We were lucky to catch up with Greg Fortune recently and have shared our conversation below.
Greg, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
My parents met in Frankfurt Germany, while both were serving in the U.S. Army. While growing up, I was told that we couldn’t afford music lessons and I wasn’t able to purchase my first guitar until graduating from high school, so for a musician, that’s a rather late start. To my parents, music and art were hobbies not a profession. I was encouraged to become an engineer and eventually earn a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. I designed and outfitted my first recording studios, while working full-time in a very demanding career. All the while, pursuing songwriting, recording original songs and eventually performing as time permitted. As the job became more demanding and extra hours, including weekends, became required to meet demands, it became very clear to me that the time had come to make a decision. I’ve never believed that one could excel at something, while keeping it a part-time hobby and with job demands taking away any time reserved for creative pursuits, I left the corporate life behind. Although a risk, I became a full-time musician roughly a year before the pandemic. For several months. during the pandemic, there was no work to be had for performing musicians, but after a few years and hundreds of performances, there is nothing more satisfying than being able to pay my way as a professional musician and artist. Although the hours are just as long and the demands are great, I am excited and able to test my limits and continue to grow in a profession that I not only love, but allows me to be my authentic self!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Greg Fortune and I consider myself to be a bit of a modern Renaissance man. I am a music lover, songwriter, singer, musician, poet, performer, producer and recording enthusiast. A lover of fine art, I am also an artist, photographer and graphic designer. As Greg Fortune the music lover, I’ve released three full-length albums of original R&B, pop, smooth jazz and blues music and seek to continue writing and recording timeless songs, reminiscent of the legends that I grew up listening to. Most recently, I am beginning to explore the world of art and have created prints that involve multiple mediums including painting, pencil drawing, digital photography and more. I plan to introduce these collections on a grander scale, beginning next year. I won several ribbons in art shows while still in high school, but as a youth never thought of art as a viable career. Now that I have evolved in my thinking and attitude toward being a creative person, I am so excited about what’s to come.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
It seems to me that every child is an artist, singer, dancer and creative, however, somewhere on the road to adulthood, so many detour and lose those gifts. I am bewildered by that fact. The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is in being a willing and effective conduit for images, sounds, and ideas to enter this realm. The challenge is in becoming vulnerable enough to share the gift. There will be those who get it and those who won’t and that’s fine. One should never pursue art for financial reward, that will result from creating art, whether music or visual or any other medium that people can connect with. It’s all about that connection.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
A very prolific songwriter once said, “we’re only dancing on this earth for a short while…” Music has meant the world to me for as long as I can remember. My mission, simply said, is to send good vibes to all. Many of the legends of music and art have and continue to transition, leaving a legacy of their works. The world of modern music and art is twisting and turning, regressing and progressing and the future is very uncertain; however, I am one voice who sincerely desires to move in a positive direction, now.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.greg4tune.com
- Instagram: @greg.4tune
- Facebook: @greg.fortune.music
- Linkedin: @greg-fortune-214a89a9
- Twitter: @gregfortunemusic
- Youtube: @gregfortune6969