We were lucky to catch up with Aaron Hermes recently and have shared our conversation below.
Aaron, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?
I have been misunderstood more than once in my life as a native Texan of mixed heritage who specializes in Indian classical music and Ethnomusicology! This is perhaps one of the more entertaining examples: Once upon a time I was on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”, although my music was never aired. It all started one night after surfing classifieds on Craigslist. I noticed an open call for the show taping in Dallas, a mere 3 hour drive, but it was in two days and I thought my chances were slim actually making it happen on such short notice. Never underestimate the Universe and a sitar. After emailing them that night, they actually responded the next morning that they would love to have me perform for the producers, with an appointment time instead of waiting in a long line outside. All I had to do was pick out a cover tune or two to perform for the show. They had a heavy preference for cover material. Although it was challenging to come up with something on such short notice I picked out a couple of Beatles tunes, practiced them and drove Dallas to perform the next day. The audition went great. To my surprise they said they wanted me to perform for the judges for camera in three days! The only thing was I couldn’t play the same Beatles songs (something about the licensing being too expensive). So they handed me a book of pre-approved tracks they wanted me to choose from. As primarily a classical sitarist I winced a little but went with it because it was such a unique opportunity. I drove back to my studio and prepared a backing track for my performance I had two days to put together. I ended up choosing to do a mashup of “Genie in a Bottle” and “Killing Them Softly”. Producers approved it and I was off to Dallas again to do the show. It was at a beautiful historic hall in downtown. I dressed in silver pants with a hot pink cowboy shirt and a silver cowboy hat! I did my thing and the audience absolutely loved it. It was incredible, and midway through the end they were all singing along with my performance capped with a standing ovation!
Now it was time for the judges to do their thing. David Hasselhoff was first! He starts with, “Honestly, I didn’t get it,” in regards to my performance. I grabbed my mic and replied, “Coming from you that’s a compliment.” The audience busted out laughing, even the camera people were chuckling. He gave me a ‘No’ vote to continue on. Sharon Osborne was next, “I loved it!” and continued, “do you do yoga?” “Sure,” I replied. She gave me a “Yes” vote. The third and final judge was next and it was Piers Morgan. He started, “I have to agree with David, I didn’t get it.’ The audience immediately started booing loudly. “But, but…” he continued, “there is a Fourth judge here tonight.” The audience quieted down as he went on, “Audience, You are the Fourth judge! Should Aaron go on to the next round?” They erupted in applause then Piers said, “Congratulations Aaron, you’re going to Las Vegas!” Cool, I thought and got up to exit the stage. Who greets me but none other than Jerry Springer, the host at the time! “Aaron,” he said, you just won this round and are headed to Las Vegas to perform, how do you feel?” I replied, “Thanks, I feel good.” Jerry Springer responds, “You don’t seem that excited,” to which I said without hesitation, “I mean I’m not going to start throwing chairs or anything…” He just sort of gave me blank look. His daytime talkshow was famous for staged fights and people throwing chairs on set. So that was that and I was headed to Vegas next!
This time I had a month to prepare my act. I bought a wireless system and hired a seamstress to make a pouch for my sitar enabling me to stand up and play. I was going for more stage presence. This time I planned to sing as well! Figured why not go all out. I made a new custom backing track and picked out another pre-approved song from their list. This time it was Elvis! I practiced it a bunch then hopped on a plane to Vegas were they put me up at Planet Hollywood, where the show was also being taped. The first day they got all the contestants together in the theater and made the announcement that the next day when we come back we’ll be placed in 4 groups – and one of the groups will be totally cut without a chance to even perform again for the judges ‘because they advanced too many acts and didn’t have time to audition them all.’
So the next day we re-assemble in the giant theater and they divide us into four specific groups. Cameras are rolling and they are really building up the tension and suspense with the judges taunting, “Which group is going to be cut right now and have to pack up and go home?” Several minutes of taunting and suspense pass when they finally say, “Group C go home immediately.” Well, I’m in group C – with an Ozzy impersonator, Chiquita banana lady and about 80 other people and I’m just like ‘really?’ ‘Well that stinks,’ I remember thinking ‘I came all this way and prepared custom music and invested money into my act and now I can’t even get the 90 seconds to perform it?” I was annoyed but emotionally never got invested in the show. They had really built up the suspense and several around me were in tears and stuff as the camera operators were told to get close ups. I never felt like I really wanted or needed their ‘approval’- it was all just for fun from a random internet surf. So I packed up my stuff and departed the hotel. There’s a little more to the story but perhaps I’ll save it for another time. Ultimately I was misunderstood by the judges and producers of the show who were only interested in widening their demographic reach and eliciting emotional responses Erin their audience and contestants for ratings it turned out. Their goal was definitely not to find the greatest talents. I met a lot of talented artists backstage that also never aired, only for them to give more air time to lesser talent with more emotional appeal. This was the ‘Industry Machine’ The Greed Complex. So it was no winder they didn’t want to implement high vibrational healing music into the mix or why a couple of the judges “didn’t get it.” I had only 2 days to prepare my first performance and yet still succeeded to the next round, I was disappointed I put so much work into my second bit over the course of a month, traveling with my delicate instrument, to not even get a chance to perform, but ultimately it was probably for the best not being associated with them. While my taped performance didn’t air, my likeness did. When they had cameras rolling during the participant cut in Las Vegas round you can see my face in a few of the shots that got aired. I’ve certainly viewed all those shows in a different light since participating and I don’t give them too much status, if any. However, I’d still love to see the footage from my performance with the audience singing along and the look on David Hasselhoff’s face when I said “Coming from you that’s a compliment”!
Aaron, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m a professional sitar player, musician, producer and audio engineer. I was born in Austin, TX, growing up exposed to a lot of blues and Texas rock. When I was about 11 or 12 I was watching VH1 and was spellbound as I heard and watched Ravi Shankar’s sitar performance at the Monterrey Pop Festival. I had no idea what it was called or who he was, all I knew is I needed to learn this mysterious craft and garner a sitar. This was still a little before the internet was in full swing! As fate would have it when I was 18 and looking at a display cabinet in a local Houston music store, I excitedly spotted some Indian tabla (drums). The guy behind the counter asked if I was interested in them and I replied, ‘sort of but I really want to get a sitar.’ Turns out he was studying sitar from a local teacher! That’s how I got started. Almost immediately I started getting gig requests – even though I could barely tune the instrument! Turns out there was a big demand in Houston, the second largest Indian population in the country. So after a few years I decided that if I was really going to do it I needed to study in India with a master. I did just that in 2003-2004 where I lived with my teacher for a few months, waking each day to have a wonderful meal prepared by his wife and then practice for 8-10 hours. I had to relearn many things I had been doing wrong and basically start over. I am forever indebted to my teacher Atmaram Sharma for giving me the proper technique and foundation that has enabled me to have a career playing this magical music and instrument. Learning to properly play the sitar is no small feat, especially coming as a westerner with western ears. I had to really do a lot of work and be willing to experiment and push my internal boundaries. Outwardly, I have also been a boundary pusher as I seek to unite us as one people and one human race through my music and art. Doing what I do there is no mold to fit into or a set roadmap to take. You just have to do it and be brave. In my case I followed my heart and the Universe has taken care of the rest. Don’t be afraid to follow your heart and be different, the world needs more of that!
PS, I am eternally indebted to all my other teachers as well, too many to list, but I would like to especially thank Zakir Hussain, Glen Velez, Abbos Kosimov, Steve Smith, Daniel Yeaney and Richard Williams.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
2020- Covid lockdowns hit and the entertainment industry was completely shut down! As a professional on multiple fronts in the industry this was not an easy reality to cope with. I did my best using that off time to try and stay healthy, and one of my favorite ways to do that involves playing a lot of disc golf. If you don’t know what that is go to YouTube right now and search for “disc golf holy shot James Conrad.” That should peak your interest! So anyways, after a few months into the lockdown as I’m playing a local course (most of them are free), and my savings are dwindling, I meet someone who had just moved to Texas from Ohio to open a branch office for a roofing company looking to expand. Turns out he was not only the manager but an avid disc golfer (and excellent salesman). He offered me a job with the promise I could set my schedule and still get lots of disc golf in. So after thinking about it, not being a trustifarian, and not knowing how much longer things would be shut down, I “pivoted” and became trained as a roof inspector and insurance specialist… I was conscious that I wanted to return to music full time again one day and needed all my fingers to work and stuff so was careful not to get injured. But it just really wasn’t my thing for safety and a lot of other reasons. When entertainment started coming back online in mid 2021 I departed ways with the roofing biz. I learned that doing what I love to do is the only way to thrive internally and that no job is worth sacrificing health and happiness for. At the same time I’m glad I got out of my comfort zone, learned some new skills and did what I had to do to survive and put food on the table in a very unique time in our history. If faced with uncertainty in the future I’m sure I can adapt, strive and eventually thrive again.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me there’s a deep fulfillment that comes from enhancing special moments in time, creating lifelong memories for my clients and listeners. But there’s another aspect to being a creative artist and musician in particular. Painters often enter a creative flow were we lose track of time (I know this from experience as well). However as a musician, even when the music is over and we’re backstage or back at home, after an electrifying performance we get HIGH. Not like high on drugs, but a natural high that comes from being connected to Source energy and to other human beings, sharing and receiving positive energy and experiences. Sometimes it may take hours to finally be ready to come down and get some rest. It’s perhaps a bit mystical and a deeper conversation that would need to take place in order to describe it and why it happens, but it’s definitely a real aspect of being a musician doing something you love from the deepest parts of your being, and many other artists and musicians have written and talked about it as well. P.S. don’t do actual drugs kids, they aren’t needed!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.AudioTelepathy.com
- Instagram: @audio_telepathy
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/audiotelepathymusic
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/audiotelepathy
- Other: Soundcloud: www.Souncloud.com/audio-telepathy
Image Credits
Portraits by Amitava Sarkar. Others by friends using my camera. Photos of TV still frames from the show America’s Got Talent, NBC – fair use claim.