Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Kenton.
Hi Nicholas, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Very long story short: I grew up in a musical home. My parents were both professional musicians who traveled around the world with a group called the Continentals back in the 80’s and early 90’s. I was born in Denver Colorado and moved to Noblesville Indiana around 3 years old where I grew up. My parents bought my brother and I some toy First Act guitars when we were YOUNG. He never showed interest but I was hooked. I’d sit down and teach myself chords while watching Hannah Montana, day dreaming of being good enough to meet her. And then it just snowballed after that. I kept learning and getting better. Around 13 or 14 I started writing songs. I recorded my first EP in my friends basement. ( it worth a listen) lol. But it inspired me to start producing. I then bought the gear and taught myself how a DAW works and the tools in it. Recording local artists and bands. I made a lot of beats and wrote with artists back in Indiana. After highschool I started community college but after 1.5 months I quit going. Instead I’d go to a buddies place and make music on my laptop. Then I found blackbird academy on YouTube. Signed up and did that back in 2017-2018. Graduated and moved back to Indiana for a couple years before I got another opportunity to move back to Nashville. And that’s really where the journey starts. I worked at Gibson for 3.5 years. During my time there I started getting my name out into Nashville. My first client was Abbie Callahan. We worked together till she got her publishing deal a couple years ago. And from my work with her, it’s been a domino effect. I don’t advertise that I produce. I heavily rely on word of mouth and my work to get more clients and friends. I was fired from Gibson March 1st of 24. One of the best things to ever happen to me. And I’ve been full time in music since. First and foremost I am an artist and a songwriter. I love to perform and share my story with those who will listen and production, recording, mixing is my bread and butter. It’s how I pay the bills. I’m currently working with around 10 different artists. Whether that’s live performance or studio work.
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?
It has NOT been a smooth road. There’s been many months I didn’t know how I could pay my bills. There’s been times I’ve wanted to just quit pursuing it as a career and leave it as a passion project. But I just couldn’t ever bring myself to look for another job. The first two years as a full time independent songwriter, guitar player, producer was rough. My parents helped a lot. But now I’ve been consistently busy. And I couldn’t be more grateful. There’s a lot of other challenges too but the main ones are just the mental fight and stress about money.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As previously stated: I’m a songwriter, artist, musician, producer, engineer, mixing engineer, etc. only thing I don’t do is master music. It’s not my cup of tea and there’s people who do it way better than I do. I specialize in indie/folk/americana/traditional country/rock/metal/southern rock/blues. I’d say I’m most proud of what I’ve learned and how my workflow has changed over the years. I’m starting to really understand how I like to work and how to get the best possible result from the artists I work with. What sets me apart from others? Probably my stubbornness with not wanting to sound like Nashville or do things the way Nashville does. There’s thousands of producers that sound like Nashville. If you want that, go to them. I do my own thing. And frankly it’s garnered success for my clients and friends.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
YouTube! Gahahahaa I do a lot of research on YouTube. But the most important thing for me is trial and error. I want to make mistakes and learn from that
Pricing:
- Per project. Anywhere from $600-$1800
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicholaskenton.wav?igsh=YXl5ZXI3eTFoaXg5&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3UZwBYAo0ZpanhgLwBkHyT?si=xe7awDddQvyoMyk3WpTbPQ&pi=_ofAFHwaTcSGf
