Today, we are interviewing Bill Abernathy, a guy with a guitar, a pen, and a piece of paper telling stories about things that have happened to him along this journey called life.
1. How did you get into what you do right now? Please tell us more about your journey?
After being very involved in music in my younger days, I walked away and developed a pretty much non-musical life. I had kids, coached ball, and developed a successful business career. About 6 years ago, I picked my guitar back up, took all the ideas for songs I had collected over those years, and started making music again. To date, I’ve put out 3 full-length albums and have been fortunate to have found a pretty solid fan base across the globe.
2. Who are your role models?
That’s a tough question but a simple answer for me. My father was raised in the dust bowl of Oklahoma, quit school in the 8th grade to support his family when his father passed away. Joined the 82nd Airborne in WWII. Earned a couple of Purple Hearts, was a POW for several months, and an honor guard for General Patton. When he got out of the service, he created a very successful business career, raised a family of 4, and was quite a personality. He always said he was a fugitive from the law of averages, as he should not have been able to accomplish all those things and so much more in his lifetime. He always said that if you want something bad enough and are willing to put in the blood, sweat, tears, and toil, you can always find a way to make it happen. My second album is called Find A Way in honor of him and all the things he taught me before he passed on.
3. What inspires you?
People and stories. I find people fascinating, and the stories of their lives are very intriguing to me. As good stories always have lessons, those lessons and how they came to be are really inspiring to me.
4. Please tell us about your latest music release.
My latest work is called Crossing Willow Creek. This project is all about taking songs that were originally all acoustic and then producing them up. The song named Willow Creek talks about my youth and how I learned to play and write. The title Crossing Willow Creek is a statement of moving from my comfort zone of purely acoustic work, into the much more produced sound throughout the album. Crossing over Willow Creek, walking away from that acoustic world, and into the bigger sounds is what Crossing Willow Creek is all about. That said, the version of the song Willow Creek stays true to its simple acoustic sound. I am really proud of this project, as I learned so much from making it.
5. What’s your most memorable experience?
We all have those moments that stick with us. Your first love, your first touchdown, the first time you hear yourself on the radio, etc. I think the latest one is from my Living the Dream tour. I was pulling into New Mexico for some shows and saw myself on a billboard. That was a moment. Humbling and very cool.
6. Which social media channels work best for promoting your work? What exactly do you do on the social media channel that makes it work for you?
We are active on almost all the social media sites, but for my audience, Facebook seems to be the most engaging. I have a philosophy less is more about social media. I don’t post every day or email every day. I think that is extreme and a bit annoying. I post when I have something to say, and that seems to keep folks engaged. I could be wrong about this, but I think daily posts are too much.
7. What’s your greatest fear?
Spiders. Lol. Seriously if anything happened that would separate me from my kids and grandkids, that would be horrible for me. I am a big family guy. They are and have always been my #1 priority.
8. Looking back, what’s one thing you wish you understood better before you ever got started?
If I had taken my music education more seriously, I would be a much better player today. I really didn’t take education too seriously across the board, and maybe it shows. haha
9. What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
I firmly believe that you have to know who you are as a person and as a musician. I think everyone is different, and if you are not true to who you are, you’re not only missing the boat personally but also denying your fans the chance to see your true self.
10. What keeps you going when things get tough?
Tough times come for sure. When things get tough for me, I just work harder. I think I got that from my dad. The harder you work, the luckier you get. I believe that.
11. Any message for our readers.
It’s an interesting world we are living in these days. So many changes, so many challenges, and so many opportunities. Be brave, know who you are, and stay true to yourself. It will all work out over time.
12. How can people connect with you?
Check out my website. You can send me emails and notes there. We also have Bill Abernathy Singer-Songwriter on Facebook, which is a good way to connect. I really enjoy hearing from folks and meeting new people, so reach out. It will be fun.