Today we’d like to introduce you to Trevor Beckway.
Hi Trevor, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I always had an interest in music, from a very young age. My first memory of my infatuation with music was at my hometown’s annual celebration, where I was firmly planted in front of the bandstand, watching the musicians intently. My parents would find me there and bring me back to where they were, and I would find my way back to the band. I must have only been 6 or 7 years old.
Fast forward a few years to when I was helping my father get some things out of the attic at home, I noticed a few guitar cases. I asked him to bring them down, and although he hadn’t played in years, he opened the cases and started playing, telling me stories about the songs and showing me how to play my first notes and chords. Those first songs were “Walk Don’t Run” by the Ventures, “What I’d Say” by Ray Charles, “Secret Agent Man” by Johnny Rivers, and “Sunny Side of the Street” – an old tune from 1930 that has been covered by hundreds of artists.
After a few years of playing my father’s cool old guitars, it was time that I wanted to have my own electric guitar.
My musical tastes ranged from country to classic rock to heavy metal over the years, and at this particular time in my life, I had a love for The Scorpions. They was the inspiration behind me choosing a Gibson Explorer as my first guitar, in 1984. I still own that guitar.
I played in a few high school garage/basement bands in the Chicago area before moving to Arizona after graduation in 1989, beginning my college career at Arizona State University. Unfortunately, my studies didn’t leave much time for playing in a band, at least for the first few years.
After turning 21, I started spending some time at a country music nightclub near my apartment, which featured live music on the weekends. I met and befriended the club’s DJ and sound engineer, Jerome Harris. One night Jerome asked if I would be interested in learning how to DJ so he could have a few nights off each week. Of course, I accepted, and I began filling in for him on weeknights. On weekends, I would handle the DJ sets between band sets, and Jerome would mix the bands. While the bands played, I would watch Jerome, ask tons of questions, and learn everything I could about live sound. After some time, he was giving me nights to fill in on sound, and eventually handed me the reins when he moved out of state. I was the DJ and sound engineer at that club for about 5 years.
Over that time, I met lots of local musicians, several of whom I would do sound for over the next several years. I was working with one particular band, Mogollon, for over 6 years – this is where I really developed my engineering skills, and through this band, I met two more of my mentors, Andrea Hammond and Jim Coleman. Andrea was Mogollon’s engineer before me, and Jim provided sound systems for some of the bigger events and festivals we would play. I did not attend school for sound engineering, but the on-the-job education I received from Jerome, Andrea, and Jim is more valuable to me than anything.
My regular job moved me overseas in 2006, and unfortunately, sound engineering was moved to the sidelines while I focused on my career in Chemical Engineering. I traveled the world, being a part of a team-building high-tech manufacturing facilities. I moved back to Arizona in 2017 and soon began feeling the itch to get back into the music scene. An old friend was starting up a band and I volunteered to do sound for them, and we went on to do opening slots for several national acts over the next few years.
In October of 2019, I decided to purchase my own PA system, and I started hiring myself out to provide sound for local clubs and events, volunteering in many cases just to get my name out. In 2020, despite the pandemic, I was able to keep myself busy with sound gigs. In addition, I was invited by Larri King to co-host the Bands Of The Beat weekly podcast, where we featured music from local original artists, expanding the definition of local to include cities outside of Phoenix. We interpreted “local music” as those artists who work independently, writing, recording, promoting, and playing their music without the support or backing from a record label, regardless of what city or town they call home.
2020 also found me becoming involved with livestreaming concerts, as I was introduced to the crew at VX3 in north Phoenix. I helped bring several shows to VX3, and I was fortunate enough to mix broadcast sound on a select few of these shows.
2021 began the branding of my business – Beckway Sound Solutions. I wanted to have a company name that was recognizable and familiar – as everyone I had worked with knew me by my name already, the company name should be instantly associated with me. In addition, I wanted a company name that represented family, as the music community is just that – a family. That is why my company logo is not a canned font, but it is rather extracted from a hand-painted sign on the side of a trailer from a business my family owned in the early 1900s.
2021 has included some very exciting opportunities and connection with some excellent contacts. The addition of Kelly Baer to the company as a one-person road crew, promotions, marketing, and logistics team has certainly helped the growth of the company this year. We provided sound for over 85 live shows this year, and we are very excited to see what 2022 holds in store for us.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest struggles I have faced on this journey is just getting my name out there. I volunteered to bring a PA and do sound at venues that didn’t have a sound system, or enough of a sound system to handle the bands that were coming to play there. I did a lot of free shows – but each of those shows yielded me paying gigs, and each paying gig would yield other future work, and so it continues. I am very fortunate to have people spreading the word as they are, and I am very grateful for that.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Beckway Sound Solutions is a provider of quality audio reinforcement coupled with professional engineering services, for any event with an audience from just a few people to thousands. We bring a full PA system, tailored to your needs, including all microphones, stands, cables, monitors (floor wedges and wireless IEM ), all of which are routed through an industry standard 32-channel digital mixing console. Upon request, we can also provide staging, lighting, and live multi-track digital recording . We can even help you find a band for your event if needed.
As far as my career as an audio engineer, I take pride in having a good ear and the skill set to shape the sounds as needed to sound like they are supposed to. Being both a music fan and a musician have a lot to do with this. Knowing what a kick drum is supposed to sound like, where the guitar should be in the mix, the importance of the vocals to be on top of the mix – these are critical elements in delivering a high-quality concert experience. I take pride in being a very active audio engineer – I am always at the console, from soundcheck to the last note of the night, constantly seeking improvements to the sound quality and adding artistic nuances to the mix. I am not a “set it and forget it” kind of engineer. Unfortunately, I do see this in too many places I visit on my off nights.
In addition, I have recently started up a musical project with Kelly Baer, playing and singing cover songs with her as a duo, calling ourselves KB-TB, and occasionally a full band that we are calling the Killer Beez, with Dane Hill on drums and Stephen Bradford on bass. We have had the honor of playing a few events to benefit our veterans, through Stephen’s affiliations with amazing programs including Guitars For Veterans and Instruments for Success. It’s exciting and interesting to be on the other side of the soundboard for a change – and I look forward to developing these projects further in 2022!
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is of my father, teaching me my first notes on the guitar. He was my true mentor in life, teaching me not only about music, but about how to troubleshoot just about anything, and how to build just about anything. From working on cars to renovating spaces in our home – the man could take on almost any task. I attribute a lot of my general engineering skills to his teachings.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/BeckwaySound/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aztrev27/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trevor.beckway
Image Credits
Kelly Baer
Shane Eckart
Sheena Dunn
Paul Burch
Trevor Beckway
Troy Storm
