Today we’d like to introduce you to Derek Frank.
Hi Derek, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Music was always the most important part of my life. Growing up in small-town Illinois, telling people that I was going to work in the music industry was one of my biggest hurdles. I was always faced with the question “What else are you going to do to make a living?” For me, doing something else was never an option. I put all of my time and energy into working in music in some way. I went to Eastern Illinois University as a music major. While there, I worked at a local music store teaching lessons and working on the sales floor, and it gave me more insight on how the retail side of the music industry worked. Fast forward to moving to Nashville, I was desperate to get a job in the music industry other than just playing music. After being in town for a year, I got the opportunity to help open the Nashville School of Rock and served as the General Manager for 3 years. Not only did I get to work with amazing teachers and students, but I also got to meet a lot of people who worked in the music industry. Those contacts eventually lead me to my current gig as an Artist Relations Manager for KHS America. KHSA is responsible for numerous music instrument brands. I personally do Artist Relations for Hohner, Lanikai Ukuleles, Hercules Stands, and H. Jimenez String Instruments. It is a great feeling to work for a legacy brand like Hohner and then also with a young brand like Lanikai Ukuleles, which I got to build the artist roster from the ground up.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The music industry is never smooth. It has been a great journey and I learned so much, but it has not been easy. People are always envious of the roles I have had in the music industry, but they don’t see the struggles of what these roles bring. In general, the music industry’s pay scale is lower than many other industries. I think if I put in the work that I have in most other industries, I would be a wealthy man. Long hours, late-night concerts and parties that you don’t always want to be at, and a lot of time to claw your way to a better spot are the norm. There is a tradeoff though. Being able to work in a field you love is an additional payment that you don’t see on a check stub. Having a fulfilling career is what gives me purpose, and that is something that money can’t buy.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Although I work in a corporate structure, being an artist has always been my driving force. I toured professionally as my full-time gig until I got burnt out and decided to go back to the “desk” job. I knew if I was going to work in the music industry, I still had to do something that utilized my creative side. That is why Artist Relations was a perfect fit. I use my knowledge of what it was like to be an artist to relate to the artists I work with and translate their needs and wants to the company I work for, but on the flip side, I can communicate the company’s goals and needs to the artist to make it a mutually beneficial relationship. I am also big into using artist to drive our company’s digital marketing presence. That is a full-time job in itself. I use my artist creative mind to help build up the reach and impact of the artists on our roster, which has been incredibly successful, especially in the past 2 years.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My family deserves so much credit! My parents have been more supportive than any parent of a musician would have been without being stage parents. The hours and miles they invested into making my dream a reality is overwhelming, and then never once complained about it and they especially didn’t force me to do it, which was so important. My wife probably deserves the most credit though. If it wasn’t for her, I would have never moved to Nashville. I talked a big talk, but I was very comfortable being the big fish in a small pond. She pushed me to make the move and try to live my dream, even if that meant we would fail and I would have to return home with my tail between my legs. She knew that the regret of never trying would have been worse than having tried and failed.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: thederekfrank.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/thederekfrank
- Facebook: facebook.com/thederekfrank
- Twitter: twitter.com/thederekfrank
- Youtube: youtube.com/c/thederekfrank
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/thederekfrank
