Today we’d like to introduce you to Jess Bush.
Hi Jess, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Music is in my blood…I can trace it back to the 18th century when my ancestors were composers, hymnwriters, organists, etc. My grandad played the piano beautifully and my dad does as well. My parents signed me up for piano lessons at age 7 and it stuck. After a childhood of those lessons plus orchestra, dance, and musical theatre I decided to minor in music, just for fun. However it wasn’t until a few years after college when I moved in with a guitarist roommate (hey Dan if you’re reading this!) that I learned what it meant to jam with a band and play real gigs. Now I’m a singer-songwriter, a session musician, and a hired gun for bands that want keys/vocals….it’s been a wild ride!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Speaking of wild rides…I’d say yes and no. Music is TOUGH, but I try to zoom out and remember that are much, much more brutal jobs out there. In another life I could have been sewing buttons in a grimy factory or doing manual labor in the hot sun for $3 an hour. There is a lot of rejection in music, we’re often underpaid, and the gig grind is genuinely exhausting, but at the end of the day, I get to do something I love, and that is a huge blessing.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Musical ability is obviously important, but I honestly think I’m more proud of my reputation and my work ethic. I swear I get most of my work because I’m punctual, reliable, and easy to get along with. When I’m playing for other people I learn quickly and I take feedback well. There are some truly exceptional prodigious musicians out there who get away with bad behavior because they’re just THAT good (or THAT famous)…but it’s a select few. I’m pretty good at letting it go if I hit a wrong note or my voice cracks, but the idea of being perceived as unprofessional or difficult terrifies me.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I just read “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron as part of an online writing class led by Grammy-winning songwriter Bonnie Bishop and it definitely changed my trajectory as an artist forever. We also read “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield and that book blew me away as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jessbushmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessbushmusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCp5OVlyMtFGgVxkbXGUBfw
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6PqjkAaMEXT9HalDowF3cC?si=yyZv1u1xQMysDirTW1DFrw&nd=1&dlsi=785a76f91e6542d7
Image Credits
Walt Hanson, Kris Simeon, Perry Norton
