We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Riley Anderson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Riley below.
Riley, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
For the last 3 years I have been able to earn a full-time living solely on writing, releasing and performing music. For the first 8 years, I was balancing performing with working full-time on the railroad as a locomotive engineer. I beat myself up sometimes, feeling like I waited longer than I should have to take that leap of faith, but I now realize that everything happens when it is supposed to.
Riley, 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’m Riley Anderson. I’m a singer/songwriter. I spent the last 11 years in South Georgia, so that is where I am proud to call home. I’m married to the most amazing person I have ever met, Brittany. In December, we celebrated the birth of our first child. So currently, we are navigating this brand new adventure of parenthood. A newborn really keeps you on your toes.
I’ve always been interested in music. As a child, I can remember that we always had music playing, whether it be on a radio, country countdown on tv on the mornings while we got ready to go to school, or getting to listen to one of the many tapes or cds my parents had. I always wanted to entertain. there’s a story my dad tells when I had a guitar with no strings, I would put on a cowboy had and emulate what the artists on the tv were doing. I got my first guitar (with strings) when I was 11. I would sit in my room. for hours on end and play along, as best I could, to anything that would play on my radio or stereo.
Eventually, I started to piece together catchy lines here and there, or so I thought… I didn’t write my first song all the way through until I was 19. I had also just started a career on the railroad so for a good while music stayed on the back burner. I played my first paid gig about 3 years later and have not stopped since. To the point where I am now a full-time traveling musician and recording artist.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Writing songs and getting to perform them is all I have ever wanted to do.. And now, I get to do exactly that! I get to connect with audiences through songs that I have wrote, about my own life, that seem to also be universally relatable.
Lastly, I get to be MYSELF. That is something nobody else can do.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I feel like I’m still trying to get the hang of social media. The best advice I could give to someone starting out is to just be yourself. Post what you want. It’s not that serious. Social media is so much smoke and mirrors these days, being yourself is always the best route. Do not care about what other people think.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rileyandersonmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rileyandersonmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rileyandersonmusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rileyandersonmusic
- Other: https://linker.ee/rileyandersonmusic
Image Credits
Aaron Harrell
Panama City News Herald
Christina Martin
Chase Baker
Ike Everard