We recently had the chance to connect with Vince Wilcox and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Vince, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
There is profound wisdom in J.R.R. Tolkien’s mysterious poem about Aragorn from “The Fellowship of the Ring”:
“All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither, The frost does not reach deep roots.”
It’s tempting for me to evaluate my life based on wealth or achievements. In my nearly 70 years, I would argue that a life well-lived is better measured by process rather than solely by productivity. “Who am I becoming?” rather than just “What am I doing?”
Looking back on my seasons of wandering, I realize they were essential in helping me sense who I want to be and, subsequently, what I want to do. Right now, in my retirement, I’m walking a path characterized by making new memories with my family, seeing parts of the world we’ve never traveled, and finding joy in performing live music. There’s no time for wandering right now!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’d be happy to. I recently retired from more than four decades of working in virtually all aspects of the Nashville music business. My wife and I moved here in 1979 so that she could complete her undergraduate degree at Trevecca Nazarene College (now University). Enamored with the music business, I found an entry-level position at a prominent record label, working first in their warehouse and then in customer service and sales. I literally learned the music business from the ground up, eventually becoming vice president of marketing, responsible for the team that promoted more than 100 new album releases each year.
My own love for writing and performing eventually convinced me to take what I’d learned about the industry and venture out as a recording artist. I released two nationally distributed CDs and toured more than 100 dates a year for five years, earning four #1 Christian Country radio singles and earning “New Artist of the Year” in that genre with my musical duo partner, Don Pardoe. Wanting to be home more, I stepped back into the business side of music as vice president of sales for Provident Music Distribution, which is now SONY’s faith-based label. Following my tenure there, I left to start a successful artist and tour management company with my friend and colleague, Troy VanLiere. Seven years later, I wound down that business to go to law school to become an entertainment attorney. After passing the bar, I practiced law for 13 years, while also teaching music business and pre-law at Trevecca Nazarene University for eight of those years. Along the way, I wrote and published two books, “How to Make a Living in the Music Business” and “Introduction to Music Business Law,” both of which are available in paperback and audiobook formats through Amazon.
In the spring of 2024, I joined my wife in retirement, but I am as busy as ever. My main hobby is performing acoustic covers of beloved folk, rock, pop, and country hits from the 50s, 60s, and 70s (www.acousticfavorites.com) at local senior communities and for area events. My wife and I also travel regularly and spend time with our adult children and grandchildren.
Looking back, I believe that my success in the music business has been due to an insatiable curiosity about how things work, the discipline to master the knowledge and skills required for competence, and a desire to honor God and serve others with my efforts. As important, I was blessed with terrific mentors and a spouse who supported my evolving career.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The year after we married, my wife and I moved to Nashville so that she could complete her undergraduate degree. I began working at a record label, starting in the warehouse and eventually moving up to customer service and sales. Evenings and weekends, I worked on my own music, hoping to be “discovered.”
To my disappointment, no doors opened. Discouraged, we decided to move home to Virginia after she graduated. While there, I received an invitation from a chaplain to sing at the Suffolk City Jail. I’d sing a couple of inspirational songs, and then he’d share a short message to the ten men in that cellblock. Then, we’d move on to another cellblock to sing and speak to another ten men. One cellblock at a time, we made our way through the facility. In one cellblock, I mentioned that I had made a run at music success in Nashville, hoping to sing before thousands, but that hadn’t materialized. After we wrapped up there, one of the incarcerated men motioned me over and said, “Brother, I believe you WILL sing to thousands. It may be ten at a time, but the Lord will give you the opportunity to sing to thousands.”
I thought long and hard about what that inmate said. He had challenged my definition of success. I had believed that success in the music business meant selling millions of records and singing to thousands of people; when, for me, success could simply mean using the talents the Lord gave me to serve the people he put before me. That realization transformed me.
Since that encounter, I have tried to define success as being faithful. Fame and fortune may or may not be by-products, but they are no longer the goal. That moment changed my outlook and my priorities. To my surprise, a few years later, I was invited back to Nashville to work for that same label in sales and marketing, and several years after that, they signed me to a publishing and recording contract. Over time, I heard my songs on the radio, and we performed hundreds of dates to thousands of people. We didn’t get rich, but the Lord took care of our families while we sang and played our music.
Today, I’m retired and don’t need to make a living with my music. That being said, I still derive great satisfaction from faithfully using my musical talents to bring joy to folks in our community.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
As a “Type A” personality, I’m constantly analyzing every scenario to avoid problems and pursue the best outcome. While this isn’t always a bad thing, this tendency often tempts me to be hypervigilant, anxious, and obsessive. It also leads me to live under the delusion that I can control all the variables, when in reality, this is God’s province.
Looking back over almost 70 years, I would encourage my younger self to embrace the ambiguity of circumstances that I can’t readily control and to trust that God has my best interests at heart. Rather than being anxious, I would encourage myself to “enjoy the ride” and to anticipate that, looking back, all of this will make sense.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I may have answered this question in the lines of a song I wrote a while back called “Famous Last Words”:
When they ask you what I stood for, I hope you tell them true–
I tried to practice what I preached and share the grace I knew
But if you’re still wonderin’ what to say at my eulogy,
Here’s my sage advice about life’s priorities:
Play guitar. Get a dog.
Read the Bible every morning. Occasionally jog.
Fall in love with your best friend.
Don’t miss a chance to kiss ‘cause you won’t be this young again.
Leave your world a better place.
Being kind is so much finer than being clever any day.
Hug your mom and your dad.
Be grateful for today, ‘cause this moment’s all you have.
Be grateful for this moment, ‘cause today is all we have.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Great question! I’ll be 69 years old this Spring. That means I’m older than 90% of the world’s population. THAT’S CRAZY! Although I’m in good health and have a positive family medical history, I appreciate that this day is truly all I have. I’m generally not a procrastinator and typically would immediately stop doing anything that would diminish my health and well-being or that of my family and friends. Today is the best day to make any change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vincewilcoxmusic.com
