Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1536125
June/July 2025| maconmagazine.com 69 ABOVE Choir of Babble plays at The Hummingbird - Johnny Davis at right. Photo by Julia Morrison. So you don't have to feel like you need to go to Nashville, New York, LA, or somewhere else to make it… The cost of living is a hell of a lot cheaper here. I think as a starting out musician, your money can go a lot further here, so you can have opportunities to build yourself, your career, your brand, all of that stuff. MORRISON: I really hear Blak Pearl saying, you can only work when you have to – that's not true in those larger cities. What are the biggest realities of being a working musician that people outside of the industry don't understand? LATHAM: I don't play much here anymore, but when I am out on the road – I play in a band called Grouplove. A lot of the fans, they think that's all we do. We just tour, we just play music. I was talking to one of the fans one day: "Man, it's so awesome that you get to do this for a living…" When I get home, I have a nine to five, and they were just blown away by that. They were like, gee, you've made it. People think that's all you do, but really, it's a struggle. WRATH: There's a big misconception that once you make it, you will kind of climb above the local music scene. As a working musician, you're always working or writing or something. MORETTI: The hustle never stops. I mean, it's a grind. Especially when Covid hit… I lost two and a half years' worth of touring income. WILLIAMS: That's when I became certified. I had to get a job when Covid hit, probably had about 15 shows, everything got canceled. I cried for two weeks. I got to get a "job job" now. I love the clients, but I prefer singing. MORRISON: Do you guys feel like the industry has recovered out of Covid? WRATH: There's a new nightlife generation that is vaping more than smoking; they're not drinking as much. I've noticed that it is a little different. I wouldn't say unfamiliar – it is just adjusting to a new post-Covid atmosphere. MIMS: Partying and bars took a hit… It's not a bad thing people stopped drinking. At the same time, they don't have the money to pay for live entertainment. Then at the same time, I really need a gig. WRATH: This is probably why a lot of us facilitate by planning multiple projects in multiple bands and helping other artists as much as we can. MORETTI: We're not probably completely where our audience