We recently connected with Neil Newcomb and have shared our conversation below.
Neil, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been 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? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
In today’s society being a full-time musician is quite difficult unless you land a symphony gig. As a saxophonist is that makes that possibility impossible. With that being said, yes it is possible to make a living as a free lance musician. However, it requires an immense amount of time investment, luck, and patience.
Many free lance musicians that I know all have secondary sources of income related to the field. Some examples include teaching lessons, arranging music, or in my case, owning an instrument repair company.
It takes years to establish oneself in any given scene. Particularly in the south it can be quite difficult with more limited places to perform and less funding in the arts
I do not believe there is a process that can speed up income other than diversifying your skills and interests and figuring out how to monetize them.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I started my career around 16 years old. I was lucky to have terrific teachers and quickly latched onto what it meant to be a working musician. I taught lessons to younger students. I performed gigs as I became better. I later added more instruments to my study as it is a requirement for the type of work that I do.
After music school, I went on the road for a couple of years playing every large and modest venue that would have me.
As I started to settle down in my mid twenties I luckily found myself in a community where I could expand upon certain skills. As I continued performing, more work became available to me and I accepted as much of it as I could.
During this period I started repairing instruments as my side hustle.
I had studied repair as a young man and had some experience already.
I started getting a reputation through word of mouth and after a few years I launched my own business, Atlanta ProWinds.
The business quickly grew and I started hiring my friends and colleagues who were vested in the community and had the skills to strengthen the brand.
Now several years into that endeavor I find myself moving back into playing more.
My business subsidizes my basic needs and the playing work helps me pursue retirement.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Yes. Unionized labor and apprenticeship in the field. Finding resources is quite difficult if you do not participate in some sort of organization related to your field.
Free lancing is a completely unregulated market. Understanding one’s worth is quite difficult as an independent contractor. Connecting with others is vital to understand everything that is common practice.
Labor unions have been working on the behalf of laborers for years. Understanding the history and practice of these organizations has greatly helped me in my 30s. I really wish I would have been more active in that aspect younger.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Being kind towards myself and others is my primary goal. Music has always been an escape for me. I have lived a very challenging life and escaping into a room with staff paper, a saxophone, and records has been vital to my survival.
When I’m in the field or in life, providing kindness is my ultimate goal.
It’s becoming rare these days for kindness to be a primary motivation, but I need kindness. I think we all do. So projecting that to others and helping others has become my biggest focus.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Atlantaprowinds.com
- Instagram: @atlprowinds
- Facebook: Facebook.com/atlantaprowinds