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

Andrew, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I started playing music and singing at a very young age, and then learned guitar at about 15… It helped that my parents are both musicians, and as a child, along with my sisters and parents we traveled around the country in a van singing at churches along the way. I had one solo… Wasn’t sure if I liked it that much as a kid, but I love it now! As soon as I started writing songs, I wanted to record them and perform them for other people. The best way to speed up the process of learning is by doing, and that doesn’t mean it always worked or was really good but I feel like incrementally. I got better at writing music and singing and recording… I’m not sure if you ever get great or perfect at it, but that’s what’s so fun about music and playing it. You never get it perfect so there’s a challenge and a mystery. Always unfolding the learning process is always a progression of stages. Sometimes I feel like I’ll hit a plateau. Wow I feel so confident in the next thing I know I am hitting another wall or plateau, realizing there’s so many more mountains on the other side of this little hill , some of the most essential skills in music is the skill of spending time with other people and figuring out how to enjoy their quirks and then another essential in growing in your craft is just time, time alone to listen to the silence, listen to the chords and notes of your instruments, pray, and listen for that still small voice.
Obstacles that get in the way our busyness and negativity sometimes procrastination is the roadblock… It’s often easier to spend time with a friends or work on something tech related then really work on finishing that song. Being an extrovert can be great when you connecting with a friend or a client or family member, but can also be terrible when you need to hunker down and finish a project… So finding the disciplined hours of the day to work has been really helpful for me to create and finish and ideas. I really believe that through the work we can change the world or Brighten, one person’s day, and Maybe even save a life not to say that Art is the Be all end all but it’s a pretty big deal. Music is truly a God-given language that speaks to the heart unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

Andrew, 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?

My name is Andrew Platter. I have a band with my little sister Abigail called Andrew and Abigail and I’ve been working in the music and recording industry for several years. I’ve worked with different recording artists and musicians across the land and I’m always looking for new ideas. I’m currently recording a record with Abigail that will hopefully be out in the summer of 24. Exact date TBD. Creative work often takes more time than I expect, I think I’m sometimes so optimistic, then I get my hands in the soil and realize that some of these projects are gonna take a long time to grow into something beautiful… But the best things are worth the time it takes. I feel like we’re making the best music we’ve ever made right now! I can’t wait for people to hear it!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I really believe that everyone is creative, some people are creative with a spreadsheet, and some are creative with a song or paint and a canvas. But what I see and am learning maybe now more than ever is how important it is to do what you love. We don’t know how long we get to live on this earth. You should love what you do because it translates into great work, great art, great ideas, great beauty… You get the idea. Along with that life is too short to not do what you love, it’s also too short to worry and be fearful About your art and your ideas. So whatever you do do it with all your heart and all your strength. You never know what person‘s world you might change with your unique creativity.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Besides from buying art and music and encouraging your fellow, friends, and family members In the arts; be patient with each other. nothing great comes very quickly. I feel like I’m building something that will hopefully go beyond me. I think about buildings in Europe that are 150 years plus in the making, before they are lived in or used, the first builder starts, and then it’s handed down to their son or daughter, and they hand it to the next sons and daughters and, the builders and artisans and creators and makers and all the above work for a long time to make some thing that they may not even get to see the finished product or outcome of. Hopefully my next record doesn’t take 150 years… Ha ha ha. But you know what I mean.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Andrewandabigail, @andrewplatter
• Twitter: @andrewplatter