We were lucky to catch up with Cook McKoy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Cook thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

I remember well, the first dollar I earned. It was my first ever solo gig as a music performer. I had been toying with the idea of performing solo gigs, but lacked the right amount of confidence to reach out and get the ball rolling. I happened to be scrolling on Facebook back in 2016, and saw a local bar/restaurant post that they had to cancel their live music for the evening. On a whim, I called over, introduced myself and offered to play for free. It was a great learning experience for me, and a lesson in overcoming nervousness and strengthening self confidence. The tip jar that I had put out had exactly $38 at the end of the night. And that’s my story of the first dollar I ever made performing.

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 name is Cook McKoy, and I am the lead singer and guitar player in the band Dinnerbell Road. I also perform solo acoustic shows in and around the Pittsburgh PA area. I’ve always been fascinated with playing guitar and singing from a young age. But I never took it serious enough early on due to other commitments, family and work. Finally, somewhere around 2014, I decided I was going to start taking music seriously and the rest is history. I now perform 60-80 times a year and have written hundreds of songs.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a music artist to is to see and hear of people connecting with your music. To be performing a song and see people singing it along with you. I can’t describe the feeling, but it’s one of the most amazing things to experience.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

In my journey, one of the biggest struggles has been to just remember to be myself. You can get tied up in thoughts where you tell yourself to focus on what’s popular, or what you think others want to hear from you. But what they really want is something unique, which is being yourself. People will connect with you, and what you’re doing if you’re genuine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dinnerbellroadband.com
• Instagram: @dinnerbellroad
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/dinnerbellroad
• Twitter: @dinnerbellroad
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@dinnerbellroad
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dinnerbellroad
• Other: TikTok – @dinnerbell_road

Image Credits

Jordan Schofield