We recently connected with Oscar Jesús Bugarin and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Oscar Jesús with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
For myself, a lot of my work ethic and drive was fueled by my time in the Army. I would say that it was also inherited, I come from a long line of hard working Mexican men and women. I loathe quitting when you’re close to success, I love the reward of pushing through the barrier in your mind. The Army taught me to ignore that warning and wining your body or mind tells you when it gets tired or it gets hard, I found out that’s just the first “wall” of many, but it’s not really a wall to me. It’s a post, to tell me how far I’ve gone, like a marker on the trail then it’s just a game to break my record. It starts to become fun. Sure, that theory doesn’t necessarily unlock infinite energy, but you change the way you label the “wall”. Now that I devote most of my energy to music, it’s not really “work”.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
As I write this I’m on a plane to Frankfurt, DE. Starting a tour through Europe. The last time I flew into Germany it was a layover to Iraq and Kuwait. I was a very young man, a boy really, heading into my first combat zone as vehicle recovery operator. This tour, I’m carrying a couple guitars instead of an M4. Needless to say, I’m much more happier to be in this position. It’s been over 6 years now since I was honorably discharged and officially started my music career. in LA, but 2024 has brought about a lot of new open doors and some needed change in my music. I’ve been playing all my life, coming from a family of musicians, but I never wanted to step into the music business. However , after my stint in the Army, I felt that there’s no better life for me, especially after gambling with said life two too many times. It only stoked my fire even more until there was nothing could hold me back from making music. 3 years after I exited the Army, I had the opportunity to record release my music completely analog! A dream come true for me. Today I’m constantly working as a musician and able to do so because of my service, and even more grateful to do so with my life. I only hope now to continue to out-do myself and show the world what I was meant to do in this world.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
First of all, I have an amazing grandfather named Dan, (aka Dan-the-man Sanchez). Most of my early memories are of that man sharing the wisdom of his successes and failures. His most popular quote, handed down from his uncle, “Life is what you make it”. That my friends is my family’s own version of a proverb or a Veda. I found out, after my 30 some years now, that there’s no fallacy there. Our lives are really just a series of events brought on by our choices, in America more than everywhere else, I think. Second, we’re all on this rock together by a series of mysteries circumstances unbeknownst to us, NO ONE is better due to the color of their skin, background, pedigree, or religion – the whole world is just doing the best we can with what we’re given. So, follow the golden rule, “do unto others”, treat everybody like you would treat you. As Bradley Nowell so eloquently put it, “Try and test that, you’re bound to get served”. Third, life is a never ending lesson. If you think you’ve learned it all, spoiler alert, you haven’t. Never stop searching, never stop asking questions, and never think you’re smart enough to know everything. One human can not possibly learn everything, or more than anyone else in history, in one lifetime. Have a little humility, even if you are the smartest person in the world, I highly doubt anyone is, that sounds lonely to me. It’s more fun and less defeating when you know there’s an endless amount of mystery and knowledge in a finite, human life. So enjoy the good times when they come, enjoy the hard times they can only make you stronger if push yourself through them with everything that you are, soak up your life – the good and the bad is all just part of the same great story that is your life. It’s the pendulum swing of nature. This has all helped me understand life, and therefore interpret life through my art, n my humble opinion.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
A lot of my growth in the past 12 months have been mostly personal. I’ve been wanting to pay homage and respect in remembering where my talent comes from. My dad is a self taught musician like his brother, but our family history stopped with my grandfather Octaviano Bugarin. My moms side however has documented history of musicians, it’s the family business. My great grandmother and grandfather were both musicians, and my great grandmother’s side had a family band that would play for the local gatherings of field workers who followed the crops up and down the 126 from Ventura to Santa Paula. It’s helped me remember that I don’t need to prove anything to anybody or prove that I’m a musician, I was born into it. That’s unlocked a lot confidence in myself and my craft, and I feel like it’s starting to open up more doors for myself. So thank you to my ancestors for what I am now.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/ojb?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaaCYk318Z-enPyRKnmVgslGoUpt0hf9ivqD7Il0GSDB0FKHUcfaUyhprlc_aem_RvbaxFuRdScqRrsszqQ3HA
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar_jesus_bugarin
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@CallingCadenceofficial?sub_confirmation=1
- Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/calling-cadence/1579890982
Image Credits
Michelle Shiers
Family images are of
Chavello Sanchez (great grandfather in black)
Cervantes family band (family of 5 including great grandmother)
Oscar Bugarin Sr (on keys)
Dan Sanchez (grandfather)
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
