Life & Work with Tim Stanek

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tim Stanek.

Hi Tim, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been a musician all my life and played in bands in high school and college.

I didn’t like the health implications of the hard-partying lifestyle so I quit and tried a few different things. One thing that worked was playing piano at retirement communities: I had a B.A. in Jazz Performance from the University of Memphis and a lot of the Jazz repertoire is relevant and appropriate for the elderly.

A good friend of mine Jack Simon helped me with the organizing process to start this as a business. It took me a few years to get it up and running, and there were diversions along the way (including playing a year with an international touring blues band), but eventually, I was making more money playing at retirement communities than with the touring band, and my health and happiness levels were higher than they’d even been.

It’s allowed me a lot of time to consider my next steps.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Smooth roads can be pleasant, and sometimes boring. I don’t seek out struggle but it can come. Overall, I’ve been so extraordinarily blessed I often wonder whose incredible life I’m living. However, assessing my current situation and planning my next move is tough right now.

I have a real estate license and I’ve been selling residential real estate. I love real estate. The stress of the business has been affecting my music, unfortunately, so I’m in the process of figuring out exactly how that’s going to work for me. It’s a good problem to have in my opinion.

But I always come back to the music business because it’s in me on a soul level. I’m interested in scaling the business to help other piano players get well-paying easy gigs at retirement communities where even their presence and their smile make a huge difference in these retired peoples’ lives.

I’m also interested in developing the branding, software, and infrastructure to create a booking agency that handles all the business activities that musicians either hate or don’t understand how to do well so that they can relax and focus on the music and the entertainment.

So my next challenge I think will be forming a company and working with others to accomplish this dream. It’s a win win win and checks all my boxes: It’s profitable, it makes a huge difference in people’s lives, it promotes the arts, and it’s fun for me.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in improvised piano arrangements of popular tunes from the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

I also play Fridays 7-10pm in the hotel lobby of the Memphian Hotel in Overton Square.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Covid sucks. Don’t dwell on the past.

Image Credits:
Moriah Drinkard Loya