We were lucky to catch up with Darryl Markette recently and have shared our conversation below.
Darryl, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I fell into songwriting by accident in 2007 when a childhood friend gave me his old guitar saying “Darryl you can really sing. Just teach yourself guitar & you never know what might happen.”
If I could do it all over, I would take guitar lessons versus just trying to figure it out. I have wasted thousands of hours learning the instrument the wrong way. For example, I just recently had to unlearn and relearn the proper way to finger pick using the Travis Picking method coined by guitar legend Merle Travis.
Darryl, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I fell into music by accident but now 15 years later I am a BMI Nashville registered singer-songwriter and created my own publishing company and most recently a Breedlove Guitar Sponsored Artist.
I have been rocking the Chicago live music scene for more than a decade with an extensive original catalog while covering everything from classic rock and blues to outlaw country.
I have performed multiple times on live television to audiences of upwards of 15 million people on WGN-TV & WPWR-TV-50 The Mancow Show Chicago. I have headlined some of Chicago’s premier live music venues such as The House Of Blues & Joe’s Weed St. Darryl also performs professional singer-songwriter rounds in Nashville TN & most recently an all-original set at the infamous Whisky A GoGo in West Hollywood CA.
I have had 4 singles “Rain On Thee, Never Break Heart, Dog Gone Alone & Country Song” are all in rotation on BIG 95.5 FM Chicago’s Country. Darryl Markette Music is available for download via iTunes, Spotify, Pandora or anywhere in the universe music is streamed or sold.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
When I first started recording my songs and making “demo’s” I used to record them in my makeshift home studio all hours of the night, then burn CD’s from my laptop and hand them out at gigs. As things progressed I took my songs to Nashville and recorded my album that I would sell at shows. I must have sold and or giving out 10,000 copies of my album all over the country 1 by 1 over the last 15 years. Now that nobody has CD players anymore, I have my music on iTunes and Spotify.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I have been blessed to have played amazing stages and been on TV but my goal was always to get my music on FM radio. I can say I have done that too. There is nothing more exhilarating than having the DJ announce you and your song on FM radio. The mission must evolve as the artist evolves. The mission now is to get my music and my songs mainstream.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://dmarkette.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darrylmarkettemusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarrylMarketteMusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/darrylmarkettemusic
Image Credits
Steve Neilson Eminjayin Productions