We were lucky to catch up with Michael Walker recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Michael, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
Growing up in a blue collar steel town outside of Philadelphia, I was surrounded by industrious people who shaped my view of the importance of hard work. My dad worked at the local power company and my mom stayed home to raise me and my three siblings. I had my first job at the age of nine working a paper route, followed by cutting lawns and giving guitar lessons in my teenage years. When my dad passed away from lymphoma when I was nine, I watched my mom struggle to meet ends as a single parent. When she passed away when I was eighteen, I was on my own and had to learn to support myself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
At the time my mom passed away, I was entirely focused on playing guitar with dreams of making a name for myself in the music industry. However, my brothers urged me to work alongside them in the construction business in order for me to pay my rent. I spent the next summer standing on the road turning a stop/slow sign, and it was then that I knew I had to follow my passion and somehow support myself through music.
I quit the construction job and got work at a music store selling guitars and giving lessons, which in turn led to another job testing amplifiers for a German company. In my twenties I moved to Florida to continue pursuing my music career while supporting myself with my lesson business. Along the way, I learned how to engineer and produce, which created additional income streams that allowed me to grow my business. Eventually I was able to build my own studio, Dreamwalker Music, and offer wraparound coaching and recording services to independent artists.
I love working with creative individuals and feel honored to be part of their music journeys. Along with teaching guitar, bass, drums and vocals, I also do a lot of co-writing with my artists as well as performance coaching and gig preparation. This is in addition to the recording and production side of our business. My wife works alongside me as a lyricist and music business educator, and we make a great team.
Most recently, after twenty-five years of working mostly behind the scenes, I’ve decided to dial back my work hours to focus more on my own artistry. My wife and I have a catalog of songs that we’ve written together and this past year I’ve released ten country songs under Michael Allen Walker. It’s never too late to pursue dreams!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three qualities that have been most impactful on my journey have been the discipline to practice my craft every day, my willingness to work long hours, and the perseverance to push through difficult situations.
My biggest piece of advice for folks entering the music business is to develop a strong skill set in more than one area. That way when one stream of income dries up you can fall back on something else. For example, during the pandemic those who depended on gigging as their sole source of income really struggled to make ends meet. If you’re early on in your music journey, challenge yourself to learn skills that can support your artistry, such as transcribing music, providing social media support, or creating digital artwork for single releases. There are so many opportunities to monetize!
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal client is someone with a genuine passion for music who wants to pursue their craft seriously. They don’t have to possess the most natural talent, but they have to be the hardest worker. They practice and challenge themselves to work on what they find most difficult, whether that be their instrument, songwriting, or vocals. They are willing to learn the business side of music as well as the creative side. They are humble and give credit where credit is due. They don’t expect to get famous or feel entitled to anything they haven’t earned. Above all, they are honest, transparent and have a good heart.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @michaelallenwalkermusic @dreamwalkerproductions
- Facebook: Michael Walker
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7vFB9Eq2f96yd5QcKtZaJQ?si=jaE7P7IRQYKZyebS0TnJ7A
Image Credits
Jeannie Albers (all photos)
