Daily Inspiration: Meet Lucas John

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lucas John

Hi Lucas, 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?
Well I was born and raised in Williamsburg, Virginia. I always knew that I wanted to do music. I was just always so drawn to it. I’ve been singing since I can remember and I picked up the guitar when I was twelve. A few years later when I was going on 16 I got the opportunity to audition as a singer/guitar player at Busch Gardens, a well known theme park located in my hometown. For the next 3 years I was a singer and guitar player there and those years turned out to be pretty important for me as a musician. Little did I know all that time I spent at the park was a crash course preparing me for my move to Nashville. When I was a junior I went and toured MTSU and fell in love with the idea of pursuing the recording industry as a major. While I attended school there I was out on the road with bands playing shows all over the country and also started playing on Broadway around 2014. I had been writing songs with some incredible writers who had massive hits with folks like George Strait, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton and many others. Nashville really helped me learn how to write and to admire the art of crafting a song. Fast forward a few years and I got a call while I was singing on a cruise ship about a possible indie deal with a new label back in Nashville. I did end up signing the deal but COVID hit shortly afterwards and caused the whole thing to go under. I moved back home to Virginia for a few years to regroup and figure out what I was going to do. In late 2022 I got a call from my great friend, Frank Ray, who had signed a deal himself and was wanting to add a second guitar player to his band. So of course I said yes and moved back. I was on the road with Frank for a year and a half. In that time we were lucky enough to go on Old Dominion’s No Bad Vibes Tour in arenas through the US and Canada. We also played the Grand Ole Opry five times and got to open for a multitude of artists such as Jelly Roll, Bret Michaels, Chris Young and to be on some incredible festival lineups around the country. It was an amazing experience that I’m extremely grateful for. During my time with Frank I had some family losses that really made me think about getting off the road just to be more available and able to help out more when I could. So I got off the road with Frank in May of 2023 and I’ve been back to pursuing my own career since!

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?
There have definitely been some speed bumps along the way. There were many struggles! Most of mine I believe were internal. When you’re in Music City and have so many talented people living here, imposter syndrome can be a real thing that cripples you. Going around town again and again meeting with people trying to move to that next step and being rejected every time can mess with your head too. Losing a record deal when I thought that I was finally getting somewhere left me in a bad headspace for a year or two. This town is not easy and constantly evolving but that’s also a beautiful part of it all. As I’ve been in this town longer I have come to appreciate the rejections and the “no’s” because it allows me to let go of that lead and pursue something else.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I think what sets me apart from others is my ability to really work with a crowd. My opinion is if you can’t keep a crowd engaged and having a great time during the show, then what are you doing? The crowd is the entire key to your success. They buy the tickets to the show, they share your music, they follow you on social media. They are everything! So I have a large focus on creating the most fun and intimate environment at every show no matter how small or big the room is. They are the folks that listen to the music and go to the shows to escape from the hard times in their own lives. So I try and create that space for them and give them a hell of a performance every time. I want them to walk out the doors with some sort of memory that makes them smile from my show. I’m really lucky to have a band that supports that notion and helps me in creating the most fun experience for the folks at our shows.

How do you think about happiness?
Music has always made me happy. It’s what I said earlier, it’s an escape. It takes you somewhere where you can feel safe, or allows you the chance to work through emotions that maybe you’ve been having a hard time dealing with. Seeing a crowd having the time of their life also makes me super happy. It’s a privilege to bring that sort of joy to people you’ve never met before and have the opportunity to connect through a song. Being outside fishing on a lake or up in the mountains is another favorite thing of mine. Hearing nothing but the wind helps me recenter and get back to basics and feel human again. My family and my friends always make me happy. I’m super close with them and can hang up my musician hat and just be a good ole Virginia boy when I’m with them. My Mama is my biggest fan, Daddy is always cheering me on and my brother is always helping me keep my head up. I’m grateful to have an incredible woman in my life that supports me like crazy, makes me feel like I can accomplish anything and always keeps me laughing. She’s a light in my life. A good crisp cold beer is a close follow up to all of that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lucasjohn.bandzoogle.com/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucasjohnmusic