Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chad Judd. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Chad, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

This is a tough one because the answer is yes and no. With me and many of the people I speak with regularly, this is an often reoccurring thought. In the creative field, there tends to be a lack of stability when it comes to earning an income. This is especially the case when we are early in our careers. This instability quickly leads to self-doubt and ultimately questioning whether you’re on the right path or not.

An instance where I felt this very heavily was around Summer 2021. I was very busy at the time. I was often doing 5 to 6 sessions per week, as well as playing out on the weekends. It felt great, and the money was awesome! When fall came around, it was like I hit a wall. The work slowed down. I went from working almost every day of the week to working maybe 1 or 2 days a week. This led me to picking up a part-time job so that I could could bring in some extra income. It was definitely one of those moments that caused me to second-guess my path, but I can ultimately say that sticking to it has been the best thing I’ve done up to this point. I’ve had the chance to make some amazing music with some amazing people, and I wouldn’t change that for anything.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My getting into this industry is ultimately traced back to my family. They’re all great musicians, and our house was constantly being filled with amazing music. It was the creative push from my family and my own desire to keep growing that led me into the music industry. When I first moved to Nashville, I began touring as a guitarist for many different artists in the area. Often times I would be singing background vocals as well. As time has gone on, I’ve become more and more fascinated with producing and recording music. I just love the idea that it’s forever. Don’t get me wrong. I have always loved performing on stage to an audience, but there’s just something about recording music. This also means I spend a lot of time editing recording sessions, and tuning vocals. My most recent endeavor is teaching. In late 2020 I began teaching private guitar and voice lessons again. This is something that I had done before moving to Nashville, but it fell by the wayside when touring took over. I’ve found a new passion for teaching that I didn’t know I had. I love seeing students grow and hit those goals that they’ve been working so hard at. With my eclectic musical background, I always try to approach every musical situation without any sort of bias. I love to help people see their music reach its potential, and that usually means there’s no idea too crazy or outlandish. I’m open to try pretty much whatever.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

When I first got into Nashville, I always heard people say that every person you meet is a potential connection. This became the lens through which I looked at every single person I was coming into contact with. Because of this preconceived notion, I found myself acting differently/overall just not acting like myself in social situations. I would have a mental ranking of importance for every single person that I was meeting. The idea of having friends/acquaintances was out the window. I only wanted to be with the people that were going to get me somewhere. In the last couple years I’ve had to unlearn all of this. The idea of dehumanizing someone because they may or may not be a potential connection is insane. People are people. Be a cool person. Be good at what you do. The rest will take care of itself.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding thing to me is seeing progress that’s been made over the years of hard work. Even in a years time I can look back at the work I was doing, and see how much I’ve grown since then. Although the learning process can be discouraging, it’s extremely encouraging to see all that’s been accomplished because of those early times.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chadjuddmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chadjuddmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpQfS_IP4-sKYqM8N48gSOw
• Other: Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@chadjuddmusic?lang=en