We recently connected with Richard Green and have shared our conversation below.

Richard, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

When I started Green Key Music in Frisco, I suppose you could say I was taking a big risk. The opportunity presented itself in a moment when I thought it would be worth taking that leap and making the most of it. Being a musician has always been a risky thing. From the first moment you decide to put yourself out there in front of an audience, you’re taking a big risk. The response you could get from them is unpredictable. That may have been my first big lesson in risk and reward and I’m glad every day that I chose this path. I try to impart that on my students. It can be a scary thing, exposing your art to the world. You could be heckled or just ignored but more often than not, people will love what you are doing. I’ve found that especially in children, the payoff is huge. It’s always a thrill to see the newfound sense of tremendous self-confidence and accomplishment in a student who has just finished their first performance. Whether or not it my risk pays off in the long run for my business, time will tell, but I’m hopeful.

Richard, 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?

I started out playing music before I even have a real memory of it. Legend has it I would run around with a cheap, toylike keyboard and copy jingles from commercials and other places. My parents enrolled me in piano lessons around the age of nine. Within the next couple of years I would start making my first money as the funny little kid who played piano at a few weddings. There are a lot of great stories from my young life regarding my musical journey that I couldn’t condense enough for this format, but I found more support from the people around my because of my music than I did for anything else. Right away I kind of felt a deep attachment and purpose for it. I picked up my first guitar at around 12 or 13 years old and between my high school and college years I played in a few bands, some of which did very well in their area. I was asked to contribute to various albums, which was my first experience in professional recording and mixing. Incidentally, recording and producing music would become another passion of mine. In college I was a work study, spending a good amount of my time leading the guitar classes and playing on the faculty quintet. Because of that, I had the opportunity to travel to Spain, Mexico, and a few other places to play festivals and concerts with the largest attendance I’ve seen from the stage. I’ve handled projects ranging from hip-hop, to country, to metal, to EDM. I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to video game soundtracks and compose orchestral work for pay, which I adored. Despite all of this, the challenges of a life of music have been ever-present. It’s no joke when you hear about the “starving artist.” Especially if you don’t start from a place with a lot of support and network, you’ve got a hard road ahead. These days, my joy comes from being able to share a relaxed environment with my students, helping them to achieve their own musical goals. I still have ambitions that are larger than life and I probably always will. I pursue them in my own time. But my priority is helping the next generations grow, as well as showing my older students that they can still enjoy playing. Green Key Music may not be a huge studio, but I actually take a little bit of pride in that. I think it allows me to build deeper connections with my community and offer them a perspective and approach to teaching that they can’t find anywhere else.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I’ve always had a drive to challenge the conventional methods of business. My journey in life has always been as an outsider. My individuality afforded me little in the way of social inclusion. I’ve actually spent a lot of time studying to improve my interpersonal skills. All that is to say, I’m no stranger to finding alternative solutions to problems and embracing individuality as a person, in order to find the strength in it. I aim to emulate that philosophy in business. It’s definitely presented it’s own challenges and one big downside has been finding resources that relate to my circumstance and align with my business philosophies. In my mind of course I want success, but if that success comes at the cost of my individuality or stifling of the creative spirit, it’s not a true success. In business and my own artistic pursuits, I’ll keep striving to do things my way. Whether or not it works out, I’ll have enjoyed the trip and learned a great deal for my next attempt.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being a creative was never a choice, for me. I find it shackling to work a 9-5 and make ends meet as most jobs I’ve worked in the past have been a means to an end. I know a lot of people who are content in that lifestyle and I’d be remiss to say there’s no envy on my part. My life doesn’t feel complete unless I am actively creating. To that effect, the act of creating is something that I don’t think everyone can fully appreciate when it comes to the emotional toll it can take. I’ve found that playing and teaching are in many ways the same, in how they can both invigorate and drain a person. All that aside, the sense of purpose I feel every single time another person connects with my art is healing and uplifting. I’ve never felt more home or… valid, maybe, than when I’ve played shows where people were singing lyrics back at me or moving to the energy of the music, or telling me what it meant to them. Likewise, when a student has a difficult time hiding the feeling of accomplishment and joy when they get some new skill down, I feel a tremendous sense that I’m doing what I was meant to do. Beyond the selfish, knowing that the expression of my efforts have helped those who were reached is something I’m grateful to put out in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.greenkeymusic.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greenkeymusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenkeymusic
• Other: You can view my personal work at https://www.instagram.com/crowsradio