Check out Freddy “Jay” Walker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Freddy “Jay” Walker.

Jay, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Music has always been a part of my life. The first instrument that I learned to play was the drums at the age of five. I would always look at the other drummers in my church and see how great they were. All I wanted was to be like them and grow up to be that good. So I continued to practice and practice until I got good enough to play the drums at the church. As the years progressed, my desire to want to do music grew and I learned how to play the bass guitar. From there, I learned how to play the guitar. That eventually lead to producing and composing. But between this time, there were a lot of moments where I felt like my music or my skills were not good enough. I went through a dark period where I would pick up an instrument and it did not feel the same. That drive to do music was gone. Then one day, after a show, a woman approached me and told me that my playing was phenomenal and beautiful. She told me that no one should ever tell me different and to keep going on that path. She left me with the hopeful message that ‘God will continue to bless you’. All it took was a few heartfelt words and that motivated me to push to do more. I wish I could say things got easier, but they didn’t. I went through moments of homelessness and I lost all of my musical equipment. That outlet that I once loved faded away. I thought that I was going to lose it forever, but I still continued to push forward. Over an extended period of time, I slowly gained back the things that I lost. I continued to create more and more music, pushing myself to learn more things so that I could become better. Today, as I continue to pursue a career in music, I feel like I can never learn everything – and that is a good thing! What drives me to be better is learning new things. I try to learn something new everyday and incorporate it into my composing. It is an amazing feeling when I learn something new and struggle with it. After working with a new skill a couple of times, I seem to be able to pick it up. It is a blessing I am so grateful for especially since I never had any music teachers that taught me how to play. Everything that I play now, I taught myself and I still continue to learn and grow every day. I have now composed music for the local film industry. My other arts, including modeling and acting, have been recognized and utilized in the film, television, and commercial industries as well. My goal now is to find that breakthrough opportunity that will take me to the next level as a composer and producer, whether it is for television, streaming networks, or feature films. To close, if there is something I could say that would motivate anyone who wants to give up, I want them to know that even though something may seem like a hard and impossible task, it is better to try and to fail than to live with the regrets of not knowing what could have happened if you tried.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Music has helped me express myself and tell my story whether it is through writing, composing, or playing instruments. Music is that universal language that really draws people together no matter what race, sex, or denomination. My passion for music has taken me on a journey that started off with me being a self-taught musician. I started off playing at church and continue to play in church. I compose for locally made short films as well. I also record and produce music for artists, from those who are just beginning their journey up through professional musicians. I am now entering the world of music licensing for films, television, and commercials. The most recent exciting turn of this journey is the support and encouragement of others for me to come out with my own music, so look out for that soon too! For me creating music is based off of inspiration. If there is a project I am working on, I go off of the needs of the client and then use the emotions that are being portrayed to inspire the music I create. I also just love to push myself and create things that I have never heard of before. With any music that I create, I ultimately hope that people are taken on a journey and understand the emotions behind each piece that I create.

What do you think it takes to be successful as an artist?
That is a good question. For me, success is deeper than just seeing what is in your bank account. If my music has impacted someone’s life in a positive manner – that is success. Success can also come from me exceeding the expectations of a client (director, artist, etc) I am working with. I also feel I have succeeded in what I do when I have clients who enjoy their studio experience with me for their personal or collaboration projects. When they hear the final product and are excited with what they are hearing, that for me is a great feeling! Success for me happens when I am able to help others succeed.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I have a library of my music online at 1focusproductionsllc.com. One way to support me is by purchasing/licensing the music (instrumentals, composition series, and beats) on my website. If someone likes what they hear but needs something a bit more customized, they should reach out to me on the website or email me (1focusproductionsllc@gmail.com) and I would be happy to work with them to create something that fits their needs. People can also follow me on Instagram at freddyjaywalker_music. Support goes a long way on social media, so I definitely would love to get more support on there as well. It helps me get to know other talented musicians and collaborative business owners. People can reach out to me on Instagram too. Whether it is through my website or on social media, I encourage and welcome people to reach out for collaborations or project inquiries, whether it is for singles, albums, or original compositions.

Contact Info:

• Website: 1focusproductionsllc.com
• Email: 1focusproductionsllc@gmail.com
• Instagram: freddyjaywalker_music
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1FocusProductions

Image Credit:
Joe Jackson, Neil Peters, Rowan Mehta, Tayzha Taylor, Merry Willow

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