Songwriter / Male Vocalist

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: HPH! The band I started with my best friend and roommate when I was 19 and the rest of the guys. We all worked super hard writing, recording, touring, managing, etc and had a great time whole being able to grow a project we loved and watch it turn into a career for its season!

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Recording lots of my own music alongside other projects and dialing in cool electric guitar tones.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Jessie Villa for female vocals!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. Analogue is expensive.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I like to set clear expectations and hold up my end of the bargain. If something comes up, I’m known to be an effective communicator.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Creative outlet!

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: Do you write/can you sing xyz genre of music? My answer is usually yes because I enjoy writing, singing and playing a wide variety of music genres.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: That people who have lots of Instagram followers or a recognizable name are somehow better that other people or have more love, joy, peace, etc.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Depends on the type of work but I like to get to know the motive behind the job and set clear expectations.

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Just hit me up. I’m a friendly and easy-going person.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: A Bible, an acoustic guitar, a knife, a fishing pole and a satellite phone. Assuming I’m not recording music music while I’m there?

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I’m currently 33yo and have been in bands since I was 14, but have been making music as a career since I was around 19. I’ve also spent years working on the business side of the music industry (since 2015) as a marketer, advertiser, manager and more for artists and groups (from underground artists <— my favorite, to household names and artists signed to every major label.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Eclectic.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: Ya know what…I think Ruston Kelly. He seems like a genuine dude who seems chill and writes honest lyrics.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: For vocal recording, be sure the singer has a good vocal chain and likes the way they sound in their ears. You’ll get a better performance that way.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: A variety. As a songwriter, I’m more interested in a song that makes me feel something than I am in genre. I’ve been in rock/southern rock/pop-punk/punk bands since I was 14 (I’m currently 33) but I’ve been a worship leader in church, I’ve got a music degree in commercial voice from Belmont University and I’m originally from Arkansas so I love folk, bluegrass and country. That said, my older cousins exposed me to tons of hip-hop and R&B when I was a kid, so I’ve worked on a fair amount of both of those genres over the years in both writing and recording sessions. There’s nothing worse than a bad pop song, but it’s hard to beat a great one. Most of my singing these days is in the genres of Christian and Gospel because I love to worship Jesus.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Songwriting/Singing

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: When writing: Heart, honesty, a story, lyrics, melodies/harmonies, GROOVE, cultural relevance. When recording: A recorded piece of music that you want to listen to in your car with the windows down.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I work on music full time from home and I love to do it, so that’s what I spend a lot of my time doing, day and night.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I recently moved to Nashville and I’ve got a music studio in my house where I have songwriting sessions and produce music, usually tracking midi instruments, guitar, keys and vocals. I also teach songwriting lessons, vocal lessons, guitar lessons and piano lessons.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: Johnny Cash, Chris Stapleton, Maverick City Music, Eddie James, UPPERROOM, Prescription Songs, Bad Nerves, IDLES, PUP

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: Songwriting, Top-lines, Vocals (demo and final, harmonies, ad-libs, etc), Songwriting lessons, rhythm guitar tracks, piano tracks.