We were lucky to catch up with Jeffrey Vernon recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jeffrey, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
Earning a living in the music industry is challenging. It all starts with your network, and your attitude toward what you’re doing. Don’t just make things good, make them as great as you can and have fun doing the projects. I view working in music as a privilege, so loving the people and the work that that I do is important.
As far as finding work goes, you not only do you need to take every opportunity available to you, but in order to thrive you really have to think outside the box and create opportunities for yourself. Think about what clients need, and how you can bridge those gaps and bring people together to get the job done.
If you know where you can add value, then it’s just a matter of finding people that need help in those areas. When you do good work and build rapport, those successes lead you into the next ones. Own your mistakes, fake it til you make it, and always be learning and honing in your craft.
So I picked up studio work because I was passionate about it, and I found it really helped my network grow. I could put shows together with bands I had worked in the studio. Then I also worked my way into doing more live sound gigs because there was a lot of need there. Those connections came back in way of referrals, repeat business, and opportunities for my band to play.
Jeffrey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’ve loved music my whole life. I started my musical career as a kid, and started getting serious about guitar and writing as a teenager. I moved to Athens, GA to play in bands and while pursuing a degree in marketing at UGA, I began working in audio production both live and in the recording studio. I am passionate about making great sounding records. I am constantly trying to learn and challenge myself to be better.
After graduating in May of 2020 I started my first company Neon RV Productions. I produced a documentary style virtual concert that summer, titled Opening Night in Madison. I invited 8 artists of varying genres to my home town to perform in the Madison Morgan Cultural Center and to give interviews about their lives as artists during the thick of covid. With masking, disinfecting and distancing precautions, we produced 3 amazing episodes and the proceeds went to the venue, having cancelled all events due to the pandemic.
I have always loved film and music, and taking on this project helped me prove to myself that I can take on something big and do well with it. I’m excited to make more audio/visual works. I frequently consult artists who have questions about video production as well as audio production.
I am a rock producer and I work mostly with rock bands. When I’m at home I am producing, I’ve recently done sessions with The Stews, Wim Tapley, and Jameson Tank, and I love what I get to do. I am blessed to be able to travel and play music as well. I spent a lot of 2021 and 2022 touring the south east playing shows with my band Convince the Kid, and I just took a job as front of house engineer for Futurebirds.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I love seeing people come to life. I love when an artist hears their performance in the studio and they are pleased and proud of themselves. I love when people are dancing, singing and enjoying the shows. I love when people come up and tell you how the art you made affected them. It’s powerful, and has value beyond currency. I love being in the game and the shared community working in this space provides. I am grateful for my peers and friends.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Well, Covid. We all had to pivot.
Summer tours canceled, production projects nixed, we had to scramble to figure out what to do next. That’s when the virtual concert idea came to me, and it was a big step forward for my career. I had never produced a video with a whole crew, multiple cameras and things before, and my team and I pulled it off. Could not have done it without my team, Aaliyah Pauyo, Trevor Thrift, Brad Hagin, and Michael Van Wagenen. The Opening Night in Madison project was rewarding for me because I got to use my skills and network to highlight some amazing musicians, and share meaningful performances with an audience during a time where we could not gather. That success affirmed to me that I am able to adapt and succeed even in uncertain times.
Contact Info:
- Website: JeffreyAVernon.com
- Instagram: @JeffAVernon
- Facebook: Facebook.com/JeffreyVernonMusic
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-vernon-587660196
Image Credits
All Photos by Garrett Cardoso