We recently connected with Andrew Hooker and have shared our conversation below.
Andrew, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I was 10 years old. My older brother and I were watching Robert Plant and Jimmy Page on TV performing at Knebworth Festival. This was the reunion show they did in the early 80’s. I was mesmerized by Jimmy Page’s guitar playing. I knew from that moment on, that I wanted to be a musician.
Andrew, 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?
My name is Andrew Hooker. I have been playing music since I was 7 years old. I began formal lessons on piano at age 7. When I turned 10, I picked up the guitar and taught myself to play. At age 13 I joined the school marching and concert band. I played snare drum during marching season and clarinet during concert season. By age 14 I was fronting my own original rock band. My parents would have to chaperone me in local clubs, so I could perform. My father is a trumpet player and singer and my mom sings as well. Both of my parents were supportive of music from the get-go, and they nurtured my involvement from early childhood. After high school, I moved to Los Angeles and attended and graduated from the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT). After completing school at GIT, I moved to Nashville in 1999 to pursue a music career. I led the rock band, Vinyl Soup from 2003-2014. In 2017, I formed the rock band, The Uneven. In addition to running a band, I am also a music producer and a music teacher. My recording studio is called “The Cave Studios.” The Cave is located in Franklin, TN. My teaching business is a mobile service called “Music Lessons Will Travel.” The Cave Studios is located in the country-side called Leipers Fork. My studio is off the grid from Nashville and very secluded. Music Lessons Will Travel has been in business since 2000, and I am one of the only mobile music lesson services in south Nashville. First and foremost, I am most proud of my family. My wife and 2 boys are my everything. After my family, I am most proud of The Uneven’s debut album, “Flight Out of the Hollow.” We released our debut album on October 6, 2023. The album has received positive reviews from publications like Rock Hard Italy, Metalized, and Desert Psychlist out of Europe. I am excited to see that CDs are still selling. We have been shipping CDs to Europe and all over the US. I am extremelly excited about what the future my hold for The Uneven.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I led a rock band from 2003-2014. We had moderate success. We performed and toured regionally throughout the midwest. In April of 2014, we played our last show. We were all burned out and road weary. I was discouraged and ready to throw in the towel as an artist. I continued to teach music and produce music out of my studio. For the next year or so, the only time I picked up my guitar or sat at a piano was to teach. My creative mojo and desire was dead. I went through quite a bit of hardships within my family and in a relationship with a significant other. These life events ignited a creative flame, and I began writing songs again. A complete musical reinvention took place, and I immediately started seeking out other like-minded musicians to collaborate with. In 2016, my teaching and studio business took such a financial hit that I had to work a second job for a company that helped move elderly people from their homes to assisted living. It was rewarding to give back to the community, but it was also very humbling, and put life into perspective. Fast forward to today (2023), my artistic life has been reinvigorated and all 3 of my musical businesses are thriving. I am now 46 years old and loving my life as an artist. Being an artists is up and down, but so are all businesses. The thought of doing anything else other than music feels miserable. I’ll take the struggle over another career, any day!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I have 2 aspects I find most rewarding. 1 – songwriting. There is just something magical about sitting down with an instrument and a piece of paper, diving in deep, and hours (or days) later coming up with something special. 2. Having a fan have one of your songs resonate with them in a positive way that maybe gets them through something difficult or gives them the will to change or keep going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theunevenband.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theuneven.band/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theunevenofficial
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theuneven7403
- Other: https://theuneven.bandcamp.com/ https://theunevenstore.com/ https://www.thecavestudios.net/ https://musiclessonswilltravel.com/
Image Credits
Photography by Stephanie McKendrick and Stephanie Hooker