We recently connected with Tom E. Gordon and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Tom E. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I am fortunate to have been able to earn a full-time living from my music. My musical journey has taken me around the world to beautiful venues, country clubs, yacht clubs, and beach clubs. But it has taken a lot of work and adaptability through the years. Back then, many audiences included members of the Greatest and Silent generations – so I was more likely to perform jazz standards from the 50s and 60s. Over the years, as Boomers gained more influence, I have introduced more classic rock covers from the 70s and 80s to please that crowd. And more recently, I have been playing some modern pop/rock covers that Gen X and Millennial generations appreciate. Regardless of the genre, I am still able to put my personal interpretation on the songs making them my own.

Tom E., 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?

With a Masters in Music from University of Miami’s top-ranked Frost School of Music, I have earned a reputation for excellence acknowledged by fellow musicians, educators, and fans alike. My guitar mentors are Chuck Loeb and George Benson, while my guitar heroes include Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Page, and Prince. My talent, reliability, and character radiate my professionalism, and I have been sought after for social functions and special events for over two decades with consistent top-rated reviews and recommendations.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Today, there are so many more resources available online – from other musicians sharing their experiences and tips on YouTube to paid masterclasses offered by top music schools. Whether music theory, artist management, or music publishing – information on any topic you can think of is at your fingertips now. I however took the traditional education route by studying guitar performance in undergrad and music business and entertainment industries in grad school to jumpstart my full-time musical journey.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Things have changed a lot since day one. When I got started, social media had much less relevance, if any at all – so pounding the pavement to promote demo CDs was a way of building a network. Today with social media content, a combination of consistency and creativity is key. Focusing on providing quality, meaningful content is a better long term strategy than chasing viral posts. But if one or two posts does goes viral, that can be a lucky opportunity to build social media audience rapidly.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hyperfollow.com/tomegordonguitarist
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomegordonguitarist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomegordonguitarist