Today we’d like to introduce you to Bo Aleman.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us how you got started?
Since I can remember, music has always been important to me. My mom was a big part of that, not so much my dad, though. She always had the radio on, so I grew up in the late 90s/00s country & rock. Travis Tritt, Alan Jackson, Counting Crowes, Matchbox 20, and my favorite Jeff Buckley were always on. My mom loves to tell the story that when she would be driving, she would look back in the rearview mirror and see me in my car seat trying to sing along to the music.
When I was 8 I asked for a drum kit, and I have no idea why! Probably because my neighbor, Kaden, had a guitar, and my other neighbor, Zack, could sing. I liked drums a lot, but I just didn’t love them. When I was 10 I tried to pick up the guitar, but It didn’t click, I loved guitar, but I couldn’t stick with it. You couldn’t get me out of my room for anything! The summer I turned 12 I picked up the guitar again, and everything changed. I don’t know why.
The first song I ever learned was 3 am by Matchbox 20, a damn good song! That summer was a good one! I learned to play guitar, got my first girlfriend and first kiss! As I got into playing, I got into Kenny Wayne Sheppard. He was my first guitar hero. I wore out his first record. When I turned 15 I started playing in the church band. I had no idea how important practice would be for the future. Every week I had to learn new songs and perform in front of a crowd.
During that time, too, I got into some heavier music, mainstream heavy rock like Seether and Breaking Benjamin. A big game-changer was when they were at a school concert, and this older band played. I thought they were the coolest. They played this genre I had never heard of, Indie/emo, and I remember thinking, “I wanna be in a band just like that.” Two years later, the lead singer of that band, Chad, started working as my church’s worship leader. His band started falling apart, and we started a band. I was now in a band “just like that.” We found a drummer, Sean, my coworker, and a bass player, Shane, a random geek squad employee. We were the best of friends. Over the next couple of years, we made an album and played it all over Louisiana. It was a fantastic time. Emo music was very important to me at that time.
When I turned 19, I realized I wanted to do this whole time, and they didn’t. Around that time, my church worship leader, Chris Coleman, told me that if I wanted to play music full time, I needed to move to Nashville or LA. After that conversation, I told myself a year from now, I would be in Nashville, and I was. It was tough for many reasons I won’t get into, but it was undoubtedly the hardest decision I have had to make thus far.
Nashville Kicked my ass! Everyone is just SO much better. I always heard that, but you don’t understand how good until you move there. Being around, so many great guitar players is what helped me to progress. I had to keep up, or I wouldn’t get gigs. I also got into music, which helped me become a better guitar player. Music like Tom Petty, The Allman Brothers, the Grateful Dead, Derek trucks, traditional country, and much more. Those bands help me find my sound as a creator.
I still feel very new to Nashville, but I’m excited about the future. Right now, I play for a guy named JD Clayton. It’s exactly what I want to be doing and the music I always dreamed of playing. It’s country, and it’s rock ‘n’ roll, it’s funky, it’s jammy, with still being based around great songwriting.
Let’s see where this ends up!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
I touched on it on the previous page, but it was how much better everyone was. And also had to meet new people and make my way into a music scene I wasn’t familiar with
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I feel like I specialize in Americana, Country, and rock-n-roll guitar playing. What I am most proud of is that I always wanted my sound. I know many guitar players who want to sound exactly like their hero and do, which I cool. If that’s all you want to do, I never wanted that. I feel like I have created a specific sound for myself.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting?
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
Practice theory, scales, metronome work, and also more practice.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @bo.aleman
