Keith Walker, a native of Southern California, now calls Nashville home. He knows that to get anywhere in the country music business, Nashville is the place to be. In a recent interview with Suite 101 he explained, “It’s a great business. I wouldn’t rather do anything else,” the 29-year old says about the music industry.
Keith had a recording contract that didn’t work out, but he is currently more confident that his new deal will come to fruition. Being seen and heard in the Nashville area is greatly enhancing his prospects for a new contract.
The Move to Nashville
Keith received a scholarship for singing at Long Beach State University. It was there he was advised to go to Nashville if he was serious about his music. Keith was extremely serious but also wanted to graduate from college, so he found Middle Tennessee State University where he completed his college degree. “School was a perfect vehicle for me to get to Nashville.”
He is now immersed in the Nashville community where he plays in clubs around town and around the area. “I enjoy that kind of venue,” he says. “I work with a lot of people in Nashville that work on major projects.” He says about the city, “It’s the country music business. Everybody knows each other. It’s the good old boy system. It’s very political in Nashville,” he comments, referring to the music industry.
Keith Walker the Songwriter
Besides singing, Keith’s talents include song writing. “I would love to have a big name artist record my work. It’s the best way to break into the business,” Walker remarks. “I’m constantly writing. Writing. Playing. Building up my fan base. Creating a buzz.”
Country songs are famous for telling stories, and Keith admits he has to dig into his emotions to create a great song. “I do draw on a lot of experiences. You have to use the bad and good things in your past to write a good song and pull from those emotions. You (must) find that perfect way of saying something.”
While he does write lyrics, he claims his writing talent is mainly in the music. “I’m a melody writer. My best asset is writing melody, though I am strong on lyrics. If I collaborate with someone, I’d rather write the melodies.” And living in Nashville is the best place for him to reach his goals. “Writing is a craft. Everybody respects writers from Nashville.”
The Country Music Recording Industry
Walker describes the recording industry today as “a singles market. With the Internet and all, you’ve got to make sure every song is a hit.” That’s a lot of pressure on anyone. To borrow a quote from NASA, even a small failure is not an option for recording artists.
Although he enjoys his life in Tennessee and is getting closer to his goal, Keith does miss Southern California. The first thing he says immediately when asked what he misses most is “family and friends. And the weather and the beach,” he adds.
“I couldn’t do it (in Southern California),” Walker admits about making it in the industry. Growing up he enjoyed listening to Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw and Brooks and Dunne. “My big influence when I was growing up was Garth Brooks.”
Even though he now lives in Nashville, Keith returns to California often to visit his mother, two brothers, and all his friends, who always coax him into giving them private concerts. Everyone who knows him knows that his talent and tenacity will carry him a long way in the business.
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