We recently connected with Jon Shields and have shared our conversation below.

Jon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Work revolving around a musical instrument is a lifetime pursuit. Can anyone really become perfect on an instrument? Or know EVERYTHING there is to know about an instrument? That’s not even considering the vast amount of music/sounds you can get out of an instrument! All that said, when you go into music, you’re going in for the long haul. There is always something to get better at, to practice, to learn, to know etc… Discussing the practice of teaching something to someone, pedagogy, is also interesting because values can be placed in completely different areas depending on who you’re teaching. I learned to do what I do through hundreds of lessons with teachers one-on-one, as well as many more hours listening and replicating. For me, learning was easy (process-wise not content-wise) because guitar was something I was really interested in, I learned best through hands-on learning, and my teachers were also really interested in teaching. Those three things came together and here we are today. If you are having trouble learning or want to speed up the process, try changing the method of delivery. If you’re learning through YouTube videos, then try a method book. If that doesn’t move things along, try a one-on-one teacher. It could just be your learning style.

Skills that are most essential… I’ll say this, the most important skill is to be willing to try and fail. You have to want to do something enough that failure doesn’t turn you away from it. That’s how you learn and get better. Work through those failures and overcome your obstacles.

Jon, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Better yet, I’ve got this well-crafted bio that I had written for my books and I don’t use it enough. So here’s that!

Jon Shields is a Nashville-based guitarist, composer, and educator whose performance and pedagogical work bridge the traditions of classical guitar with the improvisational and expressive languages of jazz, R&B, country, and folk. He holds dual degrees in Music Performance and Music Business, along with a minor in Recording Arts from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, where he studied classical guitar and advanced music theory. Shields has established a reputation for versatility, engaging in solo and ensemble performance, musical theater, and studio work, as well as higher education teaching and curriculum development.

As a performer, Shields has appeared in orchestras for over a dozen musical theater productions, including Aida, Little Shop of Horrors, Godspell, Legally Blonde, and Mama Mia, among others. He has shared the stage with Mary Wilson of The Supremes and performed at prominent venues including the Bluebird Cafe and Broadway (Nashville). He is also co-founder of a rare guitar-organ duo with his brother, Graeme Shields, with whom he toured the Midwest in 2022.

His discography includes a collection of classical recordings and the genre-blending Rainbow Releases, a lo-fi jazz and neo-soul project. He is also the author of three educational books on music theory and guitar pedagogy. As a committed educator, he maintains an active private studio and offers public masterclasses, integrating his multi-genre expertise to prepare students for today’s evolving musical landscape.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

At the moment my goal is to create as much as I can. Resist the resistance! I recently read a fantastic book called “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield. It defines things in an interesting way but the objective is clear: create! I just think about how much we consume as a society. I’m talking everything. Food, media, music, etc… We NEED people who create things. If you’re called to create something then create something. I often think about Andy Warhol’s quote, “Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Most people listen to music to feel something. When you’re sad, listening to a really heart wrenching sad song can feel really good. When you’re happy and it’s sunny out, listening to upbeat reggae music can elevate your feelings (or whatever genre does that for you)! Deep down I think that’s why anyone who is in the arts, practices the arts. You know those feelings from experiencing the art form, but you can also get those feelings from creating the art form.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jonshields.org
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/jonwshields
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@shieldsjon
• Other: https://guitarbook.org