Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Boyer.
Hi Jacob, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I first came to Nashville about six years ago. I’m originally from Washington, Illinois, a small town outside the city of Peoria. I grew up the youngest of three, surrounded by a wide variety of music from my siblings and parents, which I quickly began to absorb and pick up on. I always liked the idea of having an eclectic ear, down for anything that sounded good to me. In middle school, I started playing trumpet in the beginning band. I got pretty solid after a couple years but wasn’t sure I would continue. My high school had a great music program, though, and soon I was hooked on being a musician. I also began working up my chops as a producer with the audio software FL Studio, making little beats and demos as I found my way around. Most importantly, I met my friend Ava, who is now a professional stage actress in Chicago with an incredible set of pipes. Her grandparents, Ed and Judy, had been a mainstay of the local music scene for decades, and Ava started gigging out with them when she was still just a kid. She saw something in me I only half-believed was there. Soon, I was singing and playing with them nearly every Saturday night at a local piano bar called Jim’s. The opportunity to pick up secondary instruments and cut my teeth performing in a professional setting was invaluable, and it gave me confidence and a drive to continue pursuing music. At 18, I moved down to Nashville and began studying at Belmont shortly after the onset of the pandemic, which was as fascinating as it was terrifying. During my time, I had the opportunity to record, produce, write, and play inside and out of school, meeting amazing and like-minded musicians, engineers, and folks involving themselves in all corners of the industry. That leaves me where I am today: still playing live and recording gigs, producing songs for others, working on music of my own, honing my skills and looking for more talented people to work with.
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?
I’ve had a great deal of support just to get as far as I have. Peers and mentors alike have believed in what I do enough to keep me pushing on my journey and/or include me in theirs. Nashville has a vibrant music scene with innumerable talented folks to work with; it’s also a very competitive city and industry. It takes time and tenacity to build a career in music, and still, the odds are unforgiving. The freelancing aspect demands a lot of business consideration, self-advocacy, and social proactivity. For me, at least, it has taken a lot of getting over myself and out of my head. Like most creatives, my sense of identity and self-worth is closely tied to my work. There are plenty of slow months, and it’s hard to feel like the work I put in is worthwhile when it isn’t immediately rewarding. It’s a blessing and a curse that I never really saw myself doing anything else. I think I’m getting through the worst of the post-grad slump now, shaking the feeling that I’m not going to get where I want to be, allowing time to pass, and always improving at what I do.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m best known as a trumpet for hire, but my versatility beyond that sets me apart as a valuable asset. In addition to the trumpet, I have experience on guitar, piano, and vocals in live and studio settings. I also write, produce and mix records, compose and orchestrate for up to a full string orchestra, arrange horns or other music charts for groups, score visual media… I can really fit wherever I’m needed. An open-minded approach helps me understand the conventions of pop, rock, jazz, rap, R&B, country, electronic, and more, but I’m happy to throw them out the window and think outside the box. I work with an attention to detail through which I hope to bring the best out of myself, those I work with, and of course, the music.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important thing I’ve learned so far is that there is no point at which you suddenly become validated in calling yourself an artist, a musician, a professional, whatever it is. It’s easy to feel unworthy of the title you aspire to, like there’s some level of success or notoriety you have to reach first. But there’s nothing gained in self-suppression. Music is a people business, as I’ve heard and experienced endlessly, and there are always people willing to help and get involved. You miss out on the opportunity to get people in your corner when you refuse to introduce yourself as an artist until you’re “ready.” Although it is a people business, there is a necessary personal and individual acceptance of yourself. If you’re doing the work, you’re already there.
Pricing:
- $100 flat rate for trumpet recording sessions, $75 for each additional song
- $350 per song producer rate
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacob11boyer?igsh=amJteHBka2NlcWJl&utm_source=qr
- Other: [email protected]
