Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Lysyczyn.
Hi Jeff, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I worked on Music Row for many years, mostly as an artist manager. I also taught as an adjunct professor at Belmont University from 2015-2019. My primary management client, country star Joe Diffie, passed away from COVID in 2020. I did some consulting for a few years after Joe’s passing, which ultimately led me to my current role as Executive Director of the Rutherford Arts Alliance.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Intestinal fortitude is a prerequisite to a career in entertainment. My friend Mike Parkinson used to be the head of the music department at my alma mater, MTSU. He’d have me speak to his graduating music performance seniors about carving their career path.
Instead of touting any successes I had in the business, I told them about all the things I did for money early (and not-so-early) in my career that helped me stay afloat financially while I was building a business. Those hustles included UPS, Papa John’s, the Budweiser distribution warehouse and several other non-music biz hustles. It’s not for everyone, but any dream worth having is a dream worth sacrificing for!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’ve been blessed to have left my last “job” in 2002. Since then, I’ve worked harder than ever to create a professional lifestyle that suits my work-life balance while serving my clients’ needs. In artist management, that meant revitalizing the careers of legacy music artists like Joe Diffie and a few others, and cultivating young talent by guiding their paths through the labyrinth of the music business.
The latter also informed my teaching style at Belmont. I define my successes not by awards or gold records, but by the “firsts” I’ve been able to celebrate with my clients – their first record deal, the first time they hear their song on the radio, the first time they play the Grand Ole Opry. That’s the good stuff!
For as long as I can remember, my job has been to advocate for the artists on my client roster. These days as Executive Director of the Rutherford Arts Alliance, I have the privilege of advocating for an entire community of artists. I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have so much fun making a living.
How do you think about happiness?
I made a pact with myself during he pandemic to be intentional about three things. I vowed to expel toxicity from my life, to live a life of gratitude, and to prioritize things that bring me joy.
We can’t prevent toxic people or situations from entering our sphere, but it’s a choice to allow them to stay. I keep that broom handy. In these divided times it’s so easy for us to get caught up in negativity. Taking even just one minute each day to put down the phone and count life’s blessings is medicine.
Prioritizing things that bring me joy means driving 45 minutes to see my granddaughter, even if it’s only for an hour on Sunday afternoon. It means spending time in the woods with my grown son. It means watching my teenage daughters play church league flag football. I also got back into performing music again. You can find me and my guitar out and about in Murfreesboro several times a week.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rutherfordartsalliance.org/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-lysyczyn-3a317628/
- Other: https://www.jeffintheboro.com/
