We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ray Flanagan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ray below.
Ray, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
So far, the most meaningful project I’ve worked on has been my monthly singles, which I started self-producing in late 2020. I have been consistently putting out 2 songs a month for almost 2 years. I started doing it because of being home during the pandemic and it has turned into a timeline of my vantage point as I have grown, learned, and changed over the time I’ve been doing it. They can be found on rayflanagan.bandcamp.com and all streaming services.
Ray, 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 was raised on a small cattle farm in rural Lafayette County in Ohio. I used to wake up with the crows of roosters to milk the cows. The only music I heard was classic rock radio and my Aunt Martha’s Tony Bennett records, God rest her soul. I got into the industry touring as a lead guitarist for a Christian metal band in my teen years, and when I had a mental breakdown from doing too many whippets, I was forced to come home and relearn my craft.
I listened to nothing but Big Mama Thornton for 2 years while working as a fry boy at McDonald’s. I used to pretend to be too stupid to make the sandwiches so I wouldn’t have to make them. After I left McDonald’s, I spent 4 years on a loading dock for a company that was a middle man for some sort of plastic rings used in conveyer belts. During this time, I would write songs in my head about how much I hated the loading dock, largely se to the tune of songs I heard on the Paramore Pandora station.
I also started to play open mics in Cleveland during my time at the loading dock. This is where I cut my teeth and learned to fail with confidence. I no longer wear camo cargo shorts or sing Jack Johnson covers, for instance. I have been able to somehow make a living as a working musician full-time since March of 2016. My main focus is writing songs and finding the truest melodies possible. I believe in preserving and honoring history and tradition by internalizing it and abandoning it in favor of presence and intuition. I don’t know what sets me apart from others because I don’t pay attention to what anyone else is doing except Ray Charles, and he’s dead.
The main thing I want is to continue to build an audience and to connect with people through the healing power of music.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
All of my goals are artistic. I want to create reliable magic.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The biggest reward is getting to continue to do the work, and improve upon it every time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rayflanagan.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayaflanagan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rayaflanagan
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RayAFlanagan
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQwaukwcLfsCNMspgEtKPXg
- Other: rayflanagan.bandcamp.com