Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jon Finney. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jon, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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?
I have been a full time artist just shy of six months. I had built a relationship with a number of venues coming out of the pandemic. My daughter was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer at the end of 2020, so I began taking any and every show I could to offset some medical costs, at the time. It was also a wonderful therapy for me to get to perform songs I’d written, and find ways through my art to navigate the pain and emotion, rather than letting it turn into a full on depression. Out of that, and her incredible recovery, the shows continued to pour in, even after her medical debt was cleared. At this point, it became so effortless and enjoyable. I realized I could take it to the next step. I signed with my management, 362 Entertainment in December 2022, and it’s been a beautiful snowball effect. As far as speeding up the process, I don’t know that, looking back, I would have wanted to. I have really loved the process of getting here. I can’t believe I get to do this, and there’s this overwhelming gratitude that hangs over me when I wake up each morning.
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
I was immediately drawn to music as far back as my memory can reach. I was the kid who played an animated concert video on tv multiple times a day, and memorized every word and movement of the animated front man. I was 2 then. I had the most amazing and supportive parents, and they never deterred me from that passion. I got my first guitar at 10, and just locked myself away every night playing. I was horrible at school because of it. I had a small friend group. I wasn’t the most popular in school, because I was 1) really weird and 2) very laser focused on getting through the day so I could get home and play. When I was passionate about something, nothing else seemed to matter. I’m still that way, sometimes. I perform, I write, and I record my music, with the listeners in mind the entire way. I write from my personal experiences, and try to communicate it in ways other people hear it and find ways to resonate with it, personally. I’m proud of that, the most. I have been written some beautiful stories from people who have heard a song of mine, and it got them through something tough. The fact that a moment turned into something they took home with them, something they grew from, there’s nothing I love more than to hear that.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I played the age game so long. The older I got, the more I felt I was running out of time and it needed to happen faster and faster with every passing birthday. Birthdays were hell for me because of it. I couldn’t celebrate it cause I felt my window was closing. And truthfully, that is completely ridiculous. I’m just a couple of weeks away from 30, and more has happened in the last 4 months of my career than in my whole lifetime. I also feel younger and in better shape, mentally, emotionally, and physically to handle where my career is now, and where it’s headed. If you love something, and work hard at taking care of it, and yourself, who cares how old you are? Just because Taylor Swift landed as a superstar at 16, doesn’t mean it has to be that way for everyone.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
The wisdom and advice my manager has given me, I wish I lived from that for the last decade. She is absolutely incredible at keeping my mind focused on the art, and not letting me get lost in analytics. Just the fact that I get to play music as my whole job is amazing, and she has been great at reminding me of that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.JonFinneyMusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonfinneymusic/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonfinneymusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JonFinney
Image Credits
Christina Pearson Photography