Today we’d like to introduce you to Benjamin Pedraza.
Hi Benjamin, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey started when I picked up the violin at age 10. I have continued playing violin of course but at age 14, I picked up the guitar and at age 16, I started singing and writing my own songs. I was hooked on playing and learning music! However, I was discouraged from pursuing it as a career path. Not just by my family but also my community. The northern suburbs of San Antonio were not the most conducive place for an aspiring singer-songwriter. I did however start teaching private guitar lessons at age 18 and was determined to make that my only part-time job during college and I did! I studied psychology at The University of Texas at San Antonio and enjoyed the content but was not interested in being a psychologist or going into research. I started coming to Austin more and more to attend shows and to start performing my own little coffee shop gigs. I permanently moved to Austin while I was still finishing up my studies and jumped into any music-related activity I could. Open mic nights, recording sessions, collaborating with others, and seeing shows of every size and style. I started my band called City of Decades and I was on my way. After school ended, I refused to get any “real job” and instead worked on demand jobs like Uber and Postmates, as well as bus tables at fine dining restaurants.
Eventually, I got tired of working long hours doing things unrelated to music. And it didn’t take long for me to realized that I really missed teaching music lessons to kids. So I transitioned my way into only working in music. I saved, made a plan, and stuck to it. Since 2017 I have been a full-time musician performing, writing, recording, and teaching! There’s been no going back. Today I have put out a full-length album with my band City of Decades along with a batch of singles and an EP under my solo project’s name, Benji Lamar. I mostly play solo and do private parties and craft cocktail bars ever since the pandemic has loomed over us all, but I would say it’s been an upgrade! I write all the parts to all the instruments you hear in my recordings and teach them to band members I hire when I put the full band together. I’ve also written and innovated a songwriting class for teenagers, shown them how to put bands together, and how to book their own shows at local Austin venues all while being conscious about their finances! My title is singer-songwriter and music mentor and I would say that my psychology degree did end up coming in handy as I use it every day to read a crowd and teach the youth all the tricks of the trade that I have discovered! I just had two singles come out during the holidays and I hope to keep putting out music and educational content in 2022!
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?
Money, money, and money. Soaring rent prices in Austin, working too many odd jobs, falling into debt, and temptation from drugs and alcohol. Fortunately, I have utilized some amazing resources for musicians that the city of Austin offers. I had to pause to research and make a plan. It took time but my music business has only grown rapidly!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I like to say my brand is “singer-songwriter and music mentor.” It looks great on a business card and sums up a lot within a little. For one- when a venue of any kind finds out I am also a music teacher, then seem to have more blind faith that I won’t be terrible. Second, I get asked more questions about what kind of gigs I can play and what instruments I can teach. The answer to the first question would be mostly solo acoustic gigs in a more private setting but I can hire my talented friends if a full ensemble is needed. I also use a QR code to show folks a menu of cover songs they can request digitally. I categorized the songs by different decades so you can pick from hits ranging back to the 1930s to the 2020s! And as for what instruments I teach, I teach guitar, violin, ukulele, keyboard, voice, songwriting, music theory, and production.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I think I have a problem with how much I love Star Wars but the truth is those iconic motifs helped me understand music theory like no other. Plus a galaxy far far away is the best escapism!
Pricing:
- $300 for the 1st hour of music
- $100 for every hour after
- $65 Zoom lessons (1hr) $45 Zoom lessons (30 min)
- For in person lessons send inquiries to benjithemusicteacher@gmail.com
Contact Info:
- Email: benjilamarmusic@gmail.com
- Website: benjilamar.com
- Instagram: @benjilamar
Image Credits
Sarah Sizemore, Vinnie Fallico
