Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to August Blue. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi August , thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I think I knew from when I first started playing guitar in 7th grade. I felt an attachment to my guitar and it always felt like more than a “hobby.”
I distinctly remember going to my first open mic night at the Highway 61 Roadhouse in Webster Groves, MO. I must have been 13 or 14 years old. In high school, I started going to Broadway Oyster Bar, BB’s Jazz Blues & Soups or wherever else I could learn from musicians in the scene here in St. Louis or play gigs.
I also have to give credit to my dad for turning me on to a lot of great music. I’ll never forget hearing Neil Young for the first time or listening to the different sections of a Ben Folds Five song. There’s this Neil album ‘Live at Massey Hall’ from 1971 I remember I had an emotional breakdown over the song ‘Helpless.’ I was driving through Oklahoma on a road trip and had to pull my car over on the side of the highway. I’ve found that other endeavors pale in comparison to the thrill of making music or writing songs.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name’s Jake by the way. You can definitely put that in the interview. I’m a songwriter, guitarist and teacher by day.
I released an EP under my real name in my early 20’s. I learned a lot through that process and I’m grateful to have worked with Andy Stephen as well as some producers in Los Angeles. I found it limiting to release music under my real name; like a lack of freedom or that I had to be too literal. After living in Los Angeles for two years, I moved back shortly before the pandemic.
August Blue initially started as a character or alter ego and it’s morphed into a band. I’m proud of recording our new 7-song project called ‘It’s Hard to Be Honest.’ We have several singles released and the full album will be out in a few months. The core of our group is myself and Nick Monte on trumpet. We worked with an array of musicians, producers and it has a few features on it. You can follow us on Instagram at @augustbluemusic or view our catalog on the website at augustbluemusic.com
Also, along this journey, many people will tell you to go the safe route of a regular job or seemingly interrogate you asking “how do you make a living as a musician.” It’s not an easy route but I feel fortunate to have examples set by music teachers, friends and collaborators who do this full-time. I’ll be moving to Nashville in the late summer and it feels like a new beginning with a lot of opportunity on the horizon.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I’ve worked hard recently to examine my ego and shortcomings as a person. I’m still learning this but I’d say it’s also important for me to let go of expectation. I can set goals but I’ve had to unlearn trying to control outcomes or results. This is relevant as far as turnout to one of our shows or streaming numbers but also in my personal life.
I’m as caught up in the matrix of social media or this metric-driven numbers game of Instagram or Spotify as the next person. But I feel that what truly matters is that I make original art that’s authentic, that I’m proud of and that it connects with people. There’s strategies I can use to get there and be more consistent with my releases but the response to it is largely out of my hands.
I don’t practice these as well as I’d like but patience and acceptance are two standards I strive for in my life. It’s been a lot of trial and error along the way.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Definitely. Eckhart Tolle’s ‘The Power of Now’ is on that list as well as Jeff Warren’s meditation series.
It’s a pretty varied for media as I also love film, podcasts and comedy. Laughter is such an underrated part of life. There’s this comedian-turned-rapper Zack Fox who I think is brilliant and gives social commentary in the most entertaining way.
‘Good Will Hunting’ is my favorite movie and it’s striking to me how someone could be a genius yet so full of fear that they’d pass on high level jobs to be a janitor. I love the line “I gotta go see about a girl.” Gus Van Sant wrote a lot of great screenplays.
I’ll end with this: my grandma insisted on buying me a lottery ticket a few weeks ago. I wasn’t interested in getting one and told her this but it dawned on me that if I somehow won I don’t think I’d make any drastic life changes. I want my artistry to be recognized through merit. I’d still be working each day at self-improvement and practicing my craft. I feel grateful to live a life that’s full and pursue my passions because it didn’t always feel that way. For a while, I lost sight of any joy in life and nearly gave up. I feel like I’m just getting started. Thank you for having me on for this interview.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://augustbluemusic.com
- Instagram: @augustbluemusic
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/jakeweismanmusic
- Twitter: jakeweisman_
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@augustbluemusic
Image Credits
-Pitch Meeting Nashville -Harry Boston -Cory Miller