We were lucky to catch up with Clifton Castelloe recently and have shared our conversation below.
Clifton, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
I moved back to Charlotte with Michelle in 2003. I was teaching guitar lessons privately and hosting clinics on guitar for anyone that wanted to learn. I also put together a band playing original music at clubs and parties.
When my wife became pregnant with our first daughter, I realized that my personal goals were to try and balance being present for my family while also making music. Leading a band can be a difficult and emotionally draining process as everyone has individual tastes, commitment levels, and goals. At a certain point, I made a decision to simplify and dissolved the band in favor of performing in a duo with our other guitar player, Burke Long.
While sitting around a dinner table with Michelle who was 7 months pregnant, we came up with the name for our duo: Melonbelly.
Our first gig was at a restaurant on Valentine’s Day, 2004. we play a variety of music including bluegrass, early country, classic rock, Motown, beach, blues and reggae. Shows feature intricate guitar playing on our two acoustic guitars, vocal harmony, harmonica and percussion.
Since 2004, we have averaged 40-60 gigs per year playing corporate events, weddings, private parties… you name it! We estimate we have played over 800 weddings.
We approach our work with professionalism. Always prompt, always prepared, and responsive to questions or communication around bookings which we handle on our own. We have worked with booking agents but have found that we like working for ourselves. Booking agents don’t place the same value on our service and experience that we do. This has us swimming upstream to a certain degree but we do very well. Clients always give us positive reviews.
It took a bit of time to put our packages together in the first year or two, but now we have event planners at some very exclusive venues calling us because they have gotten to know us and appreciate the special nature of our live music at their events. We have an authentic, southern feel, and this is an ideal fit for venues along the coast, or in the mountains where out of town guests can be made to feel at home.
Twenty years later, Burke and I are still playing and really enjoy the music we are making. It has also provided a circumstance where we can be home with our children. Burke is a father of twin boys who he raised on his own. They are grown now, but Melonbelly was a big help in providing the flexibility he needed. It has done the same for me and has allowed me to be a working stay at home dad at a time when my wife’s career had her traveling to Anthropologie stores across the Southeast.
I am grateful for all these years with Melonbelly. Look us up!
Clifton, 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 am a professional musician (guitarist/singer/songwriter), husband to my wife Michelle, and father of four girls. In addition to my family and creative work, I am Executive Director of a non-profit called All-In to Fight Cancer that raises money to support local cancer survivors and their families through Texas Hold’em Poker events. My wife and I are both entrepreneurial and hustle a lot balancing work and kids. It is definitely a common struggle in this day and age trying to keep chaos organized and it’s easy to feel like you are failing. So believe me, if you feel that way, you are not alone!
My professional music life consists of songwriting and recording with others, or playing live music gigs with my acoustic guitar duo called Melonbelly, in my quartet called Air Tropicali, or as a solo guitarist / singer. I have worked to keep music and creativity close to the center of my life for many years and as any artist will tell you, it is a challenge to make a living at it. Luckily, I have been able to do that by booking special events (weddings, corporate parties, and private events).
Music has taught me quite a bit. Some of the things I have learned are:
1. It is therapeutic to play an instrument. It is like a puzzle you never solve, and there is always more to discover.
2. Comparison is the thief of joy so just enjoy where you are at with it without comparing yourself to others. It doesn’t take much to get to the point where you can perform a song or two!
3. I know now that part of my journey is tied to having a voice and getting to a place of comfort with self expression. I have been at it for many years and now people are often amazed at how comfortable I seem performing. It wasn’t always that way, so just sticking with it and being prepared pays off eventually!
My wife is an important part of my story. We’ve been together for 25 years and have grown so much in our professional lives together. I saw her go from an Assistant Store Manager to become a top executive at Urban, Inc, and eventually break away to open her own store. She now has 4 locations that were basically built from the ground up… family owned and operated… sometimes with maxed out credit cards!
The store is in our neighborhood of Plaza Midwood in Charlotte. When we opened, I began volunteering for our Merchants Association and eventually served as President for about 6 years. As a non-profit, my work for the local merchants grew directly from my wife’s store which is very centered on community. So, through my wife’s courage to materialize her dream, I discovered I have a passion for connection and building authentic relationships… which correlates back to music and performing and the desire to feel connected and to see others relate positively with one another.
Beginning in 2012, and every year since, I have played music for an annual event called All-In to Fight Cancer which was a large Texas Hold’em Poker fundraiser at the Fillmore in Charlotte. The event benefits cancer survivors and their families. In 2022, I was hired as Executive Director. From 2011-2023 the non-profit has raised over 2.5M. I really enjoy my part in expanding the non-profit with guidance from our Board of Directors. I am learning a lot and the new relationships I have found within the Cancer community are truly inspiring.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I think creatives are probably always confronted with challenges that require them to be resilient. Over the years, and especially in my twenties, I was hesitant to call myself a musician or admit to wanting to be an artist at all. It was a bit outside of the norm in my family and I thought maybe I should be doing something else that would fulfill someone else’s wish for my life. But, fortunately, I just kept making music and collaborating with others which helped me discover my own path to defining success for myself. I also gained the advice of a fantastic therapist who provided some healthier ways of thinking… like, how does it feel to be making music? It feels good! I want to keep doing it! What about law school? Hmm. You know, that doesn’t really interest me and that is OK!
Side note: I am a big believer in the wisdom that can be gained from cognitive behavioral therapy. Human behavior is fascinating and as creatives, we need to be kind to ourselves in our love affair with creative pursuits. Like others, I can get paralyzed by perfectionism. Eventually you have to call a piece done and move on!
As a word of encouragement, I found that doing what you love can lead to some degree of financial success. I have also found that balancing a creative life with friendships and family, or a romantic relationship can be fun. When others see me finding the freedom to express myself creatively, I hope it gives them permission to do the same.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I believe this creative life and journey started with a desire to discover my voice (what I would like to say and how I would say it). Over time, my mission has been to develop the courage to actually use it. Along with being a singer and songwriter, I was also a voiceover artist early in my career working for a group of radio stations in Santa Barbara, CA. I still get pleasure from using my voice in that way.
I grew up in an environment where often things went unsaid. As a child, this left me curious and a bit fearful. Why all the secrets? What is wrong with this or that? In retrospect, I think my parents were part of a generation that didn’t talk about things or express emotions as openly as we do now. I couldn’t understand at the time, but I think this became a catalyst for me to want to become an artist.
I had a voice that I needed to use to try and understand the truth and then express it unapologetically. That feels like a courageous undertaking and a worthy cause… so, why not?! And that put me on an interesting and unexpected path that has yielded an abundance of joy, friendships and also humility.
In 1994, I moved to Santa Barbara, CA to experience the west coast and to be closer to my oldest brother, Bruce who lives near Los Angeles. During my nine years in California, I took classes in voice, guitar and songwriting at The Santa Barbara City College and at UCLA. I took guitar lessons and then taught guitar lessons. I played in three different bands including one alongside Christian Love who is Mike Love’s son from The Beach Boys. Christian is still making music too which I enjoy following.
The greatest thing that happened to me was meeting my wife Michelle, dating and living together in Santa Barbara. Even today, we look on that time with fondness, nearly thirty years later. My big takeaway from that time (besides Michelle!) is that taking a step in the direction of your passion can carry you closer to joy and reveal your purpose. I now know that my purpose was to be a creative and to except that about myself. Leaning into it has given me the things I love most in life which is my wife and my four beautiful, talented, and smart daughters. In addition, creativity has led me to a place where I am still making music, earning money, and also using my voice to advocate for organizations supporting cancer survivors. Believe me, I would never have guessed I would end up here, but taking many small steps in support of some creative vision, can be transformational. Also, treating yourself with kindness, patience, and speaking small goals out loud, can be like casting a spell or making a wish that the universe will answer. Do it and then be on the lookout for signs… These may be a new person coming into your life, news of an event, class or meeting, or someone looking to share, sell or lease a work space.
Contact Info:
- Website: cliftoncastelloe.com
- Instagram: cliftoncastelloe
- Facebook: melonbellymusic
- Linkedin: cliftoncastelloe
- Youtube: melonbellymusic
- Other: allintofightcancer.org melonbellymusic.com airtropicali.com moxiemercantile.com
Image Credits
Clifton performing at All-In to Fight Cancer Texas Hold’em Fundraiser, The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC