We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful William Lanham. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with William below.

Hi William, thanks for joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

My greatest hope is that the music I share will inspire other musicians and composers in the same way that I was by the film scores I grew up with. All throughout my life, I have been influenced and inspired by amazing composers such as John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore, and many others. Whether it was Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, or Gladiator, these soundtracks helped to shape who I am today. I still remember the first time I truly listened to and appreciated the orchestral parts of The Lion King. I was so moved that I literally cried and to this day it remains one of my all time favorites.

I want the sound of my music to give people a genuine look into my heart and soul. I want my work to resonate with people in a way that will instill a sense of awe and wonderment. I want to be remembered as someone who made the most of everything. Someone who didn’t waste time or talents. Someone that lead a confident and Christ-centered life. That is the legacy I want to leave behind.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is William Cody Lanham and I am a composer, musician, and voice actor. My business, “William Lanham Music,” provides music and voice overs for all types of media. I also offer private lessons for beginner and intermediate piano, guitar, bass, and vocals.

I’ve been playing music and composing for most of my life but I officially started building my career about 2 years ago. In April of 2022, I fell 10-12 feet through a ceiling, crushed my left heel, and severely damaged other parts of my foot. Several months of pain and one surgery later, I decided to attend college for a semester while I was unable to work. I had always wanted to take collegiate music courses and this was my chance. It was an amazing experience and I learned many valuable lessons during that time. Those months further solidified my yearning for music and would help push me towards the beginning of my desired career.

Fast forward to March of 2023. My wife and I have just gotten married and I make the profound financial decision to invest in a laptop and recording equipment. Luckily for me, she was encouraging but not without a healthy dose of caution. She made me do my research before running to the store and chucking money at the cashier, which I’m very thankful for. I purchased my laptop, audio interface, DAW (digital audio workstation), and spent the next several months trying to learn how to most efficiently utilize all this confounded technology. Heck, it’s been over a year and I’m still learning new methods and techniques every day.

One day after I’d made my first few releases on YouTube, one of our amazing friends puts me in contact with an actual gaming composer. I was freaking out to say the least.
He was incredibly kind, humble, and provided crucial information that I had been desperately searching for. He said that most people (musicians/composers) make the mistake of working to perfect their craft and then they wait around, hoping to be recognized for their abilities. This only works out on the rarest of occasions. The actual key to finding work and building your career in this field is to make connections and build relationships. There are several different conventions and events that take place every year in various parts of the country. You need to advertise yourself accordingly and treat it like a business. This can be difficult if you struggle with social settings or have anxiety. Just remember that everyone is experiencing a similar feeling. I’m 99.9% extroverted and retain a healthy level of confidence yet I still felt anxious the whole time. Deep breath. You’ll do just fine.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

It’s always great when people appreciate the work you’ve done, but what’s truly rewarding is seeing an idea come to life and develop in ways you never thought possible. It could start with a simple melody or even a random sound and end up being one of the best works you’ve ever made.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

One of my best sources for new clients is actually a previous client and my good friend, Michael Riley. He and his cousin, Jeremy, have their own podcast called “Michael and Jeremy Steal Your Podcast,” for which I was hired to create a theme song for. Through their show, they have built a community of creatives and podcasters, which has opened up other commissions and opportunities for my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.williamlanhammusic.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559143300980
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@williamlanhammusic?si=twLi-VXaz2sZjS1F