We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Fred Bogert a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Fred, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
I committed my life to being a professional musician in 1970. It took @4 years to get started, and during that time I struggled hard, worked hard and made almost no money. My persistance and passion finally started to pay off when I went on the road playing keys with the Johhny Rico show in 1974. I stayed on the road for the next three years. After that I kept performing for a living and gradually developed my interest as a composer, and eventually as a producer.
Dedication and talent have carried me along throught the lean times, and I’ve always been open to helping folks create good music of any style, any time, anywhere. The common thread through any musical environment I’ve been a part of is listening.
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.
Here’s a recent bio:
Fred Bogert’s commitment to a life as a music professional began in 1972 after he received music education at the University of Miami School of music. By that time Fred was already successful as a 12-string acoustic guitar performer and singer-songwriter throughout New England in the late 1960’s. During that time Fred also played bass as a part of the Asbury Park rock scene, performing with his own trio and guesting with artists including Bruce Springsteen.
Fred began his studio career in 1972, playing piano and organ at TK Productions in Hialeah, Florida on recordings by Betty Wright, Clarence Thomas, Little Beaver, and many other R&B greats of the time. Fred went on to play piano with Gary Stewart in Ft. Pierce, Florida, which led to his first trip to Nashville in 1974. Fred then organized a road band and toured the United States as leader of “Harvest”, which lasted until 1977.
In the 1980’s Fred was asked to build a modern music program at Indian River Community College, where he taught Piano, Guitar, Bass and classes in improvisation, jazz theory and small group combo until 1990, when he received his Bachelors degree (Fine Arts, Music) from Florida Atlantic University.
Fred moved his family to Nashville in 1992 and re-opened RCA Studio C on Music Row. His studio was the pioneer multi-track hard disc studio on the row. In 1997 Fred was asked to become proprietor of the famous RCA Studio B. Over the next three years Fred produced and directed over 1500 recordings in Studio B for clients like Jimmy Buffet, David Carradine, David Amram, John McEuen, and a host of other Nashville icons. During this time Fred served two terms as President of the Nashville Association of Professional Recording Services, supervising the industry’s transition through the early years of the internet.
Fred moved off the Row in 2000 and built his private studio Briarpatch Audio Productions. Over the next six tears three of the albums he produced, engineered, performed on and co-composed were nominated for Grammy awards. By 2005 Fred had written for and performed with the Austin Symphony, the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, and had produced and directed several regional tours for Vassar Clements, David Amram and John McEuen, among others.
Fred relocated to Louisville in 2006, setting up a new studio location in the Highlands neighborhood. He continues to serve a nationwide client base with his work as composer/producer, a catalogue which now exceeds 4,000 recordings. Fred recently reconnected with his passion for education by becoming Artist in Residence at Simmons College of Kentucky, an HBCU dating back to 1879. Fred’s latest passion is the development of Axton Studios, a full-service production facility dedicated to the emerging Black Film Institute of Simmons College.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Freedom. An Artist answers to the Muse – the blooming of thoughts and ideas that comes from intense seeing, listening and contemplation. An Artist chooses freedom with all it’s risks and struggles in order to be who they truly are and help those around them find their highest forms of creative expression, both alone and in community.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
“The Long Tail” by Chris Anderson – a great perspective of the music business.
“Music, Ecstacy and the Brain” by Eric Jensen
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fredbogert.com
- Youtube: fred bogert
- Other: sheetmusicplus
Image Credits
Gloria Bogert