Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ronda Ray. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Ronda thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with 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.
Everything great in my life has come from getting out of my comfort zone and taking some sort of risk. The saying is true, no risk, no reward. There is a difference between pursuing music as a hobby versus pursuing it as a profession. The difference is, that in order for an artist to succeed in business they must also be an entrepreneur. Few have this capability and as a result, many talented individuals are swindled by “snake oil salesman” who promise followers, streams, opportunity and success. You see, entrepreneurs pull up to the preverbal craps table of life every single day and bet it all on – themselves.
There is an even more specialized group of entrepreneurs – females. Our piece of the pie is smaller, requiring more ingenuity, skill and sheer determination than our male counterparts, whose mediocrity is often welcomed with open arms, while more qualified females and minority groups are over looked. When a female starts to take up space in any male dominated arena, well, the doors slam shut. Many times, for female artists, the doors are not open to begin with and the draw bridge is up. However, they key to living your dream remains the same. Every day you show up and roll the dice on yourself.
The artist/entrepreneur walks a unique and volatile path. We are emotionally invested in our work and making a difference in this world like no other. We are sensitive by nature. We are deep. We are, male or female, no matter what race or religion, in art and business, taking the greatest risk of all – vulnerability. We choose to reveal the deepest parts of our nature for the betterment of humanity. Each of us would present our gifts to the world for free if we could, yet we must daily navigate the treachery of the entertainment industry to have the opportunity to peep out of obscurity, giving the world access to love, judge, criticize, belittle, or hold dear the things and ideas we treasure most, down to our very hearts.
We swear it off like addicts, then, we connect. Someone responds. We have found joy. We experience the magic and we live to fight another day. We return to take our punishment again. We have been rewarded. The exaltation of our art, birthed through pain and pangs, has helped another person. For this, I live. For this, I create. For this, I take my licks. For this, I risk it all.
Over the 10 year period of my professional music career, I have grown and changed so much. I have made the choice, often, to do something different. I have agreed to play different types of shows with different people. I relocated to another state for a year. I asked for what I needed. I have said no to people and things that are less than I deserve. I said yes to who I really am and yes to what I want to do. God, the universe, really good people and the things that are right for me, have met me, without fail. I hold onto those memories and experiences so that when I go through the next trial, the testing of my will and my faith, I can remember that every time I bet it all on myself and my talent, work ethic, heart and desire to do good with my time on planet earth, I win big in the things that are most important – love, community, connection, fulfillment, purpose and joy. These are the things that both inspire and reward me. These things are the essence of, “Ronda Ray’s Texas Size Rock ‘n’ Roll Show” – it is big energy, big sound, big love and we will keep bringing it to you, making you so glad that you took a risk, got out of your comfort zone, got out of the house and came to see us, to experience the magic, up close and personal.
Do the work, bet on yourself and you’ll be rewarded too.
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 always had a gift for writing. I wrote poems, because I didn’t believe I could sing. After an inspiring night at the Saxon Pub in Austin, Texas, those poems became songs. I love to play big rock shows with my 5 piece band. I also play a lot of acoustic rock ‘n’ roll shows. My music is inspired by the great rock bands of the 1970’s, but is uniquely my own. Like the title track of my first album says, when I take the stage, “It’s party time”! We are all about good vibes and community. My 2022 album, “Walking Away,” is available everywhere you can stream or download music. I have a full merchandise line available for purchase online as well.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I believe creatives and entrepreneurs make a series of small pivots, daily. I’m adaptable by nature, so that is helpful for me. In 2020 I made a big pivot. I relocated to Muscle Shoal, Alabama. I recorded my first album, became part of a community of songwriters and made life long friends. My whole life needed a reset. I was able to connect with nature and learn a lot about myself and think about what kind of music I want to make and how I want to present myself in this world. I thought I would live in Muscle Shoals for the rest of my life, however, at the end of the year, I made another pivot. I moved back to Texas. Texas Size Rock ‘n’ Roll was born and I’m living my dream, full steam ahead..
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
It’s so simple. We need you to show up. Support original, live shows. Stream, download and share our music and videos. Buy merchandise and wear it. The share button on social media is the most powerful marketing tool there is. My entire goal in life is to create a great rock ‘n’ roll show that makes you want to get out of the house and tell somebody about it. While I’m grateful for technology and the connections we have through social media, there is nothing like the in person, live music experience.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rondaraymusic.com
- Instagram: @rondaraymusic
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/officialrondaray
- Twitter: @rondaray
Image Credits
Gertrude Gusewelle Jake Emling @WafflesWeekly