Luke Marshall, 24, independent musician currently on tour
I started playing music...
Around 15 or 16. Things were starting to go downhill musically for me, and I was playing around town quite a bit. I thought, Hey, doing this full-time is actually possible, and I absolutely can't see myself doing anything else. I remember always wanting to be an independent player. I didn't want to be in a band in the traditional sense or become an artist myself.
If I wasn't playing music…
I would have pursued a career in the military or in the field medical or maybe both. When I was little, I wanted to be a Green Beret doctor.
Playing music for a living is like…
Running my own small business. I have to be disciplined in setting my schedule to meet people and create content even when I don't have anything tangible in the books. Being on the road is easy; your schedule is decided for you. It is the free time that can be difficult. However, this same challenge is an advantage. I'm super flexible off the road and can make time for other projects and family.
I'm fueled by...
The visceral, instinctive feeling I get when thinking or playing music. It's almost like drug addiction. It satisfies my soul, but I still can't get enough. On a more tangible level, I'm always excited to take my career to the next level. I've set myself some milestones, and it's incredibly satisfying to hit them.
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This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
