ERIN COBURN: HOW I KEEP MY MUSIC ALIVE AND WELL
A three-hour show awaits… vocals must be warmed up, the setlist needs reviewing, and a load of ultra-heavy gear needs to be hauled to the van. All in one day.
I am an 18-year-old Rock n’ blues artist who has a schedule packed with shows, rehearsals, interviews, and more… so being focused and staying on track is crucial. I have found the SECRET to keeping this crazy musician lifestyle balanced, enjoyable, and successful. Actually, it’s not really a secret... The key to this balance is a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. I know, a lot of us cringe at these words and some may believe they are overused, however, a healthy lifestyle can prolong human life, which means it can lengthen our artistic output. There are so many other benefits to living this way.
BENEFIT 1: MY BRAIN WORKS BETTER
Alright, I am a musician, so I don’t need my brain… I play only using my fingers and my heart. WRONG. Anyone in the music business knows you NEED to be woke and constantly reading up on the changes being made in the industry. Our career is a never-ending study session, so keeping a sharp mind is extremely important. This is why I make sure I am eating foods that are highly beneficial to my mind and body. I’ve seen the differences first hand.
To name one time specifically, I was in Mississippi recording my second album and I didn’t pack any of my healthy snacks. I ended up eating a pretty massive amount of those Reese’s Easter eggs and it definitely impacted my recording process. I got tired so quickly. We would get like two rhythm tracks recorded for the songs and then I would feel exhausted! Looking back, I wish I would’ve stayed away from all of the processed food and sugar during that important stretch of time.
Time is money in the music business and artists can’t afford to lose it over feeling sleepy. I did a similar booboo when I was recording my third album in Cleveland. I was bodybuilding at the time and eating copious amounts of white rice and oatmeal. I ate the same exact thing every day for an entire month because I thought that was the only way I could be strong and live a healthy life. I brought my mounds of rice and chicken for lunch daily to the studio. After I ate, I would feel sick and bloated, which is not a good mix when you have to belt a kicka** blues rock song. I eventually stopped the rice, broccoli, and chicken diet and took a good look at what I was doing wrong. I realized I wasn’t living a balanced life. I had been on one side of the spectrum or the other, I was never in the middle.
Today, I am happy to say I am in the middle and I feel sensational. I fuel my body with whole, organic foods and I workout 5 days a week. I take walks with my dog every day and I stretch each night. I am writing songs a lot more now, and they seem to flow so much easier since my brain isn’t fogged. Plus, I’ve never been more motivated until now to actually sit down and read about the music business, study music theory, learn about how to engineer my own songs, and just absorb all of the information around me. My mind is sharper and much more willing to do these actions that can open a whole new staircase for my career to climb.
BENEFIT 2: I’M MY OWN ROADIE
I am on the road a lot, but just because I’m on the road doesn’t mean I have roadies. So who lifts the gear? The band. I guess you could say we are a band of many abilities. About four or five years ago, I started weight lifting because I wanted to tone up and look shredded, but as I’ve gotten further along in my lifting quest, I’ve realized how many other incredible things it’s doing for me. One: I feel STRONG and energized after I lift. Lifting has given me this whole new confidence that I carry with me right up on the stage. Two: I can actually lift my own gear. I used to get so embarrassed when I had to ask my dad or an audience member to lift MY amp. I felt since that was my gear, it was my responsibility to lift it, and I still feel that way today. Weight lifting has enabled me to haul my own gear. That’s right, I’m my own roadie!
My bass player and I lifting my whopper of an amp
BENEFIT 3: HIT SONGS DON’T START WITH THE PENCIL
Judy Stakee once told me I need to take care of myself in order to be a successful songwriter. I spent a week at her writing retreat in Ben Lomond, California and I got to co-write with some very talented artists, learn from a very knowledgeable and respected woman in the industry, and develop good habits for writing hit songs. Over the course of that week, we practiced balancing all three of these aspects of life: body, mind, and soul. We ate three meals a day plus healthy snacks and we surrounded each other with positive talk and excited attitudes at all times. We not only ate superfoods, but we did something for the body each morning: yoga. I never really liked yoga because I can’t sit still or quiet for longer than ten minutes, but after each yoga session, I felt like I was blooming. Between the food, the writing tasks, and the exercise, I wrote songs I never thought I could write. Songs so catchy I am still singing them today and it’s been a little over a year. So, no… hit songs don’t start with a pencil. They start with the mind, body, and soul.
BENEFIT 4: EASIER TO WORK WITH
I like to check in with my band members frequently to see how they’re feeling, both mentally and physically. The better my band and I feel, the easier we work together on and off stage. If I didn’t get sleep one night and then ate a bunch of M&M’s I would not be the most fun to work with the next day. Keeping my band happy is so important to me. I’d never want to do anything to make them upset, uncomfortable, or resent me. I know that when I eat well, sleep enough, and stay active I am a positive, driving force. Having a bright mind and energy is important when it comes to planning rehearsals, talking through new songs, and understanding how to efficiently communicate to band members.
My drummer, Brandon Pettiford, and me having a good time on stage
Overall, living a healthy and balanced life has made me a better and more focused artist. I can motivate myself to dive deep into the constantly changing business, lift my own gear, write hit songs without frying my brain, and I can keep a positive relationship with my band. My music is alive and well, and so am I.