Meet Cary Morin | Nationally and internationally touring musician

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

Hi Cary, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I began playing music in public when I was about 14 years old. It took me many years to figure out that as a musician, I am also a business. I did all of my own show bookings, public relations, etc. for a very long time and then started my own agency, booking other artists as well. Eventually, I was taken on by a larger agency out of Minneapolis and was able to tour my band on a much broader scale. While I do much of my own business, I now have a team of folks – agent, manager, publicist, etc. who work with me to make what I do possible. I have been in this business for over 40 years and can’t imagine doing anything else.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I grew up playing piano and guitar and a variety of other instruments. I am now a nationally and internationally touring artist working solo, as a duo, and with my band Cary Morin & Ghost Dog. In the last 40 years, I’ve learned much about songwriting and have released over 15 albums. In 1998, I wrote a stage play titled Turtle Island which was a multicultural play involving dances and music from around the world. I’ve performed in stage productions, and I’ve founded several bands over the years. I’ve played in 49 US states and many of countries. I realized early on, that musicians often have to hire other professionals at any given stage of any given project, and have collaborated with many other artists. Additionally, I have been involved in video production and graphic arts.

I suppose I am one of very few, if not the only indigenous fingerstyle guitarist and singer songwriter around. I have put in many hours a day of practice over many years to develop my style and technique, something I value deeply. Being a touring musician is likely not the easiest career to have chosen, though I can’t imagine doing anything else. It has sustained me over the years and allowed me to raise a family.

Music much like other forms of art requires an immense investment of time, development, and resource. Like others, I have invested my entire life and most of my finances in what I do. Being an artist can bring big challenges; financing one’s art, being away from home for extended periods of time, finding industry folks who like what I do and will support it, and constantly looking for work for the future.

One lesson I’ve learned over the years is that no one cares about my work more than me. Only I really know the point I am trying to make with my art. Only I know how much time I have dedicated to my craft, and only I know what my work is worth. It’s up to me to achieve my goals. Every time I entrust someone with any one segment of my creations, I stand a chance of my message getting lost in translation, even if just a little bit. Often times when people want to help, they eventually disappear when they discover how hard the work is.

It is my passion to compose and perform my music all over the world. It is what I do for a living. I continue to work on my craft daily between traveling and performing. A manager I had years ago once told me, “Cary, the people that don’t make it in this business are the people who quit.” I know it sounds a bit like a Yogi Berra quote but I’ve always remembered and found value in this. I haven’t quit yet.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Get out to enjoy and support art of all kinds. Denver has amazing museums, cultural centers, and performance venues. Go see artist Nic Clark (Ramirez) play somewhere in the region. He is a fantastic singer songwriter and masterful harmonica player. Go up into the mountains for hiking, fishing, skiing, camping, rafting, and more! There are so many beautiful places in Colorado and such a variety of fun things to do and see. Rancho Del Rio is a great place to fish and do short rafting or paddle board trips in Bond, CO. Try one of the summer festivals like Pagosa Folk N Bluegrass or Telluride Blues and Brews. FibArk is a cool festival in Salida for arts and kayaking, always with live music in the park. Five Points Jazz Festival in Denver is a favorite also.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Maple Street Music has been instrumental in helping me to get to where I am now in my career. They work tirelessly for their artists and have helped me immensely. Another is my good friend and colleague Rich Werdes at Shaped Music Productions. Rich has done sound for me many times over the years and has engineered a few of my albums. There are many folks whom I have worked with over the years who should be included here, but the list would be very long!

Website: http://www.carymorin.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cary_morin/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/carymorin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaryMorinBlues

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/carymorin

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/51oTB1rGltPYEUj9WqBqgh?si=yRjhHvxkQDiavInI70wQ2w

Image Credits
Gretchen Troop Photography Ellen Snyder Photography MCE Photography Timothy Duffy Tin Type Photography Backstage Flash