have fun doing it ,I keep my dreams alive by doing it for myself more than for others who careless about my passion cos they don’t know what it’s like being a musician ,cheers
If you cold pitched a club owner or promoter and used grammar and spelling the same way you did in this UA-cam comment, I can see why you'd be turned down. If you can't even write a decent UA-cam comment, how are you going to come off as a professional to venues and clubs?
I decided to take my craft to the next level and I have Nashville constantly on my mind as a destination. I pulled up your video and I will have to say that you definitely made me feel good about my decision to go and seek out my career in music. With the insight and experience you have gained from living in music city absolutely helped me to understand and grasp what I am going to need to be prepared for and what to expect from this career path and the reassurance I have gained from the fact that there is motivated musicians driven to work hard with other artists to achieve the number one thing I focused on most of my life and that is entertaining people who have been working hard to provide for their family’s and choose to come out and allow me and my band to be a positive and therapeutic presence music does for their body,mind, and spirit! Excellent video! Hopefully I will get a chance to work with you
It helps a lot. I do more work in film and classical/jazz music and I at one point was considering moving to Nashville after college, this helped open my eyes quite a bit
Thanks for sharing. I'm considering moving to Nashville. I'm just not getting as many opertunities to play music here in Missouri. Just need a change in my career
Thanks for this video! I'm going to be moving to Nashville over the summer, and it's always good to hear some straight up truth and encouragement so thanks for that!
Pittsburgh, PA - Scene here is a bit chaotic, dated and drenched in white collar greed amongst those in a position to actually help the artists. (Promoters, clubs/bar/venues, sponsors, marketers and media.) Much talent gets overlooked in light of the usual "favorites" by a select few which I have a feeling is repeated everywhere. Keep in mind I've got no bias here as I'm not in a band. Studios in the area are getting better and fresh blood is working to lose that "Pittsburgh Sound" that was more 80's blues/rock oriented. It's looking up, but a long way to go.
Grand Rapids Michigan. Not much opportunity for local bands playing orginal music to breakout from here. But there are venues of every size for acts to play. From a 10,000 seat arena for top level bands (they all play here except stadium level shows). We have a 3,000 seater, a 2.000 seater, a 1,000 seater and 4-5 different places that seat 100-800. Add in even a couple small 50 seater clubs. There are also some street closed off type events that attract 2000 or so. All are having regular shows and being well attended. Lot of music coming in, not much being created and exported.
Yep...feelin ya bro. Im next door in Dublin. Been to Nashville a bunch of times since 2011 but visiting is as close as it gets. Im the unfortunate owner of a thing called a mortgage which which will drag my soul to hell and back. So I aint goin' nowhere :( To be honest, I would need to get a cut and a major hit to make the kind of money I'd need to be able to relocate. So I will keep writing and pitching from here. No choice really.
@@Jacre Nashville despite becoming overcrowded is still an old style town. It has one HUGE main st called Broadway. All of the bars are located all along there. All do great food and music all day. The Grand ol Oprey is very far out of town and if your not driving its too far to go by taxi by even Uber. However, right down town is the Ryman which was originally a church but its where the likes of Cash etc played in their early days and they do a great tour. A good spot for a few good bars is also a place called 5 point. Not too far from downtown but its an Uber ride. A great place to treat yourself at least once for breakfast is Cracker Barrel. Again, its an uber ride but great food. Oh...and easily walking distance from downtown is division st. This is near music row and has my fave bars Winners and Losers. There's a super Mexican restaurant near those bars but for the life of me i cant think of its name. Maybe Colt can jump in here and help. But if you're having a beer in Winners anyone can point you to it. Its only 2 mins walk. Oh....and buy yourself a ticket for 3rd and Lindsey. Its a bar that hosts a sort of writers round but only for established writers. Sadly, if like me you're just at the open mic level you cant play. But you will get to see in an intimate surrounding some great hit writers. Personally I this venue to the Bluebird but you can also check that out. And its easier to get tickets than the bluebird. Sorry I can think of more but hopefully there's a couple of things there for you to check. Either way you'll have blast bro. Im so jealous. Its getting too expensive for me to go there anymore. Between flights and accommodation plus spending, a ten night stay will cost me nearly 3K. Ouch. Post some pics :)
Billie Eillish did not win Grammy's out of her bedroom. Don't spread misinformation. She's the daughter of a professional actor and a professional musician and has done acting roles herself in some movies. /she had all the networking connections necessary thanks to her parents and a considerable investment in marketing.
This is something people are forgetting. Most kids who are massively popular musicians most likely have famous parents or relatives who had really good connections. Its obnoxious how people talk about Eilish worked from the ground up.
I appreciate your recognition of "where you are makes you cool" and at the same time "where you are doesn't matter if you are truly cool". I have learned that there are so many talented creative people in the world that all I can do is write songs that I would like to hear, and maybe make the world a better place , that all I really want to do is write songs that matter to me and wait for the world to catch up. I recently flew out of the Nashville airport to Boise Idaho to record a gospel country song because I knew the artist is wanted to sing my song and they lived in Boise. If it makes money that's good. If I like the song that's wonderful.
Being primarily a live sideman, I moved to Nashville to “get paid to see the world” i.e. travel and have since almost the moment landing in 1997. Also, as you were saying in your video, living in the middle of such great players can ONLY make you a better player and more inspired to, as you say, level up. Either you play great or your won’t work. I love Nashville. It’s given me some of the most amazing things in my life, including my family. Enjoy your take on things, Colt. Maybe we’ll be on something together sometime. Drive safe out there. 😉
Man I really like your insights. I have watched several of your videos and you are a great inspiration. I have one thought about trying to make it in any Music "mecca". Alot of people try to make the move and get buried in the competition and are basically ruined as musicians because of that. I have a voice student who wanted to move to Nashville to try to be discovered. Although he is talented I strongly suggested not to move because he would not be able to handle the competition. I suggested he stay where he is and build from there. He wisely followed my suggestion. Over the last 10 years he has not only gotten the experience needed but has even been asked to come to Nashville to be recorded by producers their. He has become a solid songwriter. His career has taken off. Had he tried to start in Nashville I think he would have been destroyed. I have to say that most people who want to move to a big music city don't have the experience to survive (especially younger artists) and can really mess up their careers if they make the move too soon. But if they have paid their dues (so to speak) their chances of making it are much greater. Thanks for sharing.
parking, playing for tips, traffic on 65, sleet the size of golf balls and living under people who hated my practice on a pad..#1 best reason, Forks and my time in Brentwood, I made the best lifelong friends ever!
Great video!!! We are from Chicago, last town my wife, Deb, & I lived in was Aurora/Naperville, Il. We used to do shows at the Paradise Casino in East Peoria. We were 100% living off of our music by traveling. We now live in N Ft Myers FL, been down here about 3 yrs now & in 2 yrs we did over 200 gigs down here. But we now supplement our income with driving jobs( NEMT; non emergency medical transportation). My question to you is how many elderly people you see that would need NEMT? We believe , & from 1st hand experience, in backing up music with solid money, & NEMT is a need, unfortunately, music is a want !!! Thanks for your time & sharing your knowledge, I subbed to your channel, & will support my former Illinois ( Peoria) new friend, Rock On & God Bless!!!
I live in Destin Florida and am able to make a living as full time guitarist/producer. There’s a huge demand for live music here and there isn’t a ton of people moving across the country to play here. It’s relatively easy to support yourself with music here but, I definitely feel a cap on my potential opportunities.
@Sean Mormelo I know of Chris and Driftwood Guitars. We have some mutual friends but, haven't connected yet. I've played with his dad a couple of times as well. I've heard great things though!
The best way to compare is sports. The simple fact that you see that dude near you do a certain something, your whole being understands that that shit its freaking possible, fun and exciting. Simply makes lifes more enjoyable, make you wake up and actually start someting ;D
This video was very inciteful. My fiancee and I will be moving to Nashville by fall. I'm an aspiring Country singer/songwriter from NY. Literally nobody knows who i am and that's okay with me. I'm 25 now and just focusing on bettering myself, working with quality vocal coaches and guitarists to someday get myself where I wanna be.
I know people in Idaho who play music full time and make a living. I played a few shows in Nashville, TN. However, if I'm not in the established network it is actually harder to get paid gigs and takes longer. I actually make decent money around the northwest touring and playing local shows even which opened doors for me to financially prepare to go to Nashville. I was just glad to even perform in Nashville. It sucks how competitive music is in big cities.
Colt, Great information. Much appreciated...curious I play fingerstyle blues and harmonica at the same time and sing,write.You didn't mention blues. How's Nashville for blues.I checked out memphis but it wasn't for me. Thanks again Michael
Live in Indiana, so a trip to Nashville is just a short drive away. I don't think I'll move there, but I'd LOVE to record there some day! I've visited and had a lot of fun. It just felt super saturated.Great video as always Colt!
How about radio-friendly hard rock or even retro 90s/grunge - Heavy groove driven hard rock, I guess? How is it for original bands? If you're busting your ass and networking and have a large following as an original act - a good look and sound with pro stage performance and sell a lot or merch - what are the chances of a label taking notice?
You’re an amazing producer and musician, but also your lighting and cinematography is on point man! I don’t know if anyone else notices but it’s impeccable. Keep rocking bro. I watch them all.
Best video i have watched in a while. Im a mix engineer living in a town of 50,000 people north of Toronto. Ive been itching to move to the city and take my career to the next level... Just need to save a little rent money first :o ...
Bring lots of rent money Michael. My cousin is a Vietnam vet who was kicked of his apartment build THREE TIMES along with all the other tenants so the landlords could slap on a lick of paint and re-rent to new tenants at an increased rent. It's getting crazy there. The only way I'll ever afford to move there is with a hit single first. I would literally need HUNDREDS of thousands so I could but a place not rent.
Hi Colt. Love the vids bro and I thought was very apt considering the statement by the good Mr Simpson. Although I only read part of it I was really glad he came out and said what he said. As someone who not only doesn't live in Nashville but not even in the US, I feel like giving up when I hear the pros doing workshops (NSAI etc) telling us "you HAVE to be in Nashville". I heard one guy saying if you cant move here you should be coming here several times a year. A ten night visit to Nashville will set me back about 3 grand and this guy was saying i should do this a few times a year. On my last trip, i brought the guitar and played as many open mics as I could. I got talking to lots of fellow musicians, swapped a lot of business cards but got ZERO replies from them on FB. So did the trip do my music career any good? In a word..no. Now I get it. You would need to be based there and playing week in week out in order to finally hook up with someone worth the effort. But i honestly couldn't drag the guitar all that distance again. I find a lot of these guys maybe see the other musicians as competition so they are polite but have no intention of keeping in touch. But I digress. That is a different topic and maybe a topic for another vid :) But yeah, my point is I probably have as much chance of success by pitching songs from here than in Mashville ( Mashville???? where the HELL is that? LOL). At the end of the day even if I lived there, because of the "no unsolicited material" system I still cant pitch directly to people anyway. I have to join an org that offers pitching services. So it is what it is. I think if you're young and no mortgage etc, sure, throw a few t shirts into a plastic bag and go there. Wait tables etc and if you don't become famous you can head back home. Sorry for rambling Colt. Great vid and very interesting topic.
Man this is a struggle for me. I came up in Nashville in the 90’s every weekend on my mother’s career. (From Indiana.) I’m a guitarist, engineer and an aspiring film composer. I’m 40 with a family now and i manage a warehouse lol. Completely out of my wheelhouse here and I’m considering the move down there. I just recently subscribed to your vids and they’re really great! I don’t see much on the subject, because most of these videos are geared toward young single artists trying to break in. I never see much on a family guy getting a late start. Didn’t know if you had some insight yourself or from anyone down there? I’d love to hear it! Thanks for your content and time sir!
My friend keeps trying to talk me into moving to Nashville. I'm considering it, but would like to move back home to Seattle. I don't think my song writing or guitar playing is good enough at the moment for Nashville imho.
Great points Colt, especially how you talked about being inspired by those around you and being forced to level up; that is so incredibly true. I visited Nashville as an Audio Engineering/Music Production student with my school two years ago. I loved the town, the food and especially the musicians in Nashville. There are just some absolutely masterful musicians in Nashville, and I thought I could really see myself living there and working with these amazing musicians in a recording studio. Unfortunately, myself and some of my friends had some very bad experiences with gatekeeping from certain studios and producers/engineers in Nashville. Ultimately, I decided not to move to Nashville, mainly because of my experiences and my friends' experiences. I'd love to hear your take on the lawsuit against Blackbird Studios, and studio culture as a whole.
I'm in a band with some friends, all in 10th grade and really just love making music. We've gigged around town (Tallahassee, FL) and wanted to take some time after graduation to ride around in our guitarists sick van to gig and have awesome stories to tell. My point is, did everything you said apply to bands or just single artists? I'm sure Nashville would be a blast with friends especially, so I'd just like to know
Do you think it’s necessary to do live gigging if you wanna be a recording solo artist? I guess Nashville is great for the recording scene and cross fertilization of talents though i do my mixing etc now remotely, with some of the biggest names in the industry all over USA
You're from Peoria? You might be one of the few people that know about Rockford outside of Cheap Trick. I use to run cross-country in Peoria. It always had a funny smell there =). Totally get what you're saying about being inspired. There's a lot of talent here in Rockford but not a lot of places left for original music. So a lot of talented musicians end up doing other things.
Very helpful--thank you. I'm finishing an undergraduate degree in music composition and violin performance at conservatory, and am considering checking out Nashville for a masters degree and for exposure to the commercial music industry. I would call myself primarily and composer/arranger, although I also have some limited experience in working with DAWs. I'm very interested in what the scene looks like as far as composing scores for various forms of media, including video games, films, and trailers, but also original orchestrations for artists' records and other media formats. I know LA is the place to be for film scoring, but I'm not really interested in Hollywood Scoring the way I used to be. I more so want to be writing orchestrations for artists and other forms of media. Do you have any friends you know who do work in this side of the industry? What's the scene like for this type of work in Nashville?
I’m moving to Nashville as a pop/rap songwriter, how do you suggest that I go about meeting other artists/producers within that same genre when Country and Rock are the main genres? Thanks in advance!
It´s so true what you are saying about being surrounded by artists is priceless. That you are naturally leveling up and make growth jumps thanks to opportunities and collabs you´d never get in other places. I used to live in San Francisco for 3 years and switched from fiction writing to shooting musician gigs. Now I´m back home in Munich Germany - and write about the transforming encounters & mentors I had there and the reality of musician life in San Francisco. I love all your videos - bc your experience matches all I experienced in New York and San Francisco. Would you mind taking a look at my photo book and listen to one of my short stories when I´m finished (hopefully in 2 months)? I´m happy to send you the link to a digital copy / download via dm. No hurry. It´s just portraits - and will pick a very short sample for the story so you get the idea. I thought of this spontaneously bc my experience there matches so much what you are talking about in this video. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. It´s always enlightening. I subscribe only to my musician friend´s & some bboy channels. You are one of my few subscriptions bc you are part of verifying my own experiences I share in my short stories. They are all about my time in Boston, New York, the Bronx and San Francisco
I did meet music producers but it's really hard to get opportunities with them as they only produce a select few musicians. These guys are hard to get work from.
I love the idea of leveling up. I am not a good/knowledgeable guitarist. But I know what good tunes and riffs are. I love the idea of being with piers that ae better than you. I want to have a regular job and level up in lessons and eventually playing shows/ gigs and then going from their. Its definitely a burning desire in my gut. Its not just a thing i'm interested in. What do you think?
@@mikebrownbassist802 Yes, I have a teacher now that's much better than me but I want to surround myself with better players like on a more consistent basis and not just once a week you know? I think that's what Cap was sort of getting at.
As a 49 year old native Nashvillian, who played drums for many years, the business is littered with nepotism. Just like Hollywood, Nashville is a place where few "make" it, even fewer get the opportunity, and even less the that are "allowed" to get the door opened. It's all about who you know, and that's it. Having talent means nothing. I've played and seen so many people who have superior talent to most anyone you hear 9n the radio, see live, or get session work. But, when you don't know anyone, or aren't allowed into the club by chance, no one is going to give you the time of day. It's the sad fact that most don't know, even for those who have lived in this town for decades.
If Tory Slusher decided to move to Nashville, she would slay the scene. After hearing her play, all the guitarists would quit, or they should quit. If you have enough talent, you should be able to just play in your bedroom, and record with a cell phone. There is always room for one more good one. The world is coming to her, not the other way around.
Don’t move to Nashville, move somewhere else. I live within 30 minutes of Nash, but I really don’t like Nashville. It’s ok to visit, but it’s a tourist trap!
Hi colt! Thank you for this video. Always helpful. I was wondering, I am in a unique situation where I have 3 days off in the week and I work in San Francisco. Is it possible to network if I travel from SF to LA once or twice a month and is it practical? I do lean more towards independence since my day job is in SF
Do you think Lainey Wilson’s dad most likely paid her rent the whole time? You said you can’t pay your rent off of music there unless you’re on lower broadway playing covers. I’m genuinely asking because I’m from the country and I sing & write country songs & am considering moving there. I don’t have a rich dad who’s gonna pay my rent. How hard is it to get a gig on lower Broadway playing covers? I’m guessing it’s a market over saturated by trust fund babies I’d have no chance breaking into. I’d really appreciate any response, thank you for the helpful video.
I don’t know about Laney’s financial situation. I know that I watched her work her ass off from the moment I got here in town. We started following each other on IG like eight or nine years ago, and she deserves absolutely everything she’s accomplished. Best advice I can give, is be undeniable, you’ll never know if it’s going to work if you don’t give it a try.
I was part of the nashville music scene from 1997-2009 and made enough to pay my bills but that's when real country music was made there unlike present day. Shani Twain and Taylor Swift pop ruined Nashville
I'm from Louisville. Nashville's just another southern/midwest suburban city that may as well be a town. Nothing special unless you like country music.
Just like every other city with a pop of 700k or more, Nashville desperately needs a metro. I lived in Warsaw, Poland for 3 months and it amazes me that poorer, developing countries have modern metros and maybe 2-3 of our cities have trams and metros (New York, Boston, possibly SF). Our infrastructure is absolutely pathetic when compared to the rest of the developed world, and this affects musicians.
@@ColtCapperrune Lack of access to abortion can ruin your career. With Gov Lee intent on bringing in strict abortion laws, it's certainly not a place I would move to. Love the channel by the way, this isnt a beef just saying my angle
Tried living there for a few months. If you care about having honest real relationships and are not hungry to prove yourself (as in, you’re confident in what you do and who you want to associate with), you won’t get anywhere. Anyone who sits down with you for coffee who can help you will not listen to you. They’ll assume you’re just another desperate wanna be mediocre musician and be fake polite and never speak to you again. If you don’t know how to fake a persona to “get along,” people will push you away like there’s something wrong with you. Town is way too crowded. Too many people there desperate to get famous that you’re just another number no matter how honest your intention is to connect. Nearly lost my will to live trying to survive there. The local culture is all based on fake nice which is not nice at all. People don’t ever express themselves honestly so if you do, you don’t fit in, and they don’t see anything wrong with being fake or transactional. It’s the south east culture. Status and economic based. If you are empathetic or energetically sensitive, this place will destroy you quickly unless you already have a built in support system who is trustworthy. A strong relationship with God is not enough. In fact, you’ll likely be more grieved at how many people use the status of faith in God to screw others over to get ahead. Again they don’t see anything wrong with it because they assume you’re there to do that too. Also, if you’re Texan, Tennessee is NOT the same kind of south. They’re a more dishonest version of the chaos of the northeast. It’s greed based, transactional, overcrowded, isolating, soul destroying. I was told very different things by people I thought I could trust before moving there. Wanted to make sure I save others the trouble. Grateful for my time there and all I learned but much more grateful I’m out of there. I’ve never felt less valued as a human being or more isolated and devalued in my life. For some that’s worth it to “make it big.” If you value honest community and true creative space to exist as your own individual, you’ll find it extremely difficult to make that happen in nashville.
I better move somewhere. Nobody around here likes me except my dog, and he looks out the window and sighs a lot.
Will Hackett Hilarious bro!..
😆😂😂😂
Lol
Same here
Fr
He’s not lying!!! My inspiration level grew 10 fold since I moved here. Great video.
If for nothing else, moving here allows you to peak over the fence at what it really is, or what it can be....sometimes thats enough to know that maybe being a 'professional' in the music business isn't really what you want.
Care to elaborate? Seems rather cynical.
@@felixblanco6604 I guess it depends on the area of the business you're interested in. If you wanna be a player, this is the perfect town...if you really wanna be playing your instrument 40 hours a week on broadway...many do. Good living too. As for being an 'artist', I think most just want to be paid for their art, not be in a business, which is what it becomes...when other peoples livelihoods become a part of your own, it tends to change things...most artist find out that they don't want to co-write with strangers everyday, trying to come up with a 'hit' and keep up with current trends. Sometimes doing it professionally kills all the things you liked about it in the first place haha. Like everything though, depends on the person. How much do you like playing covers? Thats what a lot of it here winds up being...some move here to get out of that and it's surprising just how high up you can get and still wind up being playing covers in bars....sometimes thats fun....I don't know...just speaking from personal outlook, not for anyone else obviously. You can move here and finance you're own passion project that will sound amazing, utilizing some of the best talent in the world...thats YOU paying though...not you being paid haha. Big difference. Who knows, were all on our own journeys...
No I get it - some believe that being a professional musician is a dream but once you live it - it’s not what you thought. I like planning covers but playing your own songs is where it’s at.
Living in Nashville ten or twenty years ago might have been advantageous to either a career on stage, as a recording artist or even a studio session player if you could break into the ranks of the establishment. I moved from the Chicago area to Nashville in 1997 and remained until 2010 and during that period it was a tight nit group of artists and song writers however if you were able to get to know some of the people working there you could eventually make your way into those circles. Fortunately I was able to establish solid relationships and had a lucrative period of time. I liked the area and the people were great. I lived a few blocks from the Bluebird Cafe which was a short drive to downtown Nashville and a good location to access many of the studios for session work. It was a pleasant experience however things started to change and there was an over abundance of people relocating to the Nashville area, some for the music opportunities and some for the reasonable housing and atmosphere of the area. I saw the start of the over crowding and the rising costs of housing and general living there. People were flooding the area and the music scene, partially do to the recession, seemed to decline and opportunities started to dwindle. I decided to leave and after several recent visits back there I was glad I left. In my opinion I don't think Nashville has the same impact as it once did. As you have stated in your statistics the population is exploding, the traffic is crazy, the cost of living is rising and the over abundance of musicians and song writers is absolutely insane to the point of idiotic. Nashville in my opinion is a thing of the past and diluted. If I was to to go to an area where the scene is hot it would be Austin Texas.
The problem songwriters are facing is, in most clubs and venues or festivals ,they are to many good talented ones but the music bizz want covers Bands, or already known established artists, we all have been turn down not because our music is not good but clubs want the top 40 the easy things ,so social media’s is one way to get ahead but playing live is the best way to get known and get real fans , I kept my day job cos unfortunately you need to make a decent living ,I consider music like a hobby or a wonderful sport than I enjoy that cost me money but at least I have fun doing it ,I keep my dreams alive by doing it for myself more than for others who careless about my passion cos they don’t know what it’s like being a musician ,cheers
If you cold pitched a club owner or promoter and used grammar and spelling the same way you did in this UA-cam comment, I can see why you'd be turned down. If you can't even write a decent UA-cam comment, how are you going to come off as a professional to venues and clubs?
Good stuff as always. Most my friends that left town expanded their careers. Takes a leap of faith.
I decided to take my craft to the next level and I have Nashville constantly on my mind as a destination. I pulled up your video and I will have to say that you definitely made me feel good about my decision to go and seek out my career in music. With the insight and experience you have gained from living in music city absolutely helped me to understand and grasp what I am going to need to be prepared for and what to expect from this career path and the reassurance I have gained from the fact that there is motivated musicians driven to work hard with other artists to achieve the number one thing I focused on most of my life and that is entertaining people who have been working hard to provide for their family’s and choose to come out and allow me and my band to be a positive and therapeutic presence music does for their body,mind, and spirit! Excellent video! Hopefully I will get a chance to work with you
It helps a lot. I do more work in film and classical/jazz music and I at one point was considering moving to Nashville after college, this helped open my eyes quite a bit
Thanks for sharing. I'm considering moving to Nashville. I'm just not getting as many opertunities to play music here in Missouri. Just need a change in my career
Thanks for this video! I'm going to be moving to Nashville over the summer, and it's always good to hear some straight up truth and encouragement so thanks for that!
Thanks for watching! I’d love to know where you all live? And what the music scene is like where you are?
Colt Capperrune Repping from The Motherland, Ghana 🇬🇭
Pittsburgh, PA - Scene here is a bit chaotic, dated and drenched in white collar greed amongst those in a position to actually help the artists. (Promoters, clubs/bar/venues, sponsors, marketers and media.) Much talent gets overlooked in light of the usual "favorites" by a select few which I have a feeling is repeated everywhere. Keep in mind I've got no bias here as I'm not in a band. Studios in the area are getting better and fresh blood is working to lose that "Pittsburgh Sound" that was more 80's blues/rock oriented. It's looking up, but a long way to go.
I am from Budapest, Hungary and making southern rock :) btw, where can I reach you @Colt Capperrune?
I'm right near where you were - Quad Cities (actually Geneseo, IL)
Grand Rapids Michigan. Not much opportunity for local bands playing orginal music to breakout from here. But there are venues of every size for acts to play. From a 10,000 seat arena for top level bands (they all play here except stadium level shows). We have a 3,000 seater, a 2.000 seater, a 1,000 seater and 4-5 different places that seat 100-800. Add in even a couple small 50 seater clubs. There are also some street closed off type events that attract 2000 or so. All are having regular shows and being well attended. Lot of music coming in, not much being created and exported.
I’m flying to Nashville (from the UK) to record my next few tracks. That’s as close to moving there as I’m likely to get 👍
Julian Ransom hope you have a great trip!
Yep...feelin ya bro. Im next door in Dublin. Been to Nashville a bunch of times since 2011 but visiting is as close as it gets. Im the unfortunate owner of a thing called a mortgage which which will drag my soul to hell and back. So I aint goin' nowhere :( To be honest, I would need to get a cut and a major hit to make the kind of money I'd need to be able to relocate. So I will keep writing and pitching from here. No choice really.
@@agentcalm This will be my first time there. Any recommendations on where to go when I'm not at the studio?
@@Jacre Nashville despite becoming overcrowded is still an old style town. It has one HUGE main st called Broadway. All of the bars are located all along there. All do great food and music all day. The Grand ol Oprey is very far out of town and if your not driving its too far to go by taxi by even Uber. However, right down town is the Ryman which was originally a church but its where the likes of Cash etc played in their early days and they do a great tour. A good spot for a few good bars is also a place called 5 point. Not too far from downtown but its an Uber ride. A great place to treat yourself at least once for breakfast is Cracker Barrel. Again, its an uber ride but great food. Oh...and easily walking distance from downtown is division st. This is near music row and has my fave bars Winners and Losers. There's a super Mexican restaurant near those bars but for the life of me i cant think of its name. Maybe Colt can jump in here and help. But if you're having a beer in Winners anyone can point you to it. Its only 2 mins walk. Oh....and buy yourself a ticket for 3rd and Lindsey. Its a bar that hosts a sort of writers round but only for established writers. Sadly, if like me you're just at the open mic level you cant play. But you will get to see in an intimate surrounding some great hit writers. Personally I this venue to the Bluebird but you can also check that out. And its easier to get tickets than the bluebird. Sorry I can think of more but hopefully there's a couple of things there for you to check. Either way you'll have blast bro. Im so jealous. Its getting too expensive for me to go there anymore. Between flights and accommodation plus spending, a ten night stay will cost me nearly 3K. Ouch. Post some pics :)
@@agentcalm Wow, loads of info there, huge thanks!
Billie Eillish did not win Grammy's out of her bedroom. Don't spread misinformation. She's the daughter of a professional actor and a professional musician and has done acting roles herself in some movies. /she had all the networking connections necessary thanks to her parents and a considerable investment in marketing.
BrunoDSL her brother is a bad ass
This is something people are forgetting. Most kids who are massively popular musicians most likely have famous parents or relatives who had really good connections. Its obnoxious how people talk about Eilish worked from the ground up.
@@drewmullen9311 agreed, the dude is a freakin genius.
Literally my point.
You do realize this is exactly what he is saying lmao 😆
I appreciate your recognition of "where you are makes you cool" and at the same time "where you are doesn't matter if you are truly cool". I have learned that there are so many talented creative people in the world that all I can do is write songs that I would like to hear, and maybe make the world a better place , that all I really want to do is write songs that matter to me and wait for the world to catch up. I recently flew out of the Nashville airport to Boise Idaho to record a gospel country song because I knew the artist is wanted to sing my song and they lived in Boise. If it makes money that's good. If I like the song that's wonderful.
Being primarily a live sideman, I moved to Nashville to “get paid to see the world” i.e. travel and have since almost the moment landing in 1997. Also, as you were saying in your video, living in the middle of such great players can ONLY make you a better player and more inspired to, as you say, level up. Either you play great or your won’t work. I love Nashville. It’s given me some of the most amazing things in my life, including my family. Enjoy your take on things, Colt. Maybe we’ll be on something together sometime. Drive safe out there. 😉
tubenshaft That I do more live gigs than sessions.
tubenshaft Thought my pic would give it away. Drummer. You can go to my UA-cam page and see. 👍🏼
You convinced me. I’ll
Be there this weekend for the first time to check it out.
Got me sold, this drummer is comin to Nashville 🤘🏻
Peoria! I'm from Plainfield. Played at the par-a-dice casino down in Peoria many times.
Man I really like your insights. I have watched several of your videos and you are a great inspiration. I have one thought about trying to make it in any Music "mecca". Alot of people try to make the move and get buried in the competition and are basically ruined as musicians because of that. I have a voice student who wanted to move to Nashville to try to be discovered. Although he is talented I strongly suggested not to move because he would not be able to handle the competition. I suggested he stay where he is and build from there. He wisely followed my suggestion. Over the last 10 years he has not only gotten the experience needed but has even been asked to come to Nashville to be recorded by producers their. He has become a solid songwriter. His career has taken off. Had he tried to start in Nashville I think he would have been destroyed. I have to say that most people who want to move to a big music city don't have the experience to survive (especially younger artists) and can really mess up their careers if they make the move too soon. But if they have paid their dues (so to speak) their chances of making it are much greater. Thanks for sharing.
parking, playing for tips, traffic on 65, sleet the size of golf balls and living under people who hated my practice on a pad..#1 best reason, Forks and my time in Brentwood, I made the best lifelong friends ever!
Loved the video, man. I’m a guitar player in st. Pete, FL and I keep entertaining the idea of moving to Nashville or Atlanta. Lots of insight, thanks!
Great video!!! We are from Chicago, last town my wife, Deb, & I lived in was Aurora/Naperville, Il. We used to do shows at the Paradise Casino in East Peoria. We were 100% living off of our music by traveling. We now live in N Ft Myers FL, been down here about 3 yrs now & in 2 yrs we did over 200 gigs down here. But we now supplement our income with driving jobs( NEMT; non emergency medical transportation). My question to you is how many elderly people you see that would need NEMT? We believe , & from 1st hand experience, in backing up music with solid money, & NEMT is a need, unfortunately, music is a want !!! Thanks for your time & sharing your knowledge, I subbed to your channel, & will support my former Illinois ( Peoria) new friend, Rock On & God Bless!!!
I live in Destin Florida and am able to make a living as full time guitarist/producer. There’s a huge demand for live music here and there isn’t a ton of people moving across the country to play here. It’s relatively easy to support yourself with music here but, I definitely feel a cap on my potential opportunities.
@Sean Mormelo I know of Chris and Driftwood Guitars. We have some mutual friends but, haven't connected yet. I've played with his dad a couple of times as well. I've heard great things though!
Trent Hays Do you do booking down that way?
@@calvinwebster1365 Yeah, I have a few connections! You can email me at trenthaysmusic@gmail.com
The best way to compare is sports. The simple fact that you see that dude near you do a certain something, your whole being understands that that shit its freaking possible, fun and exciting. Simply makes lifes more enjoyable, make you wake up and actually start someting ;D
This video was very inciteful. My fiancee and I will be moving to Nashville by fall. I'm an aspiring Country singer/songwriter from NY. Literally nobody knows who i am and that's okay with me. I'm 25 now and just focusing on bettering myself, working with quality vocal coaches and guitarists to someday get myself where I wanna be.
Hey How’s it going? I’m making the move soon. Guitar player here country/ rock/ bluegrass/ jam
I feel like you watched the show Holly Hobby
I know people in Idaho who play music full time and make a living. I played a few shows in Nashville, TN. However, if I'm not in the established network it is actually harder to get paid gigs and takes longer. I actually make decent money around the northwest touring and playing local shows even which opened doors for me to financially prepare to go to Nashville. I was just glad to even perform in Nashville. It sucks how competitive music is in big cities.
This is an old video, but I am actually trying to figure out this exact thing right now. And that was a great video Colt. Thank you for it.
Colt,
Great information. Much appreciated...curious I play fingerstyle blues and harmonica at the same time and sing,write.You didn't mention blues. How's Nashville for blues.I checked out memphis but it wasn't for me.
Thanks again Michael
Live in Indiana, so a trip to Nashville is just a short drive away. I don't think I'll move there, but I'd LOVE to record there some day! I've visited and had a lot of fun. It just felt super saturated.Great video as always Colt!
I totally agree. You hit it right on the head. INSPIRATION! It is everywhere in Nashvegas! And yes, the traffic sucks! Keep up the good work man!
I forgot the worst thing about Nashville....the weather!!!
Just wait an hour and it will change
Man the humidity is what kills you here, the cold weather is mild but the rainy season sucks...
Lee Dile Yeah, I swear the humidity is worse than Florida in late summer here.
How about radio-friendly hard rock or even retro 90s/grunge - Heavy groove driven hard rock, I guess? How is it for original bands? If you're busting your ass and networking and have a large following as an original act - a good look and sound with pro stage performance and sell a lot or merch - what are the chances of a label taking notice?
Thanks for the information, I am in Melbourne, Australia, so a big move for me if I was going to move to Nashville... :D
If you are the best in the room. You are in the wrong room. Good content⚡️
You’re an amazing producer and musician, but also your lighting and cinematography is on point man! I don’t know if anyone else notices but it’s impeccable. Keep rocking bro. I watch them all.
In that town there is always someone better, always.
Best video i have watched in a while. Im a mix engineer living in a town of 50,000 people north of Toronto. Ive been itching to move to the city and take my career to the next level... Just need to save a little rent money first :o ...
Bring lots of rent money Michael. My cousin is a Vietnam vet who was kicked of his apartment build THREE TIMES along with all the other tenants so the landlords could slap on a lick of paint and re-rent to new tenants at an increased rent. It's getting crazy there. The only way I'll ever afford to move there is with a hit single first. I would literally need HUNDREDS of thousands so I could but a place not rent.
Always great content Bro. I think the caption has a little typo error “Your”. Thanks for sharing always
Your very "real"....much appreciated
I want to move there. I need to be inspired.
"Nashville bands/Artists" Preach brother!
Hi Colt. Love the vids bro and I thought was very apt considering the statement by the good Mr Simpson. Although I only read part of it I was really glad he came out and said what he said. As someone who not only doesn't live in Nashville but not even in the US, I feel like giving up when I hear the pros doing workshops (NSAI etc) telling us "you HAVE to be in Nashville". I heard one guy saying if you cant move here you should be coming here several times a year. A ten night visit to Nashville will set me back about 3 grand and this guy was saying i should do this a few times a year. On my last trip, i brought the guitar and played as many open mics as I could. I got talking to lots of fellow musicians, swapped a lot of business cards but got ZERO replies from them on FB. So did the trip do my music career any good? In a word..no. Now I get it. You would need to be based there and playing week in week out in order to finally hook up with someone worth the effort. But i honestly couldn't drag the guitar all that distance again. I find a lot of these guys maybe see the other musicians as competition so they are polite but have no intention of keeping in touch. But I digress. That is a different topic and maybe a topic for another vid :) But yeah, my point is I probably have as much chance of success by pitching songs from here than in Mashville ( Mashville???? where the HELL is that? LOL). At the end of the day even if I lived there, because of the "no unsolicited material" system I still cant pitch directly to people anyway. I have to join an org that offers pitching services. So it is what it is. I think if you're young and no mortgage etc, sure, throw a few t shirts into a plastic bag and go there. Wait tables etc and if you don't become famous you can head back home. Sorry for rambling Colt. Great vid and very interesting topic.
I love this channel. The ol algorithm buried it from me for a while. I apologize for that. I’m back!
Man this is a struggle for me. I came up in Nashville in the 90’s every weekend on my mother’s career. (From Indiana.) I’m a guitarist, engineer and an aspiring film composer. I’m 40 with a family now and i manage a warehouse lol. Completely out of my wheelhouse here and I’m considering the move down there. I just recently subscribed to your vids and they’re really great! I don’t see much on the subject, because most of these videos are geared toward young single artists trying to break in. I never see much on a family guy getting a late start. Didn’t know if you had some insight yourself or from anyone down there? I’d love to hear it! Thanks for your content and time sir!
@Sean Mormelo What was your experience touring northern Europe?
@Sean Mormelo Just curious, what part of Florida? An old roommate of mine moved back there and is also killing it as a musician.
Jeremy Woods check out my recent video “How old is to old for a music career”! Hope it helps! Thanks for watching 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Shout Out for being from IL I'm from Chicago and great content!
My friend keeps trying to talk me into moving to Nashville. I'm considering it, but would like to move back home to Seattle. I don't think my song writing or guitar playing is good enough at the moment for Nashville imho.
Great points Colt, especially how you talked about being inspired by those around you and being forced to level up; that is so incredibly true. I visited Nashville as an Audio Engineering/Music Production student with my school two years ago. I loved the town, the food and especially the musicians in Nashville. There are just some absolutely masterful musicians in Nashville, and I thought I could really see myself living there and working with these amazing musicians in a recording studio. Unfortunately, myself and some of my friends had some very bad experiences with gatekeeping from certain studios and producers/engineers in Nashville. Ultimately, I decided not to move to Nashville, mainly because of my experiences and my friends' experiences. I'd love to hear your take on the lawsuit against Blackbird Studios, and studio culture as a whole.
I'm in a band with some friends, all in 10th grade and really just love making music. We've gigged around town (Tallahassee, FL) and wanted to take some time after graduation to ride around in our guitarists sick van to gig and have awesome stories to tell. My point is, did everything you said apply to bands or just single artists? I'm sure Nashville would be a blast with friends especially, so I'd just like to know
Do you think it’s necessary to do live gigging if you wanna be a recording solo artist? I guess Nashville is great for the recording scene and cross fertilization of talents though i do my mixing etc now remotely, with some of the biggest names in the industry all over USA
I totally agree with you. I wnt to aim in Atlanta. Atl is hot for Jazz. I lived in Nash.
You're from Peoria? You might be one of the few people that know about Rockford outside of Cheap Trick. I use to run cross-country in Peoria. It always had a funny smell there =). Totally get what you're saying about being inspired. There's a lot of talent here in Rockford but not a lot of places left for original music. So a lot of talented musicians end up doing other things.
Very helpful--thank you. I'm finishing an undergraduate degree in music composition and violin performance at conservatory, and am considering checking out Nashville for a masters degree and for exposure to the commercial music industry. I would call myself primarily and composer/arranger, although I also have some limited experience in working with DAWs. I'm very interested in what the scene looks like as far as composing scores for various forms of media, including video games, films, and trailers, but also original orchestrations for artists' records and other media formats. I know LA is the place to be for film scoring, but I'm not really interested in Hollywood Scoring the way I used to be. I more so want to be writing orchestrations for artists and other forms of media. Do you have any friends you know who do work in this side of the industry? What's the scene like for this type of work in Nashville?
I am learning how to play the guitar and I am taking guitar lessons right now just saying that now
I’m moving to Nashville as a pop/rap songwriter, how do you suggest that I go about meeting other artists/producers within that same genre when Country and Rock are the main genres? Thanks in advance!
How about winter? Is it still crowded on Broadway? How much music still happens?
It´s so true what you are saying about being surrounded by artists is priceless.
That you are naturally leveling up and make growth jumps thanks to opportunities and collabs you´d never get in other places.
I used to live in San Francisco for 3 years and switched from fiction writing to shooting musician gigs.
Now I´m back home in Munich Germany - and write about the transforming encounters & mentors I had there and the reality of musician life in San Francisco.
I love all your videos - bc your experience matches all I experienced in New York and San Francisco.
Would you mind taking a look at my photo book and listen to one of my short stories when I´m finished (hopefully in 2 months)? I´m happy to send you the link to a digital copy / download via dm. No hurry. It´s just portraits - and will pick a very short sample for the story so you get the idea. I thought of this spontaneously bc my experience there matches so much what you are talking about in this video.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. It´s always enlightening. I subscribe only to my musician friend´s & some bboy channels. You are one of my few subscriptions bc you are part of verifying my own experiences I share in my short stories. They are all about my time in Boston, New York, the Bronx and San Francisco
This was SO helpful thank you ❤
Yo I am from Peoria! I’ve been trying to start getting my name in Peoria.
I would take advantage of the opportunity to talk to you Colt about what direction to go for the future. You Seem to know your stuff :)
I did meet music producers but it's really hard to get opportunities with them as they only produce a select few musicians. These guys are hard to get work from.
You're inspiring yourself man. Thank you for the hard work you put in on this channel, we'll meet someday in person I'm sure of it!
Does this apply to Genres other than Country & Western?
Great video as always Colt, very inspirational :-)
What if I lived in muscle shoals al and would rather shop corporate gigs in the Nashville area than play on broadway?
Great content man! Keep it up
I am brand new with the music and I am brand new at writing music just saying that now
Well I’m convinced
I love the idea of leveling up. I am not a good/knowledgeable guitarist. But I know what good tunes and riffs are. I love the idea of being with piers that ae better than you. I want to have a regular job and level up in lessons and eventually playing shows/ gigs and then going from their. Its definitely a burning desire in my gut. Its not just a thing i'm interested in. What do you think?
@@mikebrownbassist802 Yes, I have a teacher now that's much better than me but I want to surround myself with better players like on a more consistent basis and not just once a week you know? I think that's what Cap was sort of getting at.
Mike Brown (Bassist) that’s exactly what it m talking about! Not sat in n a jam session ,great idea, thanks!
As a 49 year old native Nashvillian, who played drums for many years, the business is littered with nepotism. Just like Hollywood, Nashville is a place where few "make" it, even fewer get the opportunity, and even less the that are "allowed" to get the door opened. It's all about who you know, and that's it. Having talent means nothing. I've played and seen so many people who have superior talent to most anyone you hear 9n the radio, see live, or get session work. But, when you don't know anyone, or aren't allowed into the club by chance, no one is going to give you the time of day. It's the sad fact that most don't know, even for those who have lived in this town for decades.
When you’re 10 miles out from Nashville, if you can play guitar better than the guy pumping your gas, you can proceed to the next gas station.
great vid with great input....
What about someone pursuing Christian contemporary music with a little bit of country?
If Tory Slusher decided to move to Nashville, she would slay the scene. After hearing her play, all the guitarists would quit, or they should quit. If you have enough talent, you should be able to just play in your bedroom, and record with a cell phone. There is always room for one more good one. The world is coming to her, not the other way around.
Thank you sooooo much.
Hey, is nashville a good place for EDM or House producers?
Don’t move to Nashville, move somewhere else. I live within 30 minutes of Nash, but I really don’t like Nashville. It’s ok to visit, but it’s a tourist trap!
Hi colt! Thank you for this video. Always helpful. I was wondering, I am in a unique situation where I have 3 days off in the week and I work in San Francisco. Is it possible to network if I travel from SF to LA once or twice a month and is it practical? I do lean more towards independence since my day job is in SF
How can I network in Nashville? I just got here, and I d like to connect with a community. Thank you for helping.
Clear as spring water
Do you think Lainey Wilson’s dad most likely paid her rent the whole time? You said you can’t pay your rent off of music there unless you’re on lower broadway playing covers. I’m genuinely asking because I’m from the country and I sing & write country songs & am considering moving there. I don’t have a rich dad who’s gonna pay my rent. How hard is it to get a gig on lower Broadway playing covers? I’m guessing it’s a market over saturated by trust fund babies I’d have no chance breaking into. I’d really appreciate any response, thank you for the helpful video.
I don’t know about Laney’s financial situation. I know that I watched her work her ass off from the moment I got here in town. We started following each other on IG like eight or nine years ago, and she deserves absolutely everything she’s accomplished. Best advice I can give, is be undeniable, you’ll never know if it’s going to work if you don’t give it a try.
IM A NASHVILLE GROWING ARTIST WHO'S NEXT UP 🙏🫡
I've been to Nashville a few times but meeting the right people being homeless doesn't work unless you find street artists you can trust
Steve Freeman is leaving Nashville and the music business. Check out his video on the subject (and look him up).
I wanna become a concert audio technician don't know where to start
chicken and waffles favorite thing.
Great vid!
wish u would had been around about 20 years ago with this info.
I was part of the nashville music scene from 1997-2009 and made enough to pay my bills but that's when real country music was made there unlike present day. Shani Twain and Taylor Swift pop ruined Nashville
'Forged Friendship'
Thanks
I'm a struggling indie artist
Are you guys trying to be Justin Lewis?
how hard is it for a musician to get a job as a dishwasher to get started with income if i'm autistic
I'm from Louisville. Nashville's just another southern/midwest suburban city that may as well be a town. Nothing special unless you like country music.
Just like every other city with a pop of 700k or more, Nashville desperately needs a metro. I lived in Warsaw, Poland for 3 months and it amazes me that poorer, developing countries have modern metros and maybe 2-3 of our cities have trams and metros (New York, Boston, possibly SF). Our infrastructure is absolutely pathetic when compared to the rest of the developed world, and this affects musicians.
I am more interested into country music just saying that now
unlikely to be getting too many girl musicians moving there tbh with whats going on legally in the state
I’m not sure what you mean in terms of legislation, but there are more female artists than there are male artist, and they are crushing it.
@@ColtCapperrune Lack of access to abortion can ruin your career. With Gov Lee intent on bringing in strict abortion laws, it's certainly not a place I would move to. Love the channel by the way, this isnt a beef just saying my angle
What new popular music genre did Nashville create in the past 40 years? I don't think original artists should move there.
Tried living there for a few months. If you care about having honest real relationships and are not hungry to prove yourself (as in, you’re confident in what you do and who you want to associate with), you won’t get anywhere. Anyone who sits down with you for coffee who can help you will not listen to you. They’ll assume you’re just another desperate wanna be mediocre musician and be fake polite and never speak to you again.
If you don’t know how to fake a persona to “get along,” people will push you away like there’s something wrong with you. Town is way too crowded. Too many people there desperate to get famous that you’re just another number no matter how honest your intention is to connect. Nearly lost my will to live trying to survive there.
The local culture is all based on fake nice which is not nice at all. People don’t ever express themselves honestly so if you do, you don’t fit in, and they don’t see anything wrong with being fake or transactional. It’s the south east culture. Status and economic based.
If you are empathetic or energetically sensitive, this place will destroy you quickly unless you already have a built in support system who is trustworthy. A strong relationship with God is not enough. In fact, you’ll likely be more grieved at how many people use the status of faith in God to screw others over to get ahead. Again they don’t see anything wrong with it because they assume you’re there to do that too.
Also, if you’re Texan, Tennessee is NOT the same kind of south. They’re a more dishonest version of the chaos of the northeast. It’s greed based, transactional, overcrowded, isolating, soul destroying. I was told very different things by people I thought I could trust before moving there.
Wanted to make sure I save others the trouble. Grateful for my time there and all I learned but much more grateful I’m out of there. I’ve never felt less valued as a human being or more isolated and devalued in my life. For some that’s worth it to “make it big.”
If you value honest community and true creative space to exist as your own individual, you’ll find it extremely difficult to make that happen in nashville.
youre awesome
📙💯