Meet Jack Ivins | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jack Ivins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jack, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
Success is subjective. I hear musicians who have sold millions of records lament how they aren’t as successful as other musicians. Conversely, I’ve heard a performer say that their only goal was to play a local stage and now that they’ve completed that, they’re done because they reached the level of success that they were in search of.

I know musicians who make a very good living and are not household names while there are household names out there who don’t have $20 in their bank accounts.

Decide what success means for you.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Aside from my own bands, Burn the Ballroom and The Ivins, in the last two years I have played live for Grammy-winning country hall-of-famer, Tanya Tucker; American Idol winner, David Cook; indie-alt favorites, Moon Taxi; 80s British new wave group, When In Rome; guitar virtuoso, Orianthi; glam/power pop rockers, Enuff Z’Nuff; thrash legend, Joey Belladonna of Anthrax; vocal powerhouse, Corey Glover of Living Colour, and many others.

Additionally, I recently took over on drums for Grammy-nominated pop-punk outfit, Relient K.

That is one bizarrely diverse CV…

This career is hard. The best players don’t always end up on the best gigs. The music business is not merit-based.

Aside from “blowing up” on TikTok, generally the way you get gigs is through the recommendations of colleagues. There rarely are cattle-calls, aka open auditions. Some people move to Nashville and the first person they play for in an empty bar ends up going straight to the top. Some people grind here for 20 years trying to break though. Hard work is key but anyone that is successful who isn’t a jackass recognizes the importance of luck in all of this.

My advice is to go out and meet new people every single week. You need to be present, you need to be personable, and you need to meticulously over-prepare if ever given an opportunity to play for a new artist or band. If you do a great job, the folks on that gig will tell other people about you. This takes time as well as gratitude and humility. My success is a testament to relationships I’ve built over the years and an understanding that I wouldn’t have a career without those who took a chance on me. I, in turn, try to pay it forward as much as I can.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend had never been to Nashville, they’d have to experience Lower Broadway. I’d probably opt for a weeknight if possible because the weekends have gotten too insane. Robert’s Western World remains the must-see spot downtown.

My favorite venues in town are The Basement East and the Ryman. I’d probably try and find us a show at both. Maybe look for some records at Grimey’s. Grab a drink at Duke’s. There’s great food all over the city. My buddy Chris’ restaurant, Earnest Bar & Hideaway, would have to be one of our dinner stops.

If the weather is nice, maybe do a little kayaking on the Harpeth river or go catch a Sounds baseball game.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My dad. He has been the most relentlessly supportive parent of two dreamer musicians. I learned how to play live playing with his band when I was a teenager. My brother and I’s first experiences in a real studio were with him. He has literally traveled across the globe to see his two boys perform. There’s a level of gratitude here which I cannot ever begin to repay.

Website: www.jackivins.com

Instagram: @jack_ivins

Image Credits
Me