Issue Fifteen- July 2021:
By Mercedes Barreto
Mistakes happen. Those are the lessons we learn from, to excel in our ventures and thrive in our professions. Through trial and error, one becomes able to master their own apprenticeship. Bruce T. Carroll tells us all about his musical journey, and how it started. He is on his way to mastering his craft in this expository and informatory guided article.
What is the main inspiration behind the tones and the vibes in your style of music?
“I largely write on the acoustic guitar, so the rich and deep sounds of my Martin D-28 are what resonate with me and really stir my emotions. When I’m writing with my head and my heart, it makes for a better song. When I write on keyboards, however, I’m usually sitting at my acoustic upright, and I lay heavy on the sustain pedal, again, rich in atmospherics. No electronic music synthesizers for me!”
When did you realize your potential and when you wanted to do this? What does the music stand for in your eyes, ears, and heart?
“I fell in love with music as a child sitting in church listening to huge pipe organs playing baroque music in a huge old gothic church. Very stirring! Also, one of my earliest musical memories is hearing my mother sing old French folk songs to me at a very young age. Mix that with hearing Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Phil Ochs brought home from college by my brother, and my musical education was complete! Music is liberating and transporting, and the times I have had to live without it were hard times indeed… Very much trying to make it my life’s work!”
Has Covid and the pandemic had any effect on your musical activities or activities in general?
“The pandemic has not affected me as much as to others, because I have still been able to perform at certain venues where Covid regulations allowed for small-scale performances. And, I was able to engage at a recording studio, where it was likewise possible to record, so I got a whole full-length album done, and it is soon to be released (First Bird To Sing).”