We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andrew Wesley Carter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andrew Wesley below.
Hi Andrew Wesley, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I can remember the day that purpose first grabbed ahold of me. I was still a little kid and had no idea what a word like purpose even meant. What I did discover, though, was how natural the language of music sounded to my ears. And even more importantly, how it made me feel. That idiom was in the house daily from my earliest memory. My mother always loved to sing and was in the high school and church choirs when she was younger. I remember her listening and singing along to all of her favorite artists throughout the day with my baby sister and yours’ truly in tow. I soon acquired quite a taste for Barbra Streisand, Andy Williams, Stevie Wonder, Olivia Newton-John, Peter Paul and Mary, and even Al Jolson. There was always a song in the background. But there is one particular day I still remember so vividly. I was a mere 7 years old and had just acquired a portable record player; one of those classic square boxes wrapped in tolex with the plastic handle for carrying. It had a red base with a white lid and a beaming image of the happiest mouse on earth on top. I had already started listening to a few children’s story records on that thing, the ones where Tinkerbell would “ring her bell like this”. If you are a Gen Xer you likely know exactly what I’m talking about. On this particular day, however, I had stumbled upon my dad’s collection of 7″ vinyl. My first look at that yellow ATCO label with the bright red lips and that massive red tongue printed on it was quite a trip for a young 2nd grader. A few minutes later and the iconic horn blasts of The Stones’ classic song Bitch were filling up my bedroom. My life changed in that moment. Feeling that intensely celebratory sound just moved me unlike anything. It was very clear in that moment, even at such an extremely young age, that music was going to be my everything. Other amazing diamonds in that stack I found included Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock”, Steely Dan’s “Do It Again” and Santana’s “Black Magic Woman”. I’m guessing my mom wasn’t too keen on the “Bitch” find , though, and I’m certain pops got a scolding for leaving THAT one out for little Andy to discover. But I sure am glad he did !!! Before long I was collecting my parent’s coin change and saving til that magic 88 cents would finally be there; the cost of a 45 in 1979. My mom would then drive me to Tower Records to buy the hottest new hit on the airwaves. Up until about 6th grade I could be found all the time playing disc jockey in my bedroom with a collection of vinyl that was quickly growing. Throughout this period I was also taking it upon myself to create dance and singing groups with any neighborhood kids who had the nerve to join. I would almost always be the choreographer and main singer of such outfits, as my record collection and general knowledge of music had already far surpassed my 8 yr old peers. We would have regular backyard “concerts” for the neighborhood with us kids just dancing our asses off and singing along to the recordings. Songs from the insanely popular Grease soundtrack were staples of these “shows”.
I picked up my first instrument, the trombone, at age 11. My parents thought it was a pretty random choice but It was the last instrument left at school and I really wanted to join the beginner concert band. Over the next 6 or 7 years I would go onto learn a handful of other musical instruments including the piano and guitar. I even took a tuba and a flute home from school when I was in the 8th grade just to get familiar with them. Both mom and dad deserve plenty of credit as they were very pro-active, seeking out amazing private instructors as well as bringing an upright piano into the home when I was 12. The difference between playing a single note melody on the bone and being able to play a half dozen notes all at once on a keyboard was what I imagine seeing a movie in color for the first time must’ve felt like.
Fast forward to my early 20s and I found myself slugging it out on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood with other like minded dreamers, finally landing a recording contract with Elektra Records just after my 24th birthday. My experience as a member of an Alternative rock band on a major label’s roster, however, did not bare the fruits I had hoped for and by the age of 27 I had dropped out of the scene with a sour taste of the cut throat hustle that commonly is the music biz. During the years that followed I would occasionally dip my foot into the music pool but the water just maintained a certain chill to it that kept me from committing the way I had previously.
I can’t tell you exactly when the final piece of the purpose puzzle revealed itself on my journey. I can tell you, though, that music has once again become the central focus of my life. Over the past decade or so I have become more immersed in it than I ever was in my youth. I currently perform professionally with many talented musicians in a myriad of scenarios and run a small recording/production space in Orange County. Whether it’s the wisdom of life experience or just plain dumb luck, this thing called music that I have been so passionate about at different times throughout my journey has ultimately illuminated what true purpose means at least for me. It has taken decades but now I know that the gift of music was simply a tool offered up so that I might see the writing on the wall. To affect another human in a transformative way… to put a smile on a child’s face… to inspire someone other than yourself to see the world in a different light… to simply celebrate life and to share that feeling of joy freely with others around you… THIS is what purpose feels like to me. I am beyond grateful for the gift of music; the most powerful tool I have ever known on this bold journey discovering my purpose.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I guess you could say I’m a man with quite a hat collection.
I run a small recording/production studio named echo in Orange County, CA. I have always been interested in the recording process but I really got the bug about 8 or 9 years ago. Over the years I have worked on everything from podcast post production to tv and radio commercial spots to full band productions from the ground up. Whether It’s engineering the recording of a drum kit with 14 microphones, or producing a vocal performance I love all of it. Lately, I have been logging in more and more hours as a mix engineer. It’s safe to say that mixing is currently what I am most excited about from a music production perspective. I have a natural tendency toward organization and an interest in the general order of things. I am one of those strange birds who actually took pleasure in working out proofs in Geometry class. Mixing music is so much more of a craft than an art form. I appreciate the opportunity to immerse myself in that side of music production so much. Performing music is a different animal all together.
As a player some might say I believe in open relationships. I perform with a handful of local artists namely Jameson Burt, Billy Kernkamp, and Tony Cardenas-Montana to name a few. Some as a keys guy, others on guitar or even trombone. I also enjoy occasionally sitting in or subbing with a few talented cover bands in Orange County. Allowing myself to migrate through different personnel and musical genres keeps me on my toes and the energy exciting.
I am a principle member of a corporate/wedding band called The Class ( theclassband.com ) . We play somewhere between 50 and 60 gigs a year throughout California and beyond. Last year’s highlight was a corporate event in the Florida Keys. This year, an amazing wedding gig in Mexico likely takes the top honors. Best part about playing music in The Class ? The band members are great friends of mine ! There’s nothing like working alongside friendly, talented, trustworthy like-minded people.
Music composition, particularly instrumental writing, has been a thread throughout my life as a musician. I can trace that back to my high school years, composing and scoring original pieces for the school orchestra. Becoming familiar with all the different instruments and colors, as well as understanding transcription, was a fascinating challenge as a teenager. I have recently signed with 21 South Music ( 21southmusic.com ) as a composer. They are a full service music production house for tv, commercial, and film. I am beyond excited to get cracking and land that first placement as a member of their team.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Contradiction is part of the creative process. Rules are guide rails and sometimes you plow through those rails with a Cheshire grin.
Talent means nothing without skill. I would be hard pressed to fully experience a fine Pinot Noir without a crystal Burgundy glass in tow.
Form relationships, maintain them and NEVER be afraid to ask for help. It takes a village !
I am far from perfect when it comes to implementing all of this as consistently as I would like to. But life is really an adventure in learning when it’s all said and done. You have your entire life to learn and there is really never a good enough reason or excuse to stop learning. So I will continue to heed the advice above that I ultimately took from someone else along my journey and happily pass it on to the next adventurer !
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
My childhood was not perfect, but who’s really is ? Does perfection even have a place in this three dimensional ocean we splash into as babies and basically have no choice but to keep swimming in ? I unfortunately only knew my natural father as somewhat of a long lost uncle. He left my mother when I was two and I only had sporadic visits with him over the years he was alive. Mom married my soon to be adopted Dad when I was three years old and their bond didn’t last past my seventeenth birthday. I suppose one could argue that this impacted me and who I might become as an adult. But I am going to focus on a more positive fact regarding my upbringing. Most important to me is remembering how dedicated and committed my parents were regarding my musical experiences as a youth. The moment they recognized my talent and passion for music they put the accelerator to the floorboard and gave all they could at the time. A snapshot of my life at fourteen is ample evidence…. I was attending a fine arts middle school getting dropped off at 7 am for orchestra rehearsal, only to be picked up just before dinnertime, after two hours of jazz big band rehearsal. One night a week was set aside for private piano lessons and another eve was slotted for private advanced trombone instruction. It was common for my mother to even wake me up before 6am so that I would have enough time to keep up on my piano studies. I was involved in many city and county wide performance groups at this time as well and my family never missed a single concert. They even supported my first garage rock band right around the same time. The impact of all that support was that I had the experience and courage to continue pursuing music on my own in my early adult years. I am forever grateful to my parents for realizing my gifts and empowering me to embark on a life journey through music. Thanks especially to my mom. She has and always will be my number one fan, this I am certain of…
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @drewrockmeamadeus
- Other: Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
Feature photo by Joe Lyman
