Meet Derek Stoner

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Derek Stoner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Derek, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

For me, creativity through songwriting is a process that is always changing and flowing. I really try to capitalize on the moments/periods of time that my brain seems to be searching for that phrase or story and I make it a point to exhaust the prolific moments, thoughts, and ideas that arise during that process. However, during the times where my creativity seems to have taken a hiatus, I switch from creative mode to refinement mode.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I was born and raised in the small farming community of Craig, MO located in NW Missouri. I grew up hunting and fishing during my younger years. I met and married my high school sweetheart in Craig and remain married to her this day 25 years later. We have 3 wonderful children that are all raised at this point. I joined the U.S. Army National Guard in 1997 and remained until 2002. After the attack on the twin towers on 9/11 I joined Active Duty and was shipped to Fort Benning, GA for Infantryman and Airborne training. Upon completion of this training, I volunteered to attend the Special Forces Selection and Assessment program at Fort Bragg, NC and was successful in the endeavor. I graduated the Special Forces Qualification Course and reported Fort Campbell, KY in July of 2004. I went on to retire in 2022 from the Special Forces. I deployed to the Middle East 16 times during my career in the Army. Since retirement, I have been actively playing live music and recording music in Nashville, TN and wherever the endeavor takes me.

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?

Drive, morality and faith.

Without these 3 principles I would be unsuccessful in my journeys in life. You must have the drive to get up each and every day in order to continue to march in a direction that seems to never end to a place that doesn’t seem to want you. You must be ethically geared to leave a good path and history behind you on this trail and ultimately you have to believe in what you are doing and know deep down that you are going to be successful in the end.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

The seemingly never ending challenge for a new artist is figuring out how to get your music out into the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: Derek Stoner Music
• Facebook: Derek Stoner Music
• Youtube: Derek Stoner Music
• Other: Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music etc.Derek Stoner