Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tommy Grasley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Tommy, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
I observe my surroundings. As a recording artist (singer, songwriter, producer) a lot of the time I am relying on all the things that are not said. This gives me the motivation I need to be creative. You know, it’s like the feeling of walking into a room and feeling the vibes before you even see anyone. I’m inspired by my experiences; the good, bad and downright horrible – I eventually see the silver lining in it all. Most importantly I have the ability to translate my feeling onto a page, and into a song. This also goes for my love of collaboration. I enjoy the spark of creativity. The bouncing off of ideas, and shaping the song. One idea creates another.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I grew up in a steel town in Canada. My musical journey started as a young boy drawing on the influence of a successful musically inspired family. This creativity inspired me to want to become a recording artist, singer, songwriter and producer. And although it came with tremendous struggles, as well as, those who were waiting for me to fail – as an optimist, I didn’t let anyone bring me down. I was willing to put in the hard work. TOMMYGUNN was born..
Being an artist isn’t easy so when I get a break after tons of rejection, I’m on cloud 9, if only for a brief moment. I’ve had the opportunity of collaborating with some of the best artists in Rock n’ Roll – Eddie Kramer (Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix …), Dale Harrison (Headstones), Greg Godovitz (Goddo); Kim DesChamps (Blue Rodeo), and more.
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?
The qualities, skills and experiences that most impacted my journey was in knowing that it had to start with me. No one else was going to build what I envisioned. This came with both having and learning how to:
Be Determined: Determination is a learned behaviour, a skill that you can get better over time. It’s easy to dive into self-pity and poor-me when things aren’t going your way, and yet if you stay focused you’ll win the day.
Build Momentum:
Effectively Collaborate: You don’t have to go it alone. I learned that I enjoy writing songs on my own, and collaborating with other artists for a collective spark of ideas.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I enjoy collaborating with other artists. I’ve had the opportunity of co-writing songs with Greg Godovitz (GODDO), Fernando Perdomo (Echo in the Canyon), as an example. I co-produced my new album CALIFORNIA WAY with grammy winner Mikal Blue (Revolver Recordings). My collaborations are with artists from all genres. Working with other professionals enhances my creativity and sparks new ideas.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sociatap.com/TOMMYGUNN/
- Instagram: @TOMMYGUNNLOVE
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TommyGunnHound
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5_LgTjDgc1zKgX3EgkPTQ
- SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5eGHKru9VD6Mh6cmS8ojgi?si=9dOPtYioSGOjIShWX54bxA
Image Credits
The last Photos (Blue/black) and the black/white of TOMMYGUNN by Photographer: Donald Gadziola
