Conversations with Jason Smith

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Jason Smith.

Hi Jason, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Music has been the driving force for me since the age of 5! It is the one consistent piece of my life that I can use for therapy, expression, and my livelihood. I played in local school bands all throughout my childhood while also honing my musical abilities in the church.

My musical turning point came when I joined the military at age 19, where I served several years as a musician. Learning to play and read several different genres of music is what prepared me for the field that I am in today. After studying music at the University of Maryland in 2002, my primary focus was music performance, theory, and being the best musician that I could be.

In 2021, I went back to Liberty University to major in Commercial Music Production to learn the art of producing and engineering. In 2022, I received an invitation to work on a project from a commercial producer who saw me on YouTube, and it changed my life. I have worked on projects for Proctor & Gamble, Frito Lay, Sirius XM, and many other brands.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think that there are many smooth roads when you pursue music as a career, but every challenge is a learning experience that can be used to make you better in music and business. My biggest challenge was having to navigate through many different musical worlds without feeling the need to dedicate myself solely to one arena.

Not many people like to watch only one genre when it comes to movies and tv shows, you may want to see an action film on Friday and a comedy on Saturday. I feel that exposing yourself to several genres will keep music challenging and exciting for any musician. There certainly is pressure for musicians to only do certain genres depending on where you live. I am from rural Northwest Georgia, and everyone there seems to play guitar.

Outside of the church, you don’t see many keyboard players performing gigs. You must chart your own path and dare to be different in the world of music. You must have thick skin in the arts and know that everyone is willing to support you. Trust your gut and follow your passions, and your true supporters will come.

I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Lately, I have been doing a lot of production work for TV and radio ads. I have the opportunity to do some film work this fall, which I am very excited about. I am currently in a transitional phase in my career, moving away from live performance and focusing solely on commercial music production. I have been performing live for over 30 years, and I am gonna miss it.

One thing that sets me apart from many of my peers is the fact that music has never had to compete with any other occupation. Some people go through life, and at some point, when they are older, they decide to pursue music or start a band. I know people that studied and worked in other professions and the desire to pursue music came later in their lives.

For me, music is the only thing that I have pursued. I have always done music as my career from my early teenage years and throughout all of my adult life. All of my college education, time, and work has gone into the craft of music. I continue to study and learn more about music as often as possible!

Do you have any advice for those just starting?
Learn, listen, and learn some more. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen people put the cart before the horse in the music business. Musicians today will learn just a few chords, and they are ready to put a band together, record an album, and put out new music.

If you don’t put in some real-time learning about music, songwriting, and educating yourself, it will show in your product. If you are not getting called back to venues, or if you can’t book gigs in larger, more competitive cities, it’s an indication that you need to keep working and perfecting your product.

In the pro world, you are expected to read well and play well by ear. Learn music theory and how the music industry works. I promise you that it will make a difference in the opportunities that are offered to you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jsmusicpro.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jsmusic4real
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jsmithmusic77
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@jsmithmusic4real