Interview with Joshua Ingram
Joshua Ingram is a multi-genre musician.
Why did you want to do music professionally?
There are several reasons. One is that I've never enjoyed or been fulfilled by any other kind of work. It's truly a calling. Another is that I love how people can come together around music. It's the universal language. Being able to lead people into that community is very cool.
What inspires your music?
I get inspired by the life I live and the world I see around me. In my song, "Night In New Orleans" I tried to have the band sound like what Bourbon Street sounds like with notes flying in all directions. In my song "The Only Thing" the subject matter is loneliness so it's just me on the piano. No band, no background vocals, so it sounds lonely. The song ideas are inspired by the world around me, and I build the music to support those ideas.
What things get you in the mood to write songs or do lyrics come spontaneously?
I'm almost always in the mood to write, so I have to have a pen and paper nearby. There have been plenty of songs written on napkins, receipt paper, envelopes, or whatever I can find. Sometimes the lyrics just pop in my head and you'll see my desperate lunge for something to write them down with.
How do you want your music to affect people?
I always hope my music will make people feel. If it's a happy song, I hope it makes them feel happy. If it's sad, I hope they'll let themselves feel sad, especially if they're going through a hard time in their own life. If it's a song about being courageous enough to take a stand for something, I hope it will inspire them to take action.
Do you test out your songs before releasing them? How do you do this?
I almost always play a song live several times before I even record it. There are lots of ways a song matures on stage and I definitely don't want to have committed it to recording before then.
How do you prepare for a gig?
I play around six shows a week so there are some daily things, some weekly things, and some monthly. Every day I make sure the basics are covered: make sure the gear is ready, that I look my best, that my attitude is ready to perform for others. Weekly, I change guitar strings, take an inventory of anything damaged that needs to be replaced, send out the promotional material for the week, update all the calendars, return all the phone calls and emails. Monthly, I look down the calendar and imagine what the month is going to look like, feel like and what it will take from me to play those 24 shows.
What is your favorite song that you've written?
This is kind of like asking which is my favorite child. It's usually my newest song, so right now it's called "Better WIth You", but it's not out yet. My favorite release is "Look (Stacey's Song)" because it's my latest release. Maybe by the time this article is published I'll have a new one out.
Has there been a reaction to one of your songs that you've been surprised by?
I have another soon to be released song called "R.V." which I think is a little silly and campy, but people seem to really respond positively to it. That's surprising, but maybe people enjoy happy ditties more than I thought.
What are some ways that you promote yourself?
We use all forms of social media, and we have a website and send out a weekly email. We love when people buy our hats, t-shirts and Koozies. They wear the name around town. I also have a business card with a QR code on it. This will take a person to all of the streaming, social media, calendar, and merch store without them having to type in a web address.
What would you say has been the biggest challenge of your career?
The biggest challenge is not being envious of someone else's success. There are many different paths and purposes. Enjoying and appreciating mine without wanting what someone else has takes lots of discipline.
What have been your favorite places to tour?
I will always and forever love Louisiana. Their attitude toward music, food, and good-times make that place exactly where I want to be.
Are there advantages to being an independent musician?
There are many advantages and the biggest is ownership and control. No one is telling you what to do, so you have some autonomy. The flip side or challenges to that is that no one is paying for your record or the promotion of it. It makes making a living a little harder but I like getting to keep every dime I make and knowing I earned it myself.