Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Smith.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I joined the army and served 20 years in various U.S. Army bands. I was stationed in Oklahoma, Japan, Germany, and retired after serving at Ft Campbell, Kentucky. After retiring, I returned to my hometown in South Jersey. While serving in various army bands, I started gigging on the side with friends and fellow army musicians. Once I returned to New Jersey, I continued to perform in restaurants, weddings, and private parties. My tie to Orlando is that my roommate in AIT was from Kissimmee. He also served with me at Fort Sill. He and his wife became lifelong friends. I would visit them over the years, both during my military career and after I retired. During a gig in Atlantic City one December, I spoke to a bass player who said he goes to Florida for the winter and gigs until Spring. I thought that was the coolest thing! That idea remained in my mind for nearly twenty years. In 2022, I had the opportunity to come to Florida to give it a try. I stayed with my friends in St Cloud and traveled around Florida. I eventually got some recurring gigs in St Cloud and Key Largo. Now, I spend the month of January in Florida, traveling back and forth between Orlando and the Keys. I also travel to Florida a few times a year to do weddings and parties.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been many struggles. After I retired, my wife started working full-time, and I was home taking care of our children. We have seven children. We have one special needs child that needs extra attention. Our kids are wonderful when it comes to helping out with their sister. Some of the best times of my life have been home with our kids. I couldn’t work during the day but I started getting gigs at night. Over a few years, I was able to play 5 and 6 nights a week. Everything was going well until the recession in 2008. I lost all of my gigs and started working overnights at Wawa. I also worked overnights at Amazon warehouses. Money was tight during that time, but now things are getting back on track.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I play saxophone along with backing tracks. I got started doing this in Germany with a fellow army musician. He would go into pubs in Germany with a laptop and his singer. They would perform for food and drinks. The owners of the establishments would offer them paying gigs. I used this same technique in New Jersey. What sets me apart from other performers is I’m small and nimble. My setup is battery-powered and I can fit in the corner of a room. Unlike many other musicians/bands that need a lot of space and an outlet. My specialty is dinner music in restaurants I play soft enough that you can hold a conversation without yelling. This is very appealing to restaurant owners and their patrons.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is spending time with family and friends. Especially an old friend I haven’t seen in years. I’m going to put this phrase on a T-shirt. “Spending Time With An Old Friend Recharges Your Soul!” I do my best to do this as much as I can. Last year I arranged a reunion with some old army buddies at Ft Sill, Oklahoma. For the past 10 years, I have met up with friends from my high school band. When you get together with old friends, you don’t want the day to end. The other thing that makes me happy is performing and writing music.
Pricing:
- $150 per hour for private events
- $250 per hour for beach weddings
- Contact me for restaurant pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://1-man-band.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/furinkad/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saxmanband
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/production-music/
- Email: info@1-man-band.com
Image Credits
Renee Photography
https://www.facebook.com/capturedbyreneelynn/
