We recently connected with Eric Hunker and have shared our conversation below.

Eric, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I always had dreams of pursuing music when I was younger. Specifically, I dreamed of being a drummer. As soon as I could ask for lessons, I did. I joined the drumline and band in high school while I was playing drums for a friend’s band. All the while, I didn’t really imagine going into music professionally at that point. I went to the University of Pittsburgh and majored – of all things – in Finance. Yes. I was a drummer and – at that point – a guitarist and songwriter, but was taking classes in Corporate Finance and Managerial Accounting. Thrilling, I know. The shift came at the end of my college years. I was offered a really cool job in the Finance department of the International Fund for Agricultural Development in Rome, Italy. It was the most heart-centered Finance job I could have ever asked for. I was torn between taking that job and delaying for the sake of chasing a shot in music. At the end of the day, it came down to one question: If I got used to real money, would I ever be able to go back to the sleeping-on-couches lifestyle of a traveling musician? The answer was no. I knew I had to give music a real chance first. Luckily for me, I never had to go back to Finance.

Eric, 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?

We’re so used to describing ourselves by our jobs or what we “do.” It’s as native to us as sharing our name and where we’re from. For me, it’s always been a bit messy to describe what I do because – like many musicians – it’s always been a mosaic of jobs and gigs that make up the whole. The one constant, though, has been that I’ve always described myself as a songwriter. It feels as true as my name. If everything was taken from me and I still got to wake up and write songs every day, I’d be alright. Songwriting is how I process emotions. It’s how I think through problems. It’s how I comment on the state of the world and the human condition. I think, at my core, that’s been the most consistent piece of my identity in the professional world.

I started writing songs when I was eight or nine years old. Me and my best friend decided to form a band, write five songs, record them onto a blank CD, and design an album cover over the course of one long afternoon. It was absurd, hilarious, and totally thrilling. The album featured songs like “High Voltage” and “Little JJ’s Rap.” It was at LEAST as embarrassing as you imagine it was. It gave me a taste of the creative process and I was hooked for life. My room became filled with songwriting journals and legal pads. I wrote through my teenage years; first quietly and then eventually sharing a few songs in high school. In college, I got serious about developing the craft and recorded my first album shortly after graduating. I’ve released four albums in the last 10 years. Two solo albums and two as half of the duo Eric & Happie. I feel incredibly lucky to have built a career in music and community building that affords me the opportunity to play music every day of my life. I know how rare that is. Even though I just released my latest album – Beautiful Endings – in October, I’m always looking ahead to the next project. Another opportunity to live the adventure of writing and recording new songs. What could be better?

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

We live in a time where – ostensibly – supporting music is easier than ever. We have streaming platforms at our fingertips. We have endless social platforms to follow our favorite creatives on. We can feel intimately connected to artists through blogs and vlogs alike. Why, then, does it feel so lonely as an artist sometimes? With the democratization of the music industry, anyone can record and release music from their bedroom. Every single day there are thousands of songs released into the world. On the one hand, that is an incredibly freeing thought. Anyone can do it! We’re no longer beholden to massive gatekeeping record companies. On the other hand, it can feel like pouring a cup of water into the ocean. It’s impossible not to feel small in the face of such a wide expanse of new and old art. How, then, can we better support artists? Well, sometimes the answer to hard questions is glaringly simple. I really believe the best way to support a creative you love is to show up for them offline.

The more that our careers exist online, the less we get to see and feel the feedback of supporters. We’ve become so accustomed to measuring ourselves through our online metrics. How many streams did my song get last week? How many followers do I have? Of course, that can be a helpful way of measuring the reach of your art, but positive feedback online is a fleeting source of motivation. It’s hard to hold on to the dopamine boost you get from seeing good streaming numbers. We get too used to data too fast for it to matter in the long run. A sold-out show, though, will keep you motivated for weeks. There is no replacement for seeing people show up for you and your art in real life. If you want to support your favorite creatives, show up to their shows. Buy their art. Meet them. Tell them what their art means to you. Our lives are digital, and that is a blessing in so many ways. But there’s no substitute for human connecting. Show up.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

There are so many books that have shaped the ways I carry myself in my career. Some of my favorites are: – Atomic Habits – James Clear
– Tribe of Mentors/Tools of Titans – Tim Ferriss
– When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing – Daniel H. Pink
– How to Tell a Story – The Moth, Meg Bowles, Catherine Burns
– The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron
– Writing Better Lyrics – Pat Pattison
– Songwriting Without Boundaries – Pat Pattison

I think songwriting and creating art (like so much of life) is also just deepened the more you read. Read anything. Fiction, history, fantasy, sci-fi. Read it all. Words matter. Ideas matter. Consume as many as you can.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.erichunker.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/erichunkermusic
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/erichunkermusic
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/erichunker
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/erichunkermusic
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@erichunkermusic

Image Credits
Nolan Blair, Jeanne Grabowski, Alex Bolotovsky