We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jesse Carter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jesse below.
Jesse, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
My mother bought me my first guitar and a John Denver Songbook, when I was around 13 years old. John Denver was a popular artist at that time, I loved his music. The songbook had simple chords G. C, D, Am7, so the songs were easy to learn and play. I never really leaned any hard chords, because I figured if these easy chords were good enough for John Denver, they were good enough for me! I did take a few guitar lessons, and my cousin MaryJo, also showed me a thing or two, but I was mostly self taught.
As I started to play (for my mom and family) I had the idea, that if I messed up when playing a John Denver song, people would know that I made a mistake, but if I wrote my own songs, and I messed up, I could say that I meant to do that! (Remember, I was 13! lol) So I started to write my own songs.
Looking back, I really regret not practicing. I know now that if I would have been more disciplined, I would be a much better guitarist then I am today. I know that my laziness and trying to take the easy road has seriously hurt my guitar playing skills. I was the biggest obstacle on my music journey. I had a lack of confidence, and a lack of discipline.
Jesse, 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?
Most of my life I mainly wrote songs for myself and my family. I never really had the confidence to play out and make a living at it. (Although it was always my dream to be a singer/songwriter/recording artist) It wasn’t until I was in my 50’s that I actually started to play out. It was right after my mother, died. It was actually my mother’s sister, my Aunt Betty Lou, that got me to play at one of her senior center meetings. I made $50.00, and left with a boost of confidence. However, being a mom and a wife, my music career was mostly me singing out at Karaoke places.
One snowy Saturday, my husband and I were trying to figure out what we wanted to do for the day, when I got a phone call from a friend asking me if I wanted to be an extra in an independent film. A mutual friend of ours had a film crew at their small coffee shop and the actors that were hired to be extras could not make it because of the bad weather, so they were calling their local friends to see if anyone wanted to come down and pretend to be customers.
If this opportunity came when I was younger, I would have jumped at the opportunity, but as a middle age, chubby woman, I was not as anxious.
My friend pleaded, and then he said, “you have to come and you need to bring your guitar.”
“Why do I need to bring my guitar?” I asked. Trying to figure out how a guitar had anything to do with drinking coffee.
“Because I told the producer you were a singer/songwriter, so he wants you to come play something.”
Immediately I panicked. “I’m not good enough to be in a movie.” “What if I messed up?” “What if they don’t like my song?” “I am not that good of a guitarist’. As all these thoughts were dumping in my head, I heard the producer say, “I’ll probably cut her from the film, I just want to try something.” Hearing that, my attitude changed. I decided that I would love the experience of being on a movie set, and since I surely would get cut- I decided to go, and that is how I ended up in the independent film, “#50 Father’s”!
Shortly after, my world was shattered, and I found myself divorced and starting my whole life over at the age of 54. I had to find a new place to live, a new job, a new car, new furniture…everything. To save my sanity, I turned to my songwriting. I started attending local open mic nights-where I met wonderful and supportive people.
I eventually met my friend Jim, We became a duo called Leap Of Faith, and we played out at open mics.. and we did a monthly birthday party at the nursing home I work at.
In October, 2017, we decided to record a CD at Tune Town Studio, owned by Mike Talanca. It was an amazing experience, unfortunately by the time Jim and I finished the cd, our friendship was not as strong as when we began, Jim suggested that it was better for me to release the cd under my name and not Leap Of Faith. I think we both knew we were at the beginning of our end
Anyway, the cd “Broken” was released in March and won the 2018 Ohio Music Award’s Best Contemporary Adult Music Cd. It was such an honor, My first cd actually won an award. Shortly after that, Jim and I parted ways, it was not a friendly break up-and we didn’t talk for a long time.
When Jim and I split, it was a very scary time for me, I realized that I now was back at square one, because I drew all my confidence from sharing the stage with Jim. Jim is an excellent guitarist, and he knew if I was going to make a mistake before I made it, and knew just how to cover up that mistake. He brought my music to life and I knew as long as he was on stage with me things would be ok.
With Jim out of the picture, I only had me to depend on. (Well, me and all those voices in my head telling me how awful a musician I was) The first show I had to do without him was at the Monthly Birthday Party where I worked. I was so nervous, that I cried on my way to the gig and I had a panic attack as I was setting up! However,
I continued to do the monthly birthday parties, and then I picked up a few farmer’s markets and some local festivals.
Fast forward, a few years later, I went to support some friends of mine that were playing out. Unexpectedly, they asked me to do a few songs while they took a short break. I agreed and sang a song I had just written. When I had finished I was approached by a man named Dave Stump, he really liked one of my songs and wanted to know if he could record me at his studio. (Stump Studio) It was now a few years after my first cd, and I missed recording so I agreed. We recorded that song, and it was my first song that got airplay on an online station called KOWS out of California. David Rosen who played the keys on my first cd, moved out to California. I sent him the song and he wrote back and asked if he could play it on his radio show. The name of the song is called “The Dark Side of Love’ and a couple of years later my second cd by the same title was released. If you look at the credits, you will see Jim’s name on one of the songs as he came in and did some guitar work for me.
In the mean time I fell into hosting an open mic at a bar in Akron, and then the fun really started. I knew nothing about sound or hosting. I didn’t even have any equipment for running an open mic, but there I was-accepting a hosting job. The artists that I met, became like family to me. We had a good run until the bar cancelled the open mic, but as fate would have it, I immediately landed another open mic. Eventually that open mic ended abruptly when that bar got sold, but again, I immediately picked up another open mic, and then another. So as it stands now I host two open mics, one on Tuesday Night’s at Kent Lanes, the other I share with my friend BC Hudson, we alternate Wednesday Night’s at The Venice-also in Kent. Two nights a week I get to spend my nights with some of North East Ohio’s talented musicians. I love the open mics. I love the people and I appreciate the Venues that allow us to come in and just play music.
In the very near future my friend BC Hudson and I will be performing as the Carter/Hudson Duo. We will be performing originals as well as Beatles and Fleetwood Mac.
I am most proud of the fact that I achieved my life long dream and I made an award winning cd. I will always be grateful to the musicians and Tune Town Studio for helping me achieve that dream.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
My music has opened doors that I never thought it would, it got me into an independent film, it got me into two studios, and into hosting open mics, it got me air play on KOWS and my music gets air time on WTUD a college station at Tiffin University. Most importantly, it has brought many wonderful friends into my world.
My music has been wonderful therapy for me, and has gotten me through the most devastating times in my life, and has literally saved me from a mental breakdown, but the most rewarding is seeing the joy that other people get from my music.
I once was playing at the nursing home where I worked. They wheeled down a resident who was almost in a vegetated state. However, 1/2 way through the concert, I noticed as I was singing, the resident’s foot was slightly tapping up and down to the beat. It melted my heart!
The joy I see on people’s faces, knowing that I have helped people escape their worries-even for a little while. Is so rewarding. Music heals, music touches hearts. I am so blessed to be able to be a part of the music community. Even though, I know that there are far better performers, singers, songwriter’s, guitarists then me-it’s ok, because Karen Carpenter sang, ” Don’t worry if you’re not good enough for anyone else to hear, just sing, sing a song!” And that’s exactly what I am going to do.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
There are so many things people can do to support artists. The obvious is to attend their show, and buy their cd’s, and merchandise. However, pushing that share button on FB when they post a video, or post an upcoming show is a simple act that costs nothing, but it might lead to a new connection or sale for the artist.
Every week I host two open mics. I am not lying when I tell you that the artists that show up are amazing. Yet, no matter how hard I advertise, very rarely do non artists come out to hear them. I feel bad for both the artist who deserves to be heard, and people that make a conscious choice to stay at home and miss out on these great performers.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Jesse Carter-Acoustic
- Other: https://jessecarter1.bandcamp.com
Image Credits
Jesse Carter