Today we’d like to introduce you to Rodrick Duran.
Hi Rodrick, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I transitioned to suburb life in Shenandoah Valley when I was six years old. Singing on Sundays and playing Motown on Mondays were regular weekly routines along with learning to play the piano and guitar. Performing and creating music came naturally at a young age, and I wrote my first song at the age of thirteen. Like many teenagers, I started experimenting with sounds that were different than what I was hearing at home. Artists like U2, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam inspired me and their influence shaped my emerging sound.
My passion for music led me to enroll at the University of Montana where I earned a degree in biology and music with extensive training in vocal performance, ear training, music theory, and history. I felt connected to my roots, strong in my faith, my musical style was forming and then like a tidal wave life shifted and I was facing so many challenges. My marriage was falling apart right as a dear friend of mine was losing his 2-year battle with Leukemia and it made me question everything. My only outlet was music and songwriting.
Suddenly, it felt like all my experiences and influences culminated allowing me to express the uncanny details in life that resonate with our soul. I cathartically invent melodies, it truly has become a part of who I am, and a catalyst for my passion.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I was very close to my mother and her passing will be something I work through for the rest of my life. The journey of self-exploration is vast and while music has saved me in many ways it has also been a sacrifice. You choose to be a “starving artist” for the sake of living your dream. It is so challenging when you write the music, practice it, market it, book events, play the venues and the pay doesn’t equal the hours you put into making your sound and performance genuine and worthwhile. It’s an innate sacrifice, but I hope when I’m 80 my kids and grandkids are looking at my videos saying “that’s my old man playing live music.”
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My sound is a mix of indie/soul/Motown/folk/rock you won’t find anywhere else, you can’t really put me in a category or box. I really am honored to play with a lot of great musicians and I’ve put a lot of training into my vocal originality. I have to mention my Memphis home base band members: David Collins (guitar), Jon Scott Harrison (drums), Aaron Phillips (sax), Ben Walsh (upright bass). My Memphis guitar teacher Ed Finney, also known as Jupiter SkyFish, his brilliance and mastery are timeless. One of the most amazing aspects of being a musician is working with such talented people. In Montana I have worked with the incredible Jesse Ahmann – Montana Cellist, Freddie J Turks (guitarist) and Geoffrey Taylor (fiddle) who is the best gypsy jazz player in the state. My first album featured Dave Debruin and Micki Singer who have since passed. The list goes on and on. Everyone I have played with and learned from has brought so much diversity and authenticity to the music and it really keeps me inspired.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I feel like there will be a bigger call for new sounds. Unfortunately, many artists are in the habit of recycling familiar sounds and writing music they think labels want instead of something personal and beautiful. People aren’t as motivated to dive deep anymore and really explore the entire musical journey. My hope is we will see good, dedicated musicians bringing something fresh and meaningful to the table and that will be where the real money is at. Collaboration is key to creativity and there is nothing that compares to getting together in person with other artists and bringing songS to life. Moving forward I hope we see more and more of that.
Contact Info:
- Email: rodrickduranmusic@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.rodrickduran.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rodrickduranmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rodrickduranmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk_ycgJFW-xeQj38PiOU6Ww
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7rzC1u0D2jhjfCBrC3swUK?fbclid=IwAR0oyTbKOFXZ_YUVwH_9Kl9n1YuNspdyFsvpQENx0pnyFJj4geFMbGsCsq4
Image Credits
Buffalo James Photography
William Boone
