Meet Ron Sorbo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron Sorbo.

Hi Ron, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In 1982, my wife Carol and I got married and, five days later, moved to Nashville, not really knowing anyone. While we didn’t hear a voice from God saying “move to Nashville…play tom-tom”, we sensed in our spirits that this was the right place to start out our lives together. I was wanting to get into the music world and Nashville seemed a reasonable place to do so. And we have never looked back. Even though there have been some challenging times, the rewarding moments and blessings far outweigh the difficulties. Carol has been a constant source of encouragement thru the ups and downs of the music business.

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?
No, not smooth. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. While Nashville has many opportunities for musicians (as compared to most other cities), there are many more great musicians here than in other places so the competition is fierce. My main instrument is percussion. While there may be a guitar on just about every session here, there may not be percussion so there are fewer opportunities for what I do. Being self employed, there are times when you work and times when you don’t. How you navigate those down times is very important. Although I came to Nashville as a percussionist, I also play the piano. As a kid my parents made me take piano lessons and I hated every note. All I wanted was drums, drums and more drums. When I went to college I had to take piano and realized that I was learning during those childhood years of piano lessons. To make more opportunities for myself during downtimes, about 15 years ago, with the advancement of computer technology, I decided to try my hand at composing. Using my percussion and keyboard skills I have composed hundreds of cues that are used on many cable TV shows.

We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you specialize in? What are you most proud of?
As a musician, I compose and play percussion. Live playing would include many shows at TPAC and the Nashville Symphony, small clubs to Bonnaroo. I also have played many recording sessions here in Nashville for unknown artists just starting out to famous, household-name stars.

As a composer, my work can be heard on many media outlets including A&E, Animal Planet, Bravo, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, E!, History Channel, MSNBC, MTV, NBC, SCI-FI, Style and truTV.

The world of percussion instruments is so broad and interesting that I don’t want to really specialize in any one area. I play everything from steel pan to timpani, xylophone to waterphone.

Most proud of?? A difficult question. I feel that anything I am is a result of other people pouring their resources into me from childhood up to now. I don’t pay attention to pride. How about the most rewarding? There was an audience of one for what I am about to describe. I’ve been a hospice volunteer for many years. I went to the house of a patient who had a piano in the living room and I played his piano for him. He passed a few days later. Afterwards, I received a note from his nurse saying how much he appreciated the music.

I’ve learned over the years that it’s not what you get, it’s what you give.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Moving to Nashville while not knowing a soul was a bit of a risk. But with the help of God and my wife it has turned out fine.

When I first started to compose there was financial risk involved. I had to purchase a lot of gear. Would it pay for itself? It has but there are no guarantees.

There will always be pain in life. Either the pain/risk of doing something or the pain/risk of not doing something.

I’ve got this saying on my wall:

Marriage is difficult. Divorce is difficult. Choose your difficult.
Obesity is difficult. Being fit is difficult. Choose your difficult.
Being in debt is difficult. Being financially disciplined is difficult. Choose your difficult.
Communication is difficult. Not communicating is difficult. Choose your difficult.
Life will never be easy. It will always be difficult. But we can choose our difficulties. Pick wisely.

Contact Info:

• Email: rhsorbo@gmail.com
• Website: www.ronsorbo.com
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70z-5eVTYbY
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/rhsorbo/sets/ron-sorbo