You’ve seemingly heard Kevin Griffin’s work, both by means of his work as frontman for the ’90s alt rockers Higher Than Ezra, or by means of different artists resembling Sugarland, Practice, and Taylor Swift. Griffin’s résumé continues to overflow with excessive factors, however at his profession’s lowest second, if he had not accepted the necessity for change, the music might have stopped completely.
Greater than three a long time for the reason that New Orleans-based band’s seminal album, “Deluxe,” with Kevin Griffin’s simply identifiable voice belting out notable alternatives resembling “Good,” “Rosealia,” and the band’s greatest hit, the 1996 basic “Desperately Wanting,” the 54-year-old has unfold his leisure experience even wider than his vocal vary. Griffin has developed into changing into a prolific songwriter, writing hit tunes together with Sugarland’s greatest hit, “Caught Like Glue,” and Practice’s “I Bought You.” He has additionally co-founded an annual music competition in Tennessee, the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Competition, which is heading towards its ninth season in September. As well as, the band’s hits have been re-recorded by numerous artists together with the 2010 rendition of “Breathless” by celebrity Taylor Swift.
He has additionally grow to be a extremely in-demand public speaker, sharing his tales of wrestle and success with Fortune 500 firms resembling Stay Nation, Disney, and Nike. His message is one in every of evolution as a path in direction of profession longevity, a theme he says is price sharing with related artists who’ve struggled to maneuver on from a momentary style of glory. The one drawback is finding them.”I don’t see them anymore as a result of they’re not doing music anymore,” Griffin says. “Most of them have stop. However I might say it’s not too late to make the most of the legacy you will have. You simply should get on the market now. Have a look at my profession for instance should you’re a musician or somebody my age.”
Kevin Griffin isn’t boasting about his present success; as an alternative, he’s lucky that his profession trajectory wasn’t heading towards changing into simply one other “No matter occurred to” rock’n’roll story, particularly after the band was dropped by Elektra Information in 2001.
So, with the intention to progress professionally, it meant that Griffin’s way of life needed to be modified drastically. “He gave up alcohol, began utilizing the Peloton, and surrounded himself with the individuals essential to take his music profession in a brand new course.
“My total profession has been a journey to evolve, and that every one occurred after we had been dropped,” Griffin says. “I used to be serious about leaving music as a profession. However I noticed, no, that is what I like to do, however I’ve to do one thing completely different now. So I started finding out producers and songwriters.”
Griffin’s skilled path has led him to changing into an creator. An English main at LSU up to now, Kevin Griffin simply launched “The Biggest Tune: Spark Creativity, Ignite Your Profession, and Remodel Your Life,” a loosely primarily based self-help fiction that revolves round a Nashville-based singer—just like him—struggling to jot down the right tune till he’s taught “the tactic.” Griffin says his model was impressed by the works of Bob Dylan and Ben Gibbard from Loss of life Cab for Cutie. The transition from songwriter to e book creator was an extended model of the routine he had been performing for the reason that ’90s.
“A e book is much more work—it’s an prolonged tune that I simply needed to rise up and do daily,” Griffin says of the method. “It was about getting my ass up and changing into very regimented—the objective was to jot down a minimum of 500 phrases a day. More often than not I did it, however there can be mornings I wouldn’t contact it. However being a songwriter ready me for what the e book can be about—it’s only a longer tune.”
Higher than Ezra is now again on tour, embarking on a U.S. tour with Practice that ought to have Kevin Griffin and firm performing all through the summer time months. He’s definitely up for it. Having been sober for greater than a decade, his routine, whether or not on the highway or in his Franklin, TN, kitchen features a every day smoothie consisting of greens, apples, avocado, banana and a scoop of Bulletproof chocolate collagen protein.
Earlier than hitting the weights and getting in some cardio work, the constant way of life sample has paid off in all areas of his life. “After I’m dwelling a sure approach, taking good care of myself bodily and mentally, I appeal to different individuals in my life who’re additionally that approach,” Kevin Griffin explains. “After I was dwelling one other approach—staying up partying or no matter—I might appeal to these kinds of individuals in my life. So, altering that a part of my life has introduced me new alternatives.”
Along with having a Successful Technique that contains shedding the ego and staying match, it’s also vital to proceed to be taught and evolve. One instance Kevin Griffin provides is his shut buddy, NFL Corridor of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, who wrote the testimonial banner for Griffin’s e book. He says the previous Tremendous Bowl-winning quarterback’s transition from the sector to a number of different alternatives is the blueprint for anybody wanting to reach the following chapter of their life.
“We now have each taught one another the identical factor: it’s about arduous work and evolving. Have a look at how Peyton has gone from being a soccer participant to a spokesperson to a TV host. I’ve gone from being in a rock band within the 90s to beginning a music competition, publishing individuals, and being an creator. It’s about realizing that you’ve the ability set already inside you; you simply have to make use of it.”
Kevin Griffin’s Successful Technique
1. Kevin Griffin Dropped His Ego on the Door
Quite a lot of my e book has this fixed chorus: To be able to achieve success and get higher and extra inventive, you’ve obtained to test your ego on the door. It’s the foundation of all of the unhealthy s*** that holds us again.
There’s a line within the e book that I used to be advised years in the past, and it’s nice: My ego just isn’t my amigo. Ego is the factor that claims, I’m adequate, I’m higher than them—no matter they’re doing sucks. However, once you test your ego, that’s once you say, “Wait a second: That’s an superior tune, an superior thought. How can I be taught from that to assist proceed my profession.”
For me, this wasn’t an in a single day course of—I fought it. It was the early 2000s Once more, I had gotten to a sure level the place it was it was simply me, and I noticed if I wished to go any additional I needed to get some humility. I fought collaborating with different individuals. I positively wasn’t an individual who mentioned, “I have to do this!” and simply change. Finally, my first collaboration was with Meat Loaf. It was at a studio, he heard a tune as he was strolling, and his supervisor got here and requested if I wished to jot down a tune. We collaborated [2003’ “Testify”], however I needed to first struggle to let go of my ego in enterprise and in life.
That’s type of why I wrote the e book. It’s like, Hey, right here’s this e book on these completely different instruments you should utilize to remain profitable in enterprise and in life—I feel all the pieces’s linked. Now I’m at some extent in my life at age 54 by which I need to mentor youthful artists. I like sharing my life story about issues that labored for me—and what hasn’t labored for me. After which once I went by means of the method of doing this, realized I actually wasn’t reinventing the wheel: The issues I’m speaking about are truths, whether or not you’re finding out businesspeople, profitable songwriters, philosophies, you’re going to listen to the identical mantra time and again: Go away your ego on the door.
2. Collaborate in Order to Facilitate Success
Collaborate and work with different individuals as a result of they’re gonna deliver concepts and contemporary power into that session. Work with any person you dig– that’ll enable you get out your concepts.
After I’m making an attempt to jot down a tune that isn’t taking place, and I can’t write a melody to avoid wasting my life. I now have the presence of thoughts to say, take a break, go hearken to some music. Bear in mind what you like about music—so I’m all the time listening to new music as effectively.
If I’m hitting my head in opposition to a wall, I’ll method the tune a unique approach. Usually, I’ll write a tune on guitar, however typically it’s simply not taking place. So I’ll begin with a lyric. If that’s not working I’ll do a beat or I’ll hearken to a tune I like and be like, “Nicely, what are the chords to that tune?” then I’ll reverse engineer the thought. So I actually have an arsenal of issues to assist me end the tune.
However take into account: That concept you’re searching for is all the time within the room. So what are the methods you may give your self a greater probability at having the ability to seize it? For me, it’s like working round a room with a butterfly web—that tune or life altering thought is there. You simply should get it.
I used to be within the songwriting session in 2012. I used to be working with Shy Carter, a songwriter who labored on quite a lot of Nelly songs. I began enjoying guitar. On the time, Practice’s “Hey Soul Sister” Jason Mraz’ “I’m Yours” had been actually massive. I used to be like, effectively, let’s do one thing like that. And I began enjoying a guitar half—it had type of a breezy, summer time really feel. Three hours later, we had nothing.
We took a break, and Shy mentioned, let’s put some Auto Tune on this. That was the factor that modified our perspective and from we approached the tune from a unique approach. Through the use of this expertise, inside half-hour, we had successful report.
I used to be like, “It is a f***ing hit tune.” I despatched it over to Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland. About 5 days later, they lower it. It’s their greatest tune—“Caught Like Glue.” And that was a tune I used to be able to stop on that day. However we simply stored at it, and we stored making an attempt completely different approaches to ending the tune.
I typed up this little phrase that claims “The tune is all the time there.” It’s the concept that in that room, the tune is all the time there. You simply should you persist at it and use completely different instruments to get that inspiration.
3. Kevin Griffin Knew When to Say When
I don’t drink anymore. I by no means was a heavy drinker, however now I don’t drink in any respect. Now it’s nearly treating my physique higher.
I’ve all the time stayed in form. However now, I’m an on a regular basis man. At 54 I’m not having the illnesses quite a lot of my friends are having. So I feel type of my mantra has type of all the time been consistency, not length.
I’m 6’4’’ and my metabolism has all the time been if I’m not figuring out, I’m shedding pounds. After I drank I might reduce weight—most individuals I feel acquire weight. So I’ve to eat and work out lots, in any other case I type of waste away.
After I was youthful I used to be extra resilient, however as I obtained older the alcohol stopped working. I used to be in my early 40s, and I’d be hung over and having to do a present that evening. Lastly I obtained to the purpose by which this was now not horny or cool. This has grow to be lame. So I simply stopped.
Now, what I like most is that daily I’m at one hundred pc. I by no means have days by which I’m hung over. I by no means have days the place I could also be there bodily, however some place else mentally or spiritually. Then I feel, take a look at the entire days I get again. So in the case of alcohol and partying, I’ve checked these bins. I’ve realized there have been too many cautionary tales in music, and no person is immune. And I used to be no exception.
4. Kevin Griffin Stays Match to Be a Rockstar
I feel consistency is the primary factor. I work out on a regular basis. My exercises aren’t all that lengthy, however I do them daily. This can be proper or mistaken, nevertheless it’s what works for me.
My routine is that I’ll run two miles or go for half-hour on the Peloton— I’ll do Peloton for my legs or I’ll do the arms intervals with Tunde [Oyeneyin]—she’s a beast.. Then I’ll go to my gymnasium, the place I’ll do a pair rounds of incline bench presses, some Arnold presses, pullups, and a few battle ropes.
Pullups for me has been the important thing as a result of I feel most tall guys most individuals on the whole are actually, actually weak backs. Most adults can’t do pullups for that matter. I’ve all the time finished pullups and I work on them. I’ll do three or 4 rounds of that circuit. And that’s it.
Then I simply hydrate. I’ll additionally make an excellent smoothie daily, and that’s my consistency.
What I discovered is that once I wasn’t in keeping with train, it was as a result of I dreaded it. There was a time once I was doing Iron Tribe or CrossFit, I’d be like, it’s gonna kick my ass, after which I might cease doing it. But when I do know it’s not that a lot, however as a result of I’m doing it daily, all of it simply adverts up
The final word approach to keep in form for musicians is relaxation, hydrate constantly, and do one thing daily. I realized from scripting this e book daily, that should you simply do al ittle bit daily, per week later, a month later, six months, a 12 months, immediately you’ve finished a s*** ton of labor, you realize? So whether or not it’s your physique or a e book you’re writing, I’m all about just a bit bit daily.
5. Preserve Studying and Will By no means Give Up
Educate your self in regards to the music enterprise. There are such a lot of books, like Donald Passman’s “It’s the enterprise of music.” Take heed to podcasts, and know the enterprise of your enterprise. Comprehend it.
So many musicians go into the enterprise, they usually surprise why they’re not having success. It’s as a result of they don’t know what’s taking place of their enterprise. They don’t know who to get the tune to.
Do, nevertheless, write on a regular basis and do report your self.
Lately, your laptop computer laptop is a million-dollar recording studio. Utilizing Professional Instruments or Professional Logic or Ableton, you may have a tune that sounds each bit pretty much as good as Billy Eilish and Finneas. Don’t wait for somebody to do it for you. And don’t simply sit round.
Do, exit and don’t stop. Simply don’t stop.
On the finish of the day, the individuals who have success within the music business are the individuals who didn’t stop. They’re not all the time probably the most proficient. They’re not all the time the neatest. They’re those who had a little bit little bit of each, and the didn’t stop. They realized in regards to the enterprise, they hustled daily they usually stayed savvy. And so they had been in a position to know music and in addition the enterprise. They realized these aren’t mutually unique. If you need one, the opposite comes with it. it’s the music enterprise.
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