Meet Billy Harrington | Freelance Musician, Touring Artist & Producer

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

Hi Billy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I think almost all of my musician heroes have been more or less freelancers at some point in their careers. It can be a scary prospect but also one with extreme freedom, whether that be the working hours, the type of work, the frequency of it, and of course the artistic component of being in charge of your output and “brand.” It’s also something I think comes very naturally when you realize you want to work with all sorts of artists and groups, rather than just one act. It requires you to manage all of those outlets, which I think puts you in that self-employed freelance position surprisingly fast. You become your own boss overnight in a way.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a freelancer or “hired-gun,” and take all sorts of gigs, but what I love most is collaborating with artists in the studio, and being a part of larger stage shows. Not just being a performer but being involved somehow creatively from a production standpoint is what I truly enjoy the most.

I can proudly say I’ve been fortunate enough to make my living solely on music for the last ten years or so, and now am able to curate a schedule filled with my favorite types of work – recording sessions, touring shows and larger stage productions. However, that didn’t happen overnight. It definitely took persistence building up connections, relationships with clients, knowing what gigs were worth sticking with and which ones weren’t. There were years and years of weddings every weekend, background dinner gigs, community theater shows and late-night bar gigs; really hustling around the state. The beauty of the freelance world and being your own boss is your landscape can always change and, depending on your circumstances, you get to decide what your schedule is week to week.

One of the biggest lessons I’m trying to still remind myself of time to time is that every gig is an opportunity for learning and appreciation. Some people will only see work as a time to perform, but I really believe that there are so many different facets to every gig, session, show, etc and it is a wealth of knowledge available for you, if you seek it out.

I think one of the reasons I keep getting hired is because of the attention, care and passion I bring to the gig. No matter who or where it is, I want to be 100% in it, on their wavelength, and a key element to its success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would have to start at one of my favorite coffee shops, Roos Roast. Roos is a perfect example of what Ann Arbor is in a coffee shop – quirky, unique, artistic and local. I am a big fan of Kerrytown, even if it’s just for a walk around the market to see some shops and people mingling. While we’re down there, we’ll have to make the mandatory stop at Encore Records. As a musician, I need to shoutout the Blue Llama and the Ark for being two of the best venues for music in the city. Since I’m a bit in the musical theatre scene as well, I must add Power Center for a concert or MT show. Late night stops must include Frita Batidos, Old Town, Raven’s Club and of course…. The Fleetwood Diner.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It’s so hard to pick one person! I guess if it can be a “group,” I would say all of the musicians, engineers, directors, etc that I get to collaborate with, especially here in Ann Arbor. The bigger cities like New York, Nashville and LA all have their “thing,” but I am always so proud to say that there is so much work of serious, serious quality happening here. Studio owners Geoff Michael (Big Sky Recording) and Eric Wojahn (Solid Sound) allowed me to become a producer in their spaces and made me love working in the studio. Instrumentalists Bobby Streng (Saxophone) and Matt Martinez (Trombone) taught me how to be a professional on and off the gig. Ken Pesick (Bass) continually inspires me to always put the music first with a passion; he does more homework than any musician I know. My brother, Mike Harrington, is also a constant inspiration for me. He’s a musical sponge, the best (and youngest!) pedal steel player I know, and I can call him for any guitar-related gig. Ryan Lewis (Eastern Michigan University, Encore Theater), GW Staton (Private Music Network, Black Crystal Cafe), Ralph Schmidtke (Quatro Entertainment) and Dean Elliot (Maple Tree Entertainment) all took a chance on me for their productions here and afar, and they really changed my career. I also cannot forget the amazing Cynthia Kortman Westphal (University of Michigan, Broadway) for convincing me to audition for what led to my first tour.

Website: www.billyharrington.com

Instagram: Billy.Harrington.r

Image Credits
Timothy Norris, Tabbatha Plomaritas, Carla Frattacci