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

Kenny, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Two years ago, we started the Lafayette Music Fest in conjunction with a number of local venues and sponsors. We had 25 acts play across six venues throughout our town. It was the first time all the arts personnel of our neighborhood worked together on a common purpose, and it was a huge success.

This past year, our 2nd annual Lafayette Music Fest brought 1,000 people to our town. We’re greatly humbled by the city, the fans, and the support we got from the community to make this a perennial event from here on out. It’s only going to get bigger!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My wife and I got into the music business completely by accident in late 2018. We had corporate jobs and decided to take a leap of faith to save a building that housed 80 artists in residence from demolition. Now, it’s our full-time jobs and we’re never looking back!

Our studio sees over 600 musicians per year, houses two dozen bands, and we usually see at least 5-6 Red Rocks artists rehearsing per year. We’ve also recorded roughly 180 singles worth of music to date in our new recording wing, and we opened an intimate 75-person listening room venue with liquor license in the rear of the building in 2022.

We are most proud of the fact that our doors are open to everyone, regardless of age, ability, orientation, ethnicity, or race. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a classically trained musician, or just picking up a drumstick for the first time. When you enter the building, you’re welcome here, and we aim to have our organization to be a safe space for all.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being in the creative space is to see people’s minds, hearts, and souls truly switched on due to the music in our hallways. It doesn’t matter whether someone is playing it, listening to it, or watching it happen live. We love to be a vessel for those who love music.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I knew about grant programs earlier in the process! Now, we work with several non-profit organizations and educational institutions in the name of music industry development and advocacy. We each high school kids how to work a mixing console, and we help adults with disabilities learn how to play their favorite songs on the guitar. It’s incredibly rewarding, and there’s a bevy of organizations who either donate or otherwise support these causes.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.doghousemusic.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/doghousemusicstudios
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/doghousemusic