We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful William Nesmith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with William below.

Hi William, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I always had a passion for music. All of my best projects throughout school involved songwriting or other musical elements. I think I chose to study Marketing in undergrad and in the graduate level because it was the “safe choice”. I could earn a good living while still using my creativity with little to no risk. My grad school internship became a full time job, and I was happy, but it felt like something was missing. I found out about a songwriting circle an hour away from me that met twice a month. From there, I discovered other writing circles and learned that many of these writers booked gigs on the weekend, so I looked into that as well. Then in 2018, I was in-between jobs, so I really started putting myself out there for booking gigs, almost as a part-time job till I found more full time marketing work. But by 2019, I’d filled my calendar with gigs and actually earned more money playing shows than I did in my original job. And I never looked back.

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’m a singer-songwriter living in Greensboro, NC. I’m originally from Sumter, SC, so I’ve lived in the Carolinas all my life. I’ve studied classical piano since about first grade, and I was very involved in church and school choirs growing up.

I released my debut single “Just Love” in the fall of 2020, and have since released about 10 or so songs on all the streaming platforms. I’ve also had a co-write of mine placed in the Hulu original show Marvel’s Runaways. I really enjoy both solo and co-writing, and in the last few years, I’ve really been into “prompt writing” through the Facebook group 5in5 Songwriting Challenge.

My “job” is mainly playing cover gigs and breweries and restaurants. 2-4 hr shows with about 3-4 shows each week. I try to touch on a little of everything from Motown to “Old Town Road”. And I wear a different pair of party sunglasses to go with each song. The audience really seems to enjoy it!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I feel like I sort of stumbled into the career I’m in now. I went to undergrad and grad school for business, not music. Even though music was always a big part of my life, I never believed in myself enough to pursue it full time. Studying marketing always felt like a compromise for me. I felt I could earn good money and still get to think creatively. But in 2018, while in-between jobs, I was just beginning to learn about the opportunities for musicians in my area. I could put together a show of covers and originals, do it a few times a week, and earn more than I made at my previous job. All while having more time during the day to improve my craft, write music, collaborate with other artists–it all seemed like a dream come true. A dream that I never would have thought to wish for myself.

I could have stayed in that mindset of remaining in my previous career path, but in being honest about my passions, and recognizing the opportunities in front of me, I gained courage to step out and try something new, and I’m so glad that I did.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There’s only one you! You’re a one of one. And as a songwriter, you have to opportunity to tell a story from your unique perspective. Yes, there’s millions of love songs or breakup songs or motivational songs out there, but you get to put in your own “seasoning”, your own experiences and put that out in the world. And believe it or not, there’s always someone out there that needs to hear it told in your own special way. If you keep working at it, and get good at marketing yourself, you’ll find your audience and have a fulfilling exchange of energy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.williamnesmith.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/william_nesmith/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/williamnesmithmusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/williamnmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVZhwUmT87OUND_6KuOm88A?view_as=subscriber