Today we’d like to introduce you to Weldon Fulton.
Hi Weldon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Way back in 2006, I had a rough life. I had been uprooted half a dozen times, and having gone to six different high schools. I lost friends, family and to top it all off I got arrested twice right out of high school. My family had decided to leave Texas, and I was not getting along with them very well, so I decided to stay with my then girlfriend while I looked for ways to take care of myself and survive. I had literally nothing but my car (until a friend totaled it) which I slept in for a few days while I waited for my friends to put me up. I even tried to join the military to avoid jail and poverty but decided I wanted to be a starving (sometimes literally) artist instead. To that end I lived in absolute squalor in my 20s. The thing that stayed consistent the whole time was my love of music and my guitar which I named Amy. Once I finally stabilized a little and was able to move back to Austin, I sold all of my stuff, formed a band and dedicated my life to music. I formed an experimental band called Carl in 2010 and a production company called The Carl Institute in 2012. In 2018 I went back to school to complete a Bachelor’s in Jazz Guitar Performance in 2024. Since then, I’ve remained passionate about improvisational music and gained a passion for education. For the past 2 years I have been slowly establishing myself as a respectable jazz, and experimental guitarist, as well as a high-quality passionate educator. I’m currently running a moderately successful lesson company, a jazz band and as of June 2026 the triumphant return of my passion project, Carl.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Ever since I was little the authority figures around me like my parents and my teachers told me something was wrong with me. I liked doing things in my own time, thinking for myself and coloring outside the lines. Growing up with in the 90s with very little of my father led me to have some (effeminate) mannerisms that the other boys found offensive and loved to remind me. I had some great friends, but after getting ridicule and even bullying from home and school I never really felt very good about myself, outside the occasional burst of protective childhood narcissism. As an artist, I’ve found myself in a position that most artists are quite familiar with; no support whatsoever from family. At this point though I had come to expect it. Without going into too much detail, the results of my childhood are large mental health problems, like addiction and PTSD that persist to this day. Despite all of this I have found identity and purpose in music. It will never not be a struggle, but my resolve strengthens with every step along the way. I have worked hard to subvert my destiny and carve my own path. For better or worse I have succeeded and feel great pride. The music I make is difficult for people. It’s not for everyone, and trying to get the recognition I feel it deserves has been a massive uphill battle. I’ve had a lot of negative criticism about Carl (some even say it’s not even real music) but i truly believe in this music and I will see it through far as I can.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My music is experimental and (mostly) non-commercial, though I do dabble in commercial music occasionally. In 2010 I started an experimental band called Carl. We we’re chasing the magic of live experiences by playing only improvised experimental music. We would go into each performance not knowing what would happen. The energy in the room during these performances and recording sessions was unbelievably potent. It remains as my favorite project to-date. We stopped performing in 2017 for personal reasons but are making a triumphant return Jun 2026, with hopefully lots more dates to follow. I have a fusion band called Dogged who have only performed once during the sold-out No One Is Watching immersive theater experience for which I was the musical director and performing guitarist. That band will make it public debut late 2026. I also run a small jazz band called the Weldon Fulton combo. We play lots of post-bop and free jazz, but we also play the hits and classics for weddings and private events. The music that I make for the most part doesn’t exist outside of me. Of course, I have lots of influences and others have done similar things but try as I might I find very little artists trying to use the tools and genres I do. My company The Carl Institute founded in 2012 is dedicated to providing performance, production and education for those interested in coloring outside the lines designated by the music business at large.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I rely heavily on Ableton, iReal Pro, and Transcribe+, and WhatsGoodATX for my day-to-day musical activities. I’m also very inspired by Benn Jordan’s (The Flashbulb) YouTube channel as well as Chords of Orion and MakeWeirdMusic. They remind me that the only True Music is music made for music’s sake.
Pricing:
- $1 per minute for lessons
- $500-750 per hour for the jazz band
- A nicely worded review for Carl
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecarlinstitute.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carl_institute/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thecarlinstitute
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecarlinstitute
