We recently connected with Don Soledad and have shared our conversation below.

Don, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I was exposed to many arts, cultures, beautiful scenery, and positive energy all around me. I was lucky enough to grow up in such a diverse part of the country. I think this gave me the ability to think outside the box about doing something I really enjoyed and that I had true passion for. I also grew up in a musical family, with almost everyone from my grandparents, mother, father, uncles, and siblings playing instruments, be it piano, guitar, or just singing at family gatherings. Music has always been a big part of my life. The earliest memories I have had guitars imbedded in them, but the first time I actually knew when I wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally was when I was in college and dove into flamenco guitar. I immersed myself in the music and art form, and after seeing Paco de Lucia on stage in Berkeley, CA, and speaking to experienced and older musician peers, I conjured up enough belief in myself that I too can also travel on this path.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started my professional musical career in the SF Bay Area, working in small cafes in downtown San Francisco and neighboring cities. I eventually got hired by a more experienced flamenco guitarist by the name of Daniel Maya. He took me under his wing and exposed me to the ins and outs of the gigging/working musician world with stints at private parties at Robert and Margrit Mondavi’s residence and other Napa Valley wineries. This enabled me to understand the intricacies of working for yourself as an independent musician. I eventually started my own trio band with another guitarist friend and percussionist, which opened the idea of forming an even bigger band upon my move to Orlando, FL.

Upon my arrival in the Central Florida area, I started to learn Pro Tools (recording software) to record my own music in my bedroom. I produced my first album, ‘Camino de Seda’—a collection of musical ideas from my trip to Spain the year before. I did this while working full-time at a bank’s loan department. This was a very difficult time, but it gave me the discipline and even more desire to complete while seeing in the horizon the possibilities of living the dream solely on music.

Prior to moving, I knew that the biggest interests in my style of music would be coastal hotels and resorts that had weekly events and hired musicians for private events/weddings. The timing of my move across the country and releasing this album helped me greatly as 4 major hurricanes hit Florida before my arrival. Hotels and resorts that were damaged in the storms were being renovated, so having completed my 1st album and having a band meant it was perfect timing to shop around, create relationships with management, and begin establishing my brand.

My style of music is very specific, and from my experience moving from a big city to a small one, it assured me that most likely, I wouldn’t have much competition in the field. During those times, social media was just starting out, so everything was legwork, and developing good business practice through trial and error was crucial. Thankfully, it was natural for me to take my artistic hat off and put my business hat on, which led me to succeed in most of my ventures. If I were to say what sets me apart from my peers in those early days, it would be that I was the hardest working, most focused, and complete. Like the quote attributed to Roman philosopher Seneca says, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” I then started gaining more interests as my newly released album got around and also got the attention from talent agencies all around Florida, beginning the fruitful relationships that are still going on to this day. Having an original album, a nicely designed website, and a great band set me apart from the rest.

Understanding how professionalism played a huge part in business/client relationships as well as with the musicians that I hired gave me an effective formula that ultimately proved positive time and time again. Having understood this knowledge was a game changer.

What I’m most proud of is having the courage to follow my dreams. It’s so cliché, I know, but the idea of believing in yourself and creating positive energy can really work wonders in one’s life. It really begins in having a passion for something, nurturing it and allowing it to bloom.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect to me at this point in my career as an artist and creative, apart from the typical—living my own life and setting my own schedule—is waking up in the morning, having a great cup of strong black coffee, opening my laptop, and seeing the emails from clients. Establishing one’s brand after many years and living off the fruits of my labor seems to add additional freedom to being a creative and artist. Another rewarding aspect is having the simplicity of living daily life with a musical instrument and feeling content finding happiness in what it does—make music. But at the same time, knowing that there is so much more to discover with it in my hands.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social media is basically FREE advertising! The best thing ever invented for creatives that know how to use its full potential. I’m not a very savvy social media person and actually don’t have a ton of followers compared to other musicians, but posting upcoming shows and keeping an honest and positive presence was key for me. I would also recommend not just being socially active on social media but also having a greatly designed personal webpage. I see too many artists that have a lot of followers on social media but do not have a professional website. Having a nicely designed, informative website allows you to approach higher-end clients and puts you above the rest of the field.

At the end of the day, you need to DELIVER. You really need to work on your craft, as social media followers won’t save you when you walk on that live stage and your talent is under that microscopic lens. Practice, practice, practice and put in the hours of work but always practice smart and analyze vs. what I call blind practicing for hours on end. The thing with being a creative, especially in the field of the performing arts, is it’s a lifelong endeavor. Never stop learning and in my case, the more I learn, the more I feel like I don’t know enough or I’m just scratching the surface. This idea that as you gain knowledge, you also become aware of the vast amount of information still unknown, leading to a sense of intellectual humility. I think this is where, ideally and ultimately, the space you need to be as an artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.donsoledad.com
• Instagram: donsoledadmusic
• Facebook: Don Soledad Music

Image Credits

Rosena Usmani and Andy Painter.