Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jonah Wisneski. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Jonah , thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
Well, from a young age, listening to music was such a meaningful, important, and almost ritualistic part of my life, that it consumed a lot of my free time. Then, as I got older, seeing live music became an extension of that love. Music felt powerful to me, and I would obsess over songs or bands, so much so that when I was in middle school, I would sometimes dream about being a musician. But it wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I began to actually learn how to play an instrument. Given my affinity for music, this felt like the next logical step, so I dove head first into learning guitar.
Around that same time, as I was slowly making improvements on the instrument, I still had an underlying desire to be in a band. A close friend and I started our first “college band” (a right of passage for most young musicians), and our first gig was at the local Italian restaurant, complete with $50 payment for the entire group, and the excitement of finally stepping on “stage”.
I don’t have a ton of memory of that show, but I walked away from the experience assured that playing music was the only thing I was interested in doing for a career. After that, I set out to learn more, grow as a player, and figure out how I could eventually make a living from playing guitar. I was determined to figure it out, even though I didn’t have any sense of how hard it might actually be.
Jonah , 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?
My entry into a full-time career playing music started after college, when I got fired from a restaurant job, and a close musician friend encouraged me to apply to a music studio to teach guitar lessons. I got the job, which allowed me to focus on guitar daily, and also seek out performance opportunities on nights and weekends. That was the first step in committing to building a life in music.
Now, 16 years later, I am working as a freelance guitarist, playing with upwards of 20+ bands a year, performing around 150 shows annually, recording in studios, acting as musical director, producing, and still teaching guitar lessons weekly. I am proud that I have been able to embrace many different aspects of being a musician, and combined, it keeps me busy doing something I love.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Just sticking with it. Continuing to try, and putting consistent effort in, especially when things don’t go as planned. Don’t worry about being “the best”, just focus on improving.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I absolutely love music and playing guitar. I like all aspects of being a musician and a music fan: Practicing, rehearsing, recording, seeing live music, and performing/listening to many different styles of music! I am grateful that I spend the majority of my time immersed in something I truly love, and something that is important to me. It doesn’t mean that it never feels like “work” at times, because some days it absolutely does, but that work is rewarding because I enjoy the entire process of it, even when it’s hard.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jonahwisneski.com
- Instagram: @jonah_wisneski
- Twitter: @jonah_wisneski
- Other: Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/24qeMQk4FpwEqxzMY8PEhy?si=1d2a612b32194673
Image Credits
Kirsten Cohen, Sam Silkworth, James Paul Mitchell, Jackson Davis, Anni Subar, Nikki Rae