We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Deacon Earl Darnell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Deacon Earl, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Early on, I learned a lot by hanging out with older musicians who have been in the game a long time, many longer than I have been alive, and just listening, soaking up the advice they gave and knowledge they shared. Eventually, with their advice and the experience I picked up along the way, I learned a lot of what NOT to do to end up in certain situations that I saw many of my peers in. Knowing what I know now, I would have studied music more formally and at the scholastic level. I never attempted to learn music theory or to read sheet music because I just assumed it would be to confusing.

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.

I was born and raised in Lansing, MI where I currently reside. I am mostly known as a country blues singer but sing many other genres as well. A multi-instrumentalist, my main rhythm tool is guitar, as well as banjo and ukulele and sometimes harmonica. I perform mainly as a solo artist, also performing in a blues duet with Kidd Cincinnati on harmonica. Currently, I am the bassist for V-Soul and the Utilize Reggae Band, based out of Kalamazoo, MI. In October of 2013, I co-founded Icy Waters Blues, LLC with my wife, who is the owner/sole proprietor of Clay Orphan Jewelry. I am primarily a performer, but due to my education and background in graphic arts, I have been able to incorporate those skills into the company. I don’t have to pay anyone to do my posters and flyers because I can do them myself. The same goes for my website, although that took some time to learn as it’s a completely different animal. I often tell younger musicians, “it’s cheaper to do things your self, it just costs more time. The more you do it, the less time it will cost. Then somebody may pay you.” At Icy Waters Blues, LLC, we provide live, country blues music, reggae, folk/Americana, R & B and vintage country/honky-tonk music. In addition to live performance, we sell Icy Waters Blues merchandise, most of which is made my wife, including custom T-shirts, coffee mugs, travel cups, coasters, tote bags and more. You can find these items at the merch table at many of the performances, as well as my wife’s jewelry line. I wouldn’t say anything sets me apart from the others because, though we’re all different, we all have similarities. I would say one thing that sets me apart from most is that I do not follow trends. No “monkey see, monkey do” over here. If everybody else in my scene wants to play “Wagon Wheel” go ‘head. Not me. “This guy and that girl are using looper machines now, you should try it too.” No, thanks. What I’m most proud of is expanding my music business into a family business. My wife quit her medical job during the early pandemic days to work the merch table at shows and ended up making more than she was at the hospital. She bought a die-cut machine and started doing the custom order shirts and our “Ladies Line”, Then she added tote bags, mugs, coasters and even more products. We eventually started doing vendor events. I had to give her my office and move my desk to the living room. Shortly after, she started her jewelry business. Our son has spent the firs four years of his life at music performances and has spent time at the merch table. He will eventually learn to run the register himself and will hopefully be able to train his little brother in the future. They can either come up in the company as it expands, or use what they learned to branch out on their own.

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?

I think many “non-creatives” struggle to understand the work that is done behind the scenes. They see you on stage, T.V., newspapers, etc., but they don’t see you in the office. They see the picture, but not the work done in the dark room to develop the picture. I’ve had so many people ask “you get paid how much? Just for playing music?” This is work. There is no playing involved. You get out of it what you put into it. If you believe you can finish the journey you are correct. If you believe you cannot finish the journey, you are correct.

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

I think the most rewarding part about being an artist is knowing that the work you have put in has paid off. Not hoping it pays off in the future, but actually seeing it. When you can look back and see the growth over the years. Where you have left a mark, who you’ve impacted and what you’ve accomplished. “I’ve come this far, I wonder how much further I can go.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://deaconearlblues.wixsite.com/icywatersbluesllc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IWBLLC
• Email: deaconearlblues@hotmail.com icywatersblues@gmail.com

Image Credits
A.J. Glaub Michael Paine Grey Pierce Ksenia Boyd