We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jared Blackstone a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jared , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am definitely happier being creative. I have had thoughts of what it would be like to just have a regular job and have a safety net. I tried doing both but it just wasn’t for me. It seems to be harder now to stay at one job and retire than it was back in the day. I would much rather be happy what I’m doing than be unhappy at a job that makes me miserable. Don’t get me wrong being a full-time musician is not for everyone. We sacrifice holidays and life events all the time but I always say “it beats digging ditches.”

Jared , 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?

I got into the industry at a young age. I moved to New York city when I was 18 and I got noticed by some great people who helped me along the way. You also have to work really hard on the craft for a very long time before you get really good. It helps to have talent but nothing substitutes 10,000 hours of experience. I’ve learned how to adapt to many situations on gigs where you really need to read the room. The audience is always different and have different musical tastes. I try to cater to what I think they want to hear. I guess the thing I’m most proud of is surrounding myself with very talented band members. I play Waylon Jennings in The American Highwaymen Show and have my own band The Blackstone Three. All of the guys are top notch musicians and great people to be around.

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

For me the most rewarding moments are when someone comes up to you and tells you that you touched them emotionally in some way. I’ve had a lot of people with tears in there eyes tell me that they needed to hear that song because it reminded them of a loved one who passed. I also really love to see young kids dancing and getting into the music. It gives me hope for the future of live music and reminds me of why it’s important.

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

I think the best thing people can do is go see live music and support the artists. The attention span of people is a lot shorter now and I wish that people would listen to more albums rather than playlists. Also, ignore the whole AI generated music because it really hurts the artists that make music from the soul.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Jaredblackstonemusic.com
• Instagram: blackstonejared
• Facebook: Jared Blackstone
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@mrjblackstone?si=f8DI4PF5mv7behw_