Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kevin Fisher. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kevin, 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 am now able to earn a full time living writing and recording songs, but it didn’t happen quickly. I graduated Pomona College as an English major and found a job that most English majors find – waiting tables. I did that for 10 years, along with other assorted day jobs, while I wrote songs and put bands together. One of the bands, Naked To The World, toured through Nashville, Tennessee, and it was because of that tour that I got my first publishing deal, which meant that somebody was paying me to write songs, something I’ve been doing for free – and sometimes at a cost. I’ve written for a number of publishing companies since. Some got my songs recording by major artists, and some did not. Sometimes I wonder if I could have done things bigger, better, and faster. But then I wonder what part of my life I would have missed. I have truly enjoyed the struggle as much as the success. Watching a song of mine reach the top 40, or play on a tv show or movie, means so much more knowing that to make that happen I waited tables, painted houses, was a receptionist, and taught guitar.

Kevin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I remember making up songs in 2nd grade, then learned guitar and played a composition my friend and I wrote for our 6th grade culmination. It’s always been who I am. Now as an adult, what I do best with that skill is help people feel things. It’s hard for most of us to connect with our emotions, but good songs have a way of sneaking up on us and saying, “hey, remember this feeling?” I’ve played many small venues and house concerts where I can see and feel the audience connecting with me, a feeling, an emotion. It’s truly a beautiful experience.

I’ve also enjoyed the recording process. I had a reel-to-reel tape deck in high school that I learned how to use. Now I have recording studio at home with everything I need and nothing I don’t. I listen to some of my early recordings from 25 years ago and I cringe, but now I couldn’t be more proud. Every song that gets placed in a film or tv show I have recorded at home. And now, In addition to recording my own creations, over half of my business is recording for other songwriters. I love the challenge of being sent someone’s song idea recorded into their phone with the instructions, “please make this sound radio ready”.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

A number of years ago there was a lull in my career and I made the choice to get a regular day job. It was brutal. 90 minute drive each way to a law office doing law office stuff. At the admin level. I assisted the assistant‘s assistant. I was so low on the totem pole you had to dig a hole to find me. I was grateful for the job but it wasn’t exactly making music. I made it work for me, though. During those 90 minute drives I would write lyrics. I had fellow songwriters send me tracks that I would topline (write words and melody). By the time I left (got fired) I had enough going on to get back to my real work. I look back now and realize I actually found joy in that office job.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There are many things I find rewarding about my job. The first is being able to articulate how I feel about whatever subject I’m writing about. I have probably saved thousands of dollars in therapy because of music! The second is being paid to make people happy. Watching an audience, or recording clients, walk away with big smiles on their faces is glorious. Maybe therapy is the undercurrent of what I do. Writing accurately about something and then feeling, or watching others feel, is my mission.

Contact Info:

• Website: kevinfisher.me, thesongbenefactory.com
• Instagram: pkfisher
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peterkevinfisher/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fisherkevin
• Twitter: @pkfisher
• Youtube: @pkfisher