Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michael Jones. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Michael, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
At one time, living off of my earnings as a musician was my main career goal. I joined a country band in the summer of 2021, and was living in my childhood home, driving all over East TN. With my only expenses being gas, meals, utility and internet bills, and my car insurance, I was able to live off of the meager earnings I made.
I don’t consider living off of full-time gigging as validating to my personal goals as a musician as I once did. I teach private music lessons at my day job, and so I’m able to play music all the time without having to rely on the very inconsistent income stream that paying gigs provide. The less money I require from my gigging, the more I find I am free to pursue the musical goals I have for myself, instead of using my musical talents solely to survive.
Michael, 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?
My name is Michael Jones, I’m from Knoxville, TN, and I perform music under my own name and under my current main music project, Lazarus Lake. I began gigging in a country band in 2021 after earning a Bachelor’s in Contemporary Music. From there, I have made connections that have allowed me to pursue my own artistic goals as a recording and gigging alt-country singer-songwriter.
I lean into a blending of musical styles heavily-based on ’90s alt-country, but with influences ranging from ’70s folk, ’90s alt-rock, jam bands, punk, etc. I am most proud of the music I am currently writing, as well as the performances I’ve put on with various bands in the Knoxville scene in the past three years I’ve gigged here. You can catch me at shows around town, as well as various shows in neighboring cities throughout the rest of 2024 and beyond.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
I think the answer has always been patroning the arts. Whether in academia, the professional world, or in our personal lives, we have to ask ourselves, “How important a role do music, art, and literature play in my life? How am I willing to budget to enrich my own life and patron the artists around me?”
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I think most people find the sacrifice that art takes needless. I would say to them, “Everyone understands the importance of a valuable idea; it is the creative spark to anything that we make, say, or do. How are school programs, public spaces, or the time we give to artistic ideas any different? If the people who wrote the music, books, and poetry that you imbibe ceased to sacrifice their time, money, and talent to bring it into the world, what would be missing from your life?”
Contact Info:
- Website: lazaruslakemusic.com
- Instagram: @myklejawns
- Facebook: @lazaruslakemusic
- Youtube: @lazarus-lake
- Other: Bandcamp: https://lazaruslake.bandcamp.com/
Image Credits
Kailyn Orahood, Jacob Hale, Ashley Wright-Jollay.