Venson says her dad is the ultimate source of wisdom on how to succeed as a bandleader and professional musician. His main advice has always been for her to distinguish herself from every other guitar player in the city and always bring something new to the table. “He always told me, ‘If you want to be the bandleader, own the PA and book the gigs.’ And it doesn’t hurt to have the rehearsal space in your house,” Venson says. “If you want to keep a band, make it so they need you. Make is so they have to hire you.” In her YouTube series, How to Become a Musician, Venson shares her father’s wise words and discusses the trade with other working artists. Her most recent episode features local hip-hop group Riders Against the Storm. In the video, captured by Venson’s selfie-stick style of filming, the group first meets up with Venson at East Austin venue Sahara Lounge before proceeding to walk down the street. The artists chat about Venson’s father and his one-liner advice to “treat the audience as if they were your family because they are.” Previous video guests on Venson’s YouTube series included Austin-based musicians Carolyn Wonderland, Dale Watson and Kate Priestley of the band KP and the Boom Boom. With years of touring and two full-length album releases behind her, Venson has curated some of her own advice for aspiring musicians. Tapping into her superpower ability to see the best in human nature, Venson says people who looked down on her throughout her career were only revealing their own flaws. “People treat people the way that they treat themselves. It’s hardly every personal. When people are mean or negative toward you, they’re actually showing you a huge weakness on their part,” Venson says. “It’s just information. It’s not something you should take to heart and it’s not something that you should let stop you.” Venson says being a female musician has taught her to stay true to her own goals and authentic self in the face of criticism. “Do exactly what you want to do,” Venson says. “Anything you need to do is what you want to do. Don’t worry about what you look like. All of that stuff comes naturally.” Venson caught a big break on tour last year in New York City. While performing at a coffee shop in Harlem, a friend of Stay Human, the house band for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, took a cellphone video of Venson’s impressive guitar chops. The video made its way back to the band, which led to an Instagram message inviting Venson to fill in on guitar for a five-night run on the late-night talk show. Venson shared the stage with Stay Human bandleader Jon Batiste and visiting artists Mac Miller and Anderson Paak. “It was just complete luck that I checked my Instagram messages,” Venson says. “That was probably the biggest thing I’ve ever done.” Following her Late Show appearance last September, Venson started 2017 with local recognition from artist-championing organizations Black Fret and Austin Music Foundation. She is currently part of Austin Music Foundation’s artist-development program, alongside local artists to watch like Charlie Faye, Gina Chavez and Magna Carda. The intensive seven-month program supports a select group of established Austin musicians by providing information on more advanced topics, like getting press, copyrights and building a management team. Venson says the program gives artists the “next-level info” that record labels used to provide during her father’s time in the music industry. “We’ve gotten [the process of] booking gigs figured out, and now we’re trying to figure out this weird gray area that we’re not getting any help in because labels don’t do that anymore,” Venson says. “Now, you’ve got to already be opening for The Rolling Stones for [labels] to even care about you. It’s like, how do I get there? Austin Music Foundation is just an answer to that question.” Venson says Austin Music Foundation is extremely valuable to local artists of all levels. For musicians just starting out, it can help with the basics of booking gigs, getting paid and connecting an artist with other musicians. “I had my own Austin Music Foundation just because of my dad, but that’s why I say it’s so useful, because not everyone has my dad just sitting around,” Venson says. “Austin Music Foundation is my dad for everyone else: the trained, professional musician that shares experiences and gives you an opportunity to learn from them.” In March, Venson was included among a selection of local musicians receiving grants from Black Fret. The nonprofit allows nominated artists to “unlock” their grant funds through musical achievements, like releasing new material and touring. Venson says Austin’s support of local musicians is completely unique to the city. “I’ve been to a lot of other music cities and there’s just nothing like this. There’s nothing like Austin Music Foundation, and there’s nothing like Black Fret either,” she says. “Do you really think there’s something in New York City that’s going to give you a free consultation? Come on! Do you think there’s anything for free in New York City?” This month, Venson heads out on her third European tour. This will be her first time performing overseas with her full band, which she couldn’t afford to bring along to past performances in Europe.
JACKIE VENSON’S SUMMER JAMS To get in the summertime spirit, Austin Woman asked the blues powerhouse what songs she plans to have on repeat this month. Her genre-spanning playlist picks pair well with the singer-songwriter’s free spirit and varied musical influences. New Slang by The Shins “Roll the windows down and let the wind blow your hair as you cruise with your friends. This is that kind of song. I love the sing-along ‘oohs’ sprinkled throughout the song. They make me happy.” Mad Behaviour by Izzy Bizu “Summer is all about love, and this song is about love in its most accepting and wild form. [It says] he or she will love you, no matter your mad behavior.” SpottieOttieDopaliscious by Outkast “Now it’s time to kick back and reflect on how blessed we all are to be sharing the earth together at this time. Chill out and get lost in life for a second. This song will assist you with that, I’m sure of it.” Love and Happiness by Al Green “[This song is] classic, groovy and full of soul and meaning, just like Al Green always is. The depth in this song and the hypnotic ways of this band just make you want to cannonball into a body of water and kick it with your friends.” One Nation Under a Groove by Funkadelic “Togetherness: What’s life without the people you love? We are all in this together, and it sure is hard as hell to enjoy summer without friends and family all gettin’ down just for the funk of it.” Sweet Life by Frank Ocean “[This song is about] learning to live life from all angles and all experiences, whether you’re blessed with material riches or other types of riches. I love this song because it’s from a point of view that many of us don’t get to experience.” Monte by Zee Avi “Simplicity, that’s what I’m all about. Too much clutter or too much noise drowns out what’s really important: appreciating your life and the people you’ve been given to guide you through.”
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