We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Clayton Waller. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Clayton below.
Hi Clayton, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
I took piano lessons from an early age (age 5) and then moved onto ‘rock’ instruments in high school – bass, drums, guitar. I taught myself how to record (first with garage band then with pro tools) via the internet/YouTube videos. I’ve worn many hats over the years out of necessity – booking agent, graphic designer (to make merch & flyers), tour manager, manager, songwriter, producer, engineer, mixer, and the list goes on.
Clayton, 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?
I was a business major in college. I self-recorded an EP for my college band Wolf Cove during my junior year and fell in love with that process. I went on to attend Belmont University for grad school to study music business but eventually chose to pursue my dream of being a music artist rather than work as a music industry professional. At the heart of my music, I want to help people. I care a lot about the quality of my art because I think it’s important to do good work. I want for people to be able to connect with the message of my music.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
My current music project has been going on about a decade (I recorded the first album in 2013). The live band members have changed over the years, but I’ve managed to release 4 full-length albums, 2 EPs, and a number of singles – most of which are self=produced and self-released. There have been many reasons to give up (circumstantially and financially) but I believe in it enough to keep going.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
The best way to support independent artists is to buy concert tickets and merch. It’s a battle to just break even on tour, and a little goes a long way to fill up the gas tank. Venues don’t often provide artists with lodging, so offering to put up artists for the night is a huge act of kindness. In my experience, the hospitality that strangers have shown me on the road has been one of my favorite parts of being a touring artist.
Contact Info:
- Website: rockeupora.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockeupora/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rockeupora
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rockeupora
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RockEupora
- Other: claytonwaller.com
Image Credits
1-3: Whitten Sabbatini 4-6: Sam Street 7: Music Neighbors 8: Patrick Crummie