We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jamie Hoover. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jamie below.

Jamie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been 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? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I have in effect made my living from music. That means wearing a lot of hats. I have mostly patterned myself after people like Todd Rundgren. When I was in high school there he was, a performer, a songwriter, and artist, a recording engineer, a record producer—all himself. When I saw this I said “I can do this!”. It turned out to be true. I started with a Teac 3340 analog tape deck, which allowed me to overdub!

I have been living in this fashion for all of my life and at 68 years old, so far so good! it’s been tough, but I learned it all first-hand, with my own hands. No regrets!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I make records. Recordings. I have never had what used to be called “a record deal”, at least not in the US. My band The Spongetones have been together, playing gigs and releasing our own indie records-tip to tail. From the writing of a song-to the finished product, which has changed over the years from vinyl, to cd’s, now to downloads and streaming. I have kept control of my writers and publishers royalties the entire time. First at BMI and now with SESAC. BMG administrates my catalog. I still own my own recording gear/software. I teach at Brunswick Community College in Southport, NC. Originally from Charlotte, NC.

I have toured as guitarist and vocalist for of course The Spongetones, Don Dixon and Marti Jones, Graham Parker, Hootie And The Blowfish, and The Smithereens (as bass player). I have done sessions with most of them as well-and also with Joe Walsh. I’ve been lucky!

Have you ever had to pivot?

One day I walked down to the mailbox to check it, and inside was an envelope from BMI, my pro air the time. The check was for $11,000.! I had no idea what had happened. I stated doing searches and found that my song “Skinny” was being used every night for the gossip section on ABC World News Now called “The Skinny”. WTF?? Yay! About a month or so later I got another check…for the same thing, minus administration fees!

I ended up getting a hold of the shows Associate Director, who actually returned my phone call! David Bandfield explained to me that he had done a web search on the song Skinny, and found my song, plus others there on iTunes. I myself had sent it to iTunes maybe 3 weeks before! So there it was, for him to discover. He wasn’t even a fan before then.

So finally, I had what was equivalent to a hit record from those every-night plays. It still pays me now! The amount has changed-gone up and down-but they still use it (now a cover they made of it) every night. It’s changed my life.

We had recorded this song to be on a pop compilation called “Yellow Pils”, which it was for 11 years BEFORE it went on ABC World News Now. So it sat in obscurity until then. Damn!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes! Simply put–music! I have to do this. It’s not an option. It’s a part of me and has been forever!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jamiehoover.net
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamieHoover1956/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@spongetone
• Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/BWbGDfoSTQhVzzUc9

Image Credits

Jamie Hoover