Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Thomas Dow. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Thomas , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?
Being a musician can be a very challenging way to make a living. It is not for the faint of heart and you really must be somewhat obsessed in order to carry it out. The amount of failures and rejections you must navigate on the road to success are many.
I have sacrificed economically to keep this dream alive for sure. Lucky for me, my family accepts that this is my calling. Success measured by smiling faces is abundant.
I do think, every couple years, that I should just get a “job/job”, but I can’t because I am a performer at heart. The joy entertaining brings me and our fans is immeasurable. It is a fantastic honor to be an entertainer and well worth the sacrifice in the end.
Thomas , 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?
When I am on stage and I see people smiling and dancing, I know that I have done my job. It feels great to be an instigator of fun and sharing. Another service of a live musician is creating community. Finding and cultivating fans that get together for performances and get to know one another is a part of the experience. Seeing a Good Music Medicine show is a great excuse to get out and see some friendly faces!
I provide this live entertainment with my band Good Music Medicine, which consists of my three wonderful bandmates and myself. We are an original band and songs I have written can be found online on all the usual platforms. I also teach guitar and songwriting to supplement my income and give back to the community.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Social media is HUGE for a band. These days it is the central marketing technique. You have to be relentless. One must constantly post; photos, video clips, stories, events and reccounts of both upcoming and past shows. Social media is also a good opportunity for a band to “shout out” venues. Venues need the love too and I always try and promote them while offering them exposure on my media. I tend to post more videos as we are a band and videos show the live experience more than photos.
Also being positive in your message is a must. Not all posts can be about the band, some need to be personal and relatable to draw people with the human connection. Others are just generally positive and uplifting like sunsets or family pics once and a while.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Our band has been invited back to every venue we’ve ever played. We make sure that we are easy to work with, prompt and professional at all times. We give a lot of love to the staff, owners and patrons while doing our best to get to know people and not just breeze through.. We always do our share of the marketing as well which is not always the case. This definitely can endear a venue to your cause.
We always read the room and play accordingly, not too loud or too soft. We always leave everything on the stage and never “”mail in” a show. This is how we have built a good reputation in our home state of Colorado.
Contact Info:
- Website: Goodmusicmedicine.com
- Instagram: @Goodmusicmedicine
- Facebook: Facebook.com/goodmusicmedicine
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodmusicmedicinebythomasd4124
Image Credits
Christopher Tone