Meet the New Voice of Creek

New chapter starts here.

Name: Jamie Waldrop

Birthday: May 1st

Hometown: Spartanburg born and raised

Favorite instrument:The Larynx (singing)

What made you want to become a musician?

I’ve always loved music. My father is a bass player and metalhead, and so from an early age I was exposed to an enormous variety of awesome music from some incredible groups. Throughout school I was always in some sort of music class or extracurricular.   

I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. I find there’s something very visceral, almost primal about singing as a form of musical expression, especially in a live performance setting. You’re utilizing your entire body to achieve that vocal resonance: your lungs, your diaphragm, your posture.  

It’s really an amazing feeling when you achieve that synergy with the rest of the band; you just sort of go on auto pilot from there. You feel the rhythm and the music moving in and through you, and you lose yourself to it. You forget everything else and become a simple vehicle to help transmit the emotions and feelings of the song to the audience. Just one part of a greater whole, you know? When the audience begins to feel like they’re a part of that whole too, well, there’s nothing else in the world like that connection.  

Experiences like those are why I believe music is an intrinsic part of what it means to be human. It’s in our DNA. There’s really no description that can do it justice. Chasing that feeling is what sparked my fire, and it’s what keeps me going.  

Which instruments did you play in high school?

I played Euphonium and Tuba throughout middle and high school in both concert and marching band. The Tuba was a very novel instrument to me, however looking back I think what drew me the most to it was its power and range. It can take the air in your lungs and transmute it into these incredibly powerful brassy tones but is dynamic enough to create very subtle and beautiful melodies as well. I think that versatility is what drew me. 

What are your hobbies or interests outside of music?

I’m a hobbyist writer and avid reader, I grew up on the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe, Steven King, H.P. Lovecraft, and classic fantasy like The Lord of the Rings among many others. As far as writing, I definitely wear my influences on my sleeve.  

I love the natural sciences, from chemistry to astronomy. I'm a huge     animal person. I love to be around wildlife and read about the incredible biodiversity of our planet. The natural world in general captivates me. I’m also obsessed with philosophy, history, anthropology, and comparative religion. 

You could say I'm fascinated by what people think about, why people think it, what people thought about in the past, and how what people think and believe determines the things they do. I could’ve probably summed this entire question up by simply saying I'm an enormous geek and proud of it. Sorry about that. 

Describe your favorite performance venue?

My favorite venue is wherever the passion is. Passion is the soul of any endeavor. If the place is full of people that are receptive and want to go on a musical journey with us, I don’t care if I'm playing inside of a trash can. It sounds corny but it’s the truth.  

Tell me about the craziest/worst thing that has ever happened onstage.

Probably when some drunk guy tried to get up on stage and give everyone a sneak peek at his new rap album dropping soon. To put it nicely, he did not achieve his goal. But I can appreciate the enthusiasm.  

That or the guy in the full grey alien costume that went to the front of the crowd and stared motionless at us for an entire set before wordlessly leaving. To this day I think I may have made contact with an extra-terrestrial intelligence.  

What qualities do you think make a great musician?

Well, to me I think part of reaching one’s potential in any art form is passion first and foremost. I know I mention that a lot, but authenticity and a genuine, honest love for something will always show in what you put out into the world. I think people have this intuitive sense for it, and it really resonates, especially in today’s world when so much around us seems so artificial and performative. 

To kind of build on that: discipline, practice, and hard work is incredibly important to be sure. But I believe when you really love what you do and you think back on that hard work from a bird’s eye view, for example: learning and improving at your instrument, learning a song, or creating a new song     from scratch, you realize something pretty profound:

You realize that all of the meaning and value in what you love doesn’t come from the end result or product; it comes from the work, the process. It’s not always the most gratifying or fulfilling feeling in the moment when you’re grinding away, it can even be frustrating at times.

But it’s through that friction and struggle that we grow, and it’s from place where creativity springs. I think that’s what makes a great musician, or any artist.

How do you handle performance anxiety(nervousness)? 

I’m a pretty anxious person, typically. But there’s something about performing for people that just melts it away. I think it’s one of the reasons I love performing so much. It’s a very personal thing, really. I sort of alluded to this earlier, but when you perform, you’re ideally putting a vulnerable, genuine, emotional piece of yourself on display for everyone to see. More than that even, you’re giving them that piece, that energy. When you start to notice them accept it and return the gesture by giving you their own energy, nothing else matters. How could it? 

If I had any advice to give, it’d be this:

Music like all art is amazing because it immerses us and takes us away from all the worry and drudgery of our daily lives, even if only for a little bit. We lose ourselves in the present moment. So focus on the performance, and how it makes you feel. Be genuine. Lose yourself in it. People will respond to it. It’s never failed me before.

What is the most trouble that you ever have gotten into?

In college I used to love exploring abandoned buildings, and there was a time when I was checking out an abandoned knitting mill with a few friends and we had a cop nearly scare us to death by shining his flashlight our way. Needless to say, we were told to leave immediately. We were given a pass, but I can’t see things going down nearly as neatly as a much older adult. 

What is your favorite song to perform? 

I’m going to be pretentious and say that I don’t really have a favorite. I can say that recently Cold and Ugly by Tool is one I really enjoy. The lyrics resonate with me, and I love the energy in it. 

Who is your biggest influence? 

I’m not sure who my single biggest influence would be. Musically, lyrically, and vocally Maynard Keenan from Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer has always been someone I’ve taken a ton of inspiration from. He’s one of the reasons I started singing in the first place. Tool has also been a big influence on me creatively; their albums and subject matter made a big impact on me in my formative years.

What’s the best piece of advice another musician has ever given you? 

My close friend and amazing bass, drummer, and ukulele player Tim likes to say:

“Commit to regular, structured practice every day for at least an hour. Even if you don’t feel like it. Just commit yourself to one hour a day. If you do nothing else, you’ll still be amazed at what happens.”

Take a listen to some of Jamie’s favorite songs.