Meet Nate Ruvin

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

Hi Nate, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?

My lifelong friend/collaborator, Charlie Herrenbruck, and I have this little mantra we’ve been repeating to each other for decades: ‘If you believe it, you’ll see it.’ It sounds like something on a coffee mug, I know, but it’s stuck with us for a reason. It’s really just a quiet way of telling ourselves: trust the vision in your head, stay open to opportunities you can’t yet see, and be unrelenting in your perseverance until the dream has become a reality. It’s about giving yourself permission to dream, to wish, to try, even when the path isn’t obvious.

We were convinced (perhaps naively) that we could learn to play music and hold our own on stage. Before we knew it, we were juggling multiple bands, playing shows at festivals and beloved local venues, both large and small. We had the wild idea that we could figure out producing and engineering music too. Again, we just dove in headfirst. Through many late nights, lots of trial and error, and even our fair share of mistakes, we built a busy studio business—which still continues today in Milwaukee—recording some of the biggest acts from the Midwest.

These days, when I wake up in my new home in California, I repeat the same silly mantra to myself every morning. Now I’m lucky enough to work alongside the very people whose records made me want to do this in the first place. It’s been a rewarding, yet admittedly risky journey. Giving more attention to our band rehearsals than schoolwork was a risk. Starting the studio, fresh out of high school, was a risk. Packing up and moving across the country in my mid-20s has certainly been a risk. But that little phrase keeps pulling me forward: ‘If you believe it, you’ll see it.’ So far, it hasn’t steered me wrong.

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?

I’m an LA-based Songwriter, Producer, and Musician originally from Milwaukee WI. In a variety of roles, I’ve had the privilege of working with/for a wide array of artists including present and past members of The Beach Boys, Larry Dvoskin, Chicken P, KennyHoopla, The Girl and many others. Recently, I was tasked with co-producing the officially released version of the final song Phil Spector contributed to, “Crying For John Lennon” by Hargo. Another recent milestone was working on a yet-to-be released Barry Gibb recording.

I’m currently doing a lot of production and engineering at StudioLyfe in North Hollywood, with a variety of clients and collaborators. One of my favorite parts of my job is writing songs with/for others. There’s nothing I love more than being in a room with other songwriters and bringing a new song into the world, or hearing an incredible singer perform something I’d written for them. I’m always looking for new writers to work with. I believe ‘the more the merrier’ when it comes to writing sessions! I’ve worked on tracks that have had upwards of five writers! I love to see how different perspectives and ideas can shape a song.

I still enjoy performing live as well. I’ve been playing as a member of Christian Love’s band, with the remarkable group of musicians he’s put together. I still just adore being on that stage! I feel more like myself up there, than I do in most social settings. While many of my days and nights are spent in the studio, I hope to continue performing live as often as I can, with as many acts as possible.

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 first skill that comes to mind is to be a connector, or in other words, build relationships. When you look at the most successful people throughout history, in all different industries, they’re usually the type of people who build bridges and create community with a feeling of shared purpose. No one achieves the impossible by themselves. Steve Jobs needed Wozniak, and their team of tech wizards to create Apple. Walt Disney needed his brother Roy, and their Imagineers to create Disneyland. Brian Wilson needed his brothers and cousin to create The Beach Boys. To achieve greatness, one must be able to bring great people together.

But building relationships isn’t the end all be all. The second skill I’d highlight is *maintaining* those relationships. Most of us naturally gravitate towards building community. It’s in our DNA as human beings; we crave connection. But staying invested in all those individual relationships, being a good friend, a reliable collaborator, or a thoughtful mentor—that’s what truly sets people apart. I spend as much time nurturing existing relationships as I do forming new ones. Maintaining them looks different every day: sometimes it’s as simple as picking up the phone to check in, other times it’s opening doors so someone else can have new opportunities and experiences. My dear friend and collaborator Larry Dvoskin puts it perfectly: ‘The giving precedes the getting.’ If you focus on what you can give to someone rather than what you can take, maintaining those relationships feels completely natural.

The third skill I’d highlight is flexibility. Life throws curveballs constantly, and you have to roll with them. I can’t even begin to count the amount of life-changing moments I’ve had where everything hinged on being ready at a moment’s notice. One minute I’ll be walking my dog or running mundane errands, the next I’m getting a call to jump into a studio session or head to some incredible A-list event. If I weren’t flexible, I’d have missed so many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. It’s not uncommon for me to drop everything and race across town to a studio or venue for something I had no idea was happening five minutes prior. Flexibility is key.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

I’m thrilled to say that I wouldn’t want to spend my time any differently than I do right now. I feel incredibly blessed to have my wonderful wife Sophie, a supportive family who come out to visit me here in California, and such a wide range of musical opportunities and collaborators. I still love popping back to my studio in Milwaukee whenever I can, and I help out with sessions there remotely too. I enjoy getting up early, hitting the gym, and gearing up for a day full of sonic adventures and memory making.

In my career, I find endless fulfillment in creating, capturing, and performing music alongside some of the most talented people on the planet. I get just as much joy working with young, hungry ‘up-and-comers’ as I do working with certified legends whose songs we all know by heart.

When I’m not working, I love playing with my dog, taking long walks through beautiful Southern California, visiting theme parks and museums, reading, enjoying the occasional cigar, and most of all, spending time with loved ones. So honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m deeply grateful to do what I love in the greatest country in the world. All I can hope is that I continue to do right by the people who know and love me, and that anyone who hears my music has a brighter day because of it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hyperfollow.com/natearuvin
• Instagram: @nateruvin
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NateRuvin414
• Other: CRYING FOR JOHN LENNON PRESS RELEASE: https://pressparty.com/pg/newsdesk/PRolivia/view/490211/

  STUDIOLYFE WEBSITE: https://www.studiolyfe.com/

  Apple Music Portfolio: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/nate-ruvin-produced-engineered-and-or-written-by/pl.u-RRbVzm1I3GbPzRx

  Spotify Portfolio: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3BKocoS1wniJywybbilEb3?si=Tx2EZbcdTB6yx2YvduplUQ