Today we’d like to introduce you to Nico Lembo.
Hi Nico, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Growing up in Clearwater, Florida, I began playing drums at the age of 11 with the encouragement of my mom, dad, and grandfather, at first who played drums themselves. My first taste of showbiz was getting paid $50 playing for the City of Clearwater at 13 years old. I studied Jazz at the University of North Florida. After graduation, I toured through the southeast with a band called Saltwater Grass until I moved to Atlanta in 2013 with my buddy and fellow musician Richard Sherrington.
Together we began playing weddings and corporate gigs with the Emerald Empire Band. This led to playing with other amazing artists around town and in the southeast including Larkin Poe, Kevin Scott, Billy Gewin, Lefty Williams, Jared Munday, and many others. I’ve always taught drums and I still do to this day, averaging 25 students or more per week.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
People have always told me that I “don’t look like a drummer” and because of that I’ve felt the need to prove that I am and that I am just as worthy of this profession as someone that does “look like a drummer”.
Over the years, I’ve experienced many tough lessons and setbacks – being yelled at by teachers, tragically losing teachers way too young, crippling self-doubt about my abilities and career path, and personal sacrifices like missed birthday parties, holidays, and family gatherings. It’s been far from smooth sailing but it’s worth the sacrifices to now be able to support my family while doing something I love to do.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a musician who plays drums. Recently I’ve expanded my artistry to include writing with my songwriting partner Jared Munday. It’s been really cool to follow through with songs I started writing in college but just fell off my priority list at the time.
My boss and mentor Nick Kavali (of Kavali’s Flying Fingers) encouraged me to begin teaching beginner piano lessons a few years ago, and that has led to me finding my own drum and piano students around the Lilburn area, I started my own lessons business, tentatively called Lembo’s Lessons.
I vibe well with others and foster a fun, stress-free environment, whether I’m playing a gig or teaching a lesson. I’ve had several students for going on 10 years, and I have great working relationships with my bandmates. I’m proud that I can stand on my own playing and teaching music, but most of all I’m proud of my marriage to my wife Melissa and our daughter Madelyn, who turned two in March.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
I wish I knew how mentally difficult playing music was before I started out. There might be people who want to take advantage of you and your talent or who don’t want to see you succeed, but at the end of the day, the only person with any real power over yourself is yourself. Your insecurities will do more harm than any other person can do, so make sure you keep things in perspective and try not to get carried away in the hustle of being a musician.
This is one of the toughest industries to make a living in and you will need to wear many hats. You need to show up 100% of the time and be a team player, so leave your attitude and ego at the door. At times, you will feel like the greatest musician, and other times you feel like you don’t know a thing about something you’ve been doing for years.
The best advice I can give someone just starting out is something I heard at a Cyrus Chestnutt clinic years ago: weather the storm. There will be many peaks and valleys as a musician but the only time you truly fail is when you quit, so never give up.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nicolembomusic.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolembomusic
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/nicolembomusic
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/nicolembomusic
Image Credits
Valerie Payne (@thevalpayne)
