Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Vasquez
Hi Joshua, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started playing guitar in 2006. At first it was just something I picked up because all the cool kids in class were doing it. After a while it became clearer and clearer that music was the direction life was pushing me in. In 2009 I attended San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts(SDSCPA). During my high school years there I honed my craft, branching out from my punk rock and blues roots into jazz. While there I ended up making friendships that have lasted to this day. I still play music with some of them quite regularly. in 2013 I graduated from SDSCPA and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Through their intense curriculum and esteemed faculty I deepened my knowledge of music and further sharpened my skills on my instrument. Much like my high school experience, I made connections there that have lasted to this day. After graduating in 2017 I moved back here to San Diego, playing various gigs around town and even some musicals at places like Coronado Playhouse and Moonlight Amphitheater in Vista. In 2019 I went on tour with touring tribute show, The Simon and Garfunkel Story. Since then I have been touring nearly yearly with the exception of 2020 and through my involvement with that show I landed my current gig as the guitarist and music director of another nationally touring tribute show, RESPECT, a tribute to Aretha Franklin.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road to success isn’t a straight line. Coming out of college finding work as a musician was tough at first since I had just spent 4 years in another town and hadn’t yet built a network of connections here. It’s also a very sporadic business at times. there are times in a year where I feel like all I do is work yet there are also times that I feel like I hardly work at all. 2020 was also a massive setback. Although I found ways to make it work. I ended up learning a lot about home recording and discovered a love for studio work that I didn’t know I had.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a full time guitarist. My work mostly consists of playing locally in SD and LA, studio work in both towns, musicals, and the occasional national tour. I would like to think I’m mostly known for my reliability. My clients can rest assured that if they hire me for a recording session, musical, or any gig, that I will come prepared and early. I would say versatility is what sets me apart from others. I like going down rabbit holes whenever I discover a new style of guitar playing that I like and because of that obsession, I can feel equally at home either on stage with a punk rock band as I feel if I was in a cafe playing acoustic pop.
What does success mean to you?
To me, success is when both of these qualities are present : 1. enjoying what I am doing 2. being able to support myself doing it. If only one of those things are there, I don’t believe I have “made it” yet.
Pricing:
- I usually quote $150 if contracted to record a single song(depending on difficulty)
- To record a whole album requires more detailed negotiation
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.joshvasquezmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshvasquezguitar/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr#
Image Credits
Vincent Bao
Carleigh Hyser
Kyle Bertrand
