We recently connected with Trevor Toms and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Trevor, thanks for joining 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?

Making a living as an artist is a wild roller coaster of challenges and successes, and it is not for the faint of heart. It takes a strong will to succeed, a proficiency of one’s craft, the ability to recognize opportunities, great communication skills, a willingness to learn, flexibility, and lots time.

In the middle of the global pandemic, I left a successful business in landscape design and construction in my hometown to pursue a full-time career as a recording and performing artist in Nashville, Tennessee. I had been writing, recording, and performing music as a serious hobby for a decade before I took the plunge, but there is so much more about running a small business in music that I had to learn to earn a living at it. In Nashville, it is pretty easy to find places to perform and scrape by a living, but it takes so much more to advance and earn bigger, better opportunities. Since moving here I have had to learn about social media marketing, graphic design, branding, taxes, pitch writing, songwriting, collaboration with other artists, recording/publishing, and technical information about instruments and equipment.

I face regular rejection, either by omission or flat out declines, on a daily basis. But at every turn, I learned something useful and apply it to future efforts. That is how I have managed to book better shows for larger audiences, and in fact, I have my first solo tour in October in five states where I will be performing and promoting my new record (Trevor Toms – Barely Country).

All of that said, it would not be possible without the connections I have made along the way, and the support of family and friends.

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

Colorado born and raised, I have always had a love for making music. I also am a very independent person, and always preferred working for myself or with a small team. It almost seems like I was destined to be an independent recording/performing artist. To that end, I have two records that I have created since moving to Nashville two years ago. Last year I released three original songs, and this year I have a new six song EP, “Barely Country”, that will officially drop in October. This summer I have released three singles from the Barely Country record so far.

I write about the human experience in a way that makes my audience feel recognized, validated, and connected to one another. That is the most important aspect of art, and it is even better if it is entertaining. That is how I affect change in the world. I strive to bring people together and draw out the intangible, for the heart seeks to be free.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is meeting people who have been affected by my music. Whether it be a private message on social media, someone asking to use one of my songs for the first dance at their wedding, or asking me to perform in their hometown, it warms my heart to know that my music touched them in some way. One person recently sent a long email to me describing their journey through grief after losing a loved one many years ago, and said that one of my songs made them feel seen and heard through that challenging process. That is why I create.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Creativity dies in a vacuum. The most impactful thing that we can do to support creatives in this society is to spend our money on tickets to shows, album purchases, merchandise, and by sharing artists’ work with our social circles. It takes more than a “like” on social media. It takes personal messages to our friends expressing just how cool, impactful, interesting, et cetera their work is.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.trevortoms.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trevordtoms/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrevorDToms/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGiFNyDnwyDgUkgA4axS5g
• Other: https://trevortoms.bandcamp.com/ https://www.patreon.com/trevortoms

Image Credits
Austin Dellamano, Tim Kirby, R.W.