We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marcus Eaton. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marcus below.

Marcus, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I think that jumping into any creative endeavor and putting your heart and soul into it is a risk. Artists risk many things in life, including stability, in order to fulfill their creative impulses. I decided to be a full time musician when I was still in high school and along with that decision comes all of the beauty and challenges of the decision.
Music has changed so much since I first began from social media, to the methods of recording and access to recording tools, to the way it is delivered (and the fact that CD’s and physical goods are practically obsolete!) So, there are additional challenges in terms of adapting to the new market and how to reach people.
My life and career has been a series of ups and downs and I believe any musical artist would say the same. The goal has been to smooth out the highs and lows and get comfortable in the unknown.
I am grateful that I have persevered despite all of the challenges and that I have stayed true to myself and my vision of the music I am creating.

Marcus, 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 name is Marcus Eaton and I am a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and composer. I have been writing and playing music for most ion my life and I have many albums worth of original material.
I am also known for my collaboration with the late David Crosby and my contributions to his album ‘Croz’.

Recently, I have also gotten into scoring film and I created an original score for the documentary ‘David Crosby; Remember My Name’ along with Snarky Puppy pianist, Bill Laurance.
I also played on the score for the Jeymes Samuel film ‘The Harder They Fall’ and I have been working in London on the score for his upcoming film ‘The Book Of Clarence’.

My new album ‘What Is Real’ will be out soon and I have already started to release singles which are available online.
I have gone viral on TikTok a number of times this year because of videos I made using a new bow for acoustic guitar called ‘Pickasowbow’. It has been a very fun year!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

This is a challenging question because it seems like there is a lack of understanding when it comes to music. It is very important for the public to recognize that music is like any other physical art and it takes time and energy to create. It has been devalued so much that people think it is actually free: from instagram stories and reels to TikTok, people use songs to enhance these windows into their lives. It is a beautiful thing but the artists are really the ones who end up paying.
It is widely known that Spotify pays next to nothing for streams but in addition, they don’t even offer the option of buying an artists music. At least Apple provides the option. People tell me that they pay for Spotify premium but that money never makes its way to the artists.
So, I say that direct support from fans to artists is more important than ever. Even the sell of one album equals well over 1200 streams online. If you as a fan really love an artist, buy their music or merchandise directly in order to sustain their careers.
I think people love music more than ever in some ways but in other ways, it is completely taken for granted and treated like a commodity.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me the most rewarding part of my career is seeing how my music affects people in a positive way. I had someone write to me recently to tell me that my music helped her through the very difficult experience of losing her mom. To me, this is the greatest reward you can receive as an artist.
I create music to help people connect with themselves and others and when I get to see it in real time, it is incredible.
When I am playing live, sometimes I can see a change happening almost instantaneously and there is really nothing like it. I am really grateful for these experiences.    

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.marcuseaton.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcuseatonmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcuseatonmusic/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcuseaton
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mqeaton
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@marcuseaton?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Image Credits
Florence Picture (seated) – Tomasso Barletta Croz and Marcus – Anjali Ram Two hands on the neck -Sara Ciommei Live shot – Sara Ciommei Light from above – Marta Ferroni Outdoor with fall leaves behind – Marta Ferroni Marcus and A.J. Eaton at premiere of doc – public