Today we’d like to introduce you to Cameron Allen.
Hi Cameron, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my musical journey early in life. Growing up around two uncles who were both musicians, and watching in awe as they would play their instruments, it was clear to me that nothing could possibly be more fun than making music. Eventually, my parents got me an electric guitar of my own for my sixth birthday, and I became obsessed. Throughout my childhood, I spent a lot of time exploring and learning the instrument and started writing my own music.
Fortunately, my uncle owned a recording studio, so I was able to record my music and have the songs professionally produced. This early studio experience was extremely important in my development as a musician. I also got my first taste of live performance around age 10 or 11, when I did my first paid gig at a local bar in my hometown. The experience of playing to a live audience was absolutely magical, and at that point, I knew I was hooked for life! As I got into my teens I continued writing and recording music and performed regularly as a solo artist and with various bands around my local area.
Eventually, I moved to the Atlanta area to study Guitar Performance at the Atlanta Institute of Music. This proved to be one of the best decisions I ever made, as I learned and developed more during my time as a student there than at any other time in my life. I also met some of my best friends, and made connections with some truly amazing musicians that have impacted my life tremendously!
After graduating, I put together a new band and released an album of music that I had written during my time as a student. Shortly after that, I heard about an international guitar competition called the BendNote Talent Competition that was coming up later in the year, and I decided to enter. I recorded a video of myself performing one of the songs from the album I had just released, and submitted it to the contest.
Fast forward a few months, and I got the news that I was accepted into the semi-finals, and then into the finals. The finalists were invited to compete in Paris, France in front of a live panel of judges to determine the winner, so I packed my bags and headed to Paris. After much nervous anticipation, I got on the stage and gave my performance, and ended up winning the competition! This was a big moment for me, as it opened up a lot of new opportunities and really helped to propel my career forward.
Soon after that, I got my first international touring experience as I got hired to play guitar in a progressive rock band that played in many countries across Europe and North America. In the middle of a multi-year stint of off-and-on touring, I was selected as a finalist in another high-profile guitar competition called Guitar Idol. The finals were held in London, UK, again in front of a panel of live judges. I wound up placing first runner-up in that one, and this gave another boost to my career and opened up my music to a wider audience.
Around that same time, I got a faculty position as a guitar instructor at the very same school from which I graduated, the Atlanta Institute of Music (now called the Atlanta Institute of Music & Media), where I still teach to this day. I also began working as a columnist for a popular online guitar magazine. This really helped me to improve my skills as an educator and content creator. I began making multimedia content for the magazine in the form of articles, video demonstrations, and transcriptions, related to a single topic at a time.
After a brief stint making content for the magazine, I started to independently create longer lessons and more in-depth tutorial packages and decided to make them available on my website. I found the process to be a lot of fun, and the feedback from students was quite positive, so I kept working on new educational material.
I now have an online store filled with a variety of products designed to help guitarists improve their playing, with products ranging from in-depth tutorials & topic-specific lessons, to lick bundles, TAB packs, full song playthroughs, and more. I also regularly create content for my YouTube channel, Instagram, and other social media pages, and teach private lessons to students all over the world via the magic of the internet. I perform regularly in the Atlanta area and elsewhere, both as a solo artist and with a variety of bands and artists. And I still write and record music, and also do session work for other musicians.
I’m grateful to be able to continue creating music and sharing it with others, and I love helping other guitarists achieve greater levels of understanding and enjoyment of this beautiful instrument. It’s a blessing to be in this position, and I’m thankful for every day that I’m still able to keep doing what I love!
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?
As with any career path, being a musician has its fair share of challenges. For example, the music industry has completely changed with the advent of the internet and streaming services. Because people are now accustomed to being able to consume unlimited amounts of content for free, it has become more challenging to find ways to monetize what I do. Rather than trying to resist the takeover of modern technology, I choose to embrace it by creating lots of free content for people to enjoy, while also offering them the option to purchase my more in-depth content if they want to take a deeper dive. I think the key is to always remain adaptable and be willing to improvise as needed. Plus, the enjoyment and fulfillment I get from being able to make a living as a musician vastly outweigh the struggles that come with the territory.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
In a nutshell, I create music in a variety of capacities. I’m a guitarist, composer, and singer, and I make original recordings, play live shows, perform on other people’s records, create internet content, and share my knowledge with others. I enjoy playing quite a wide variety of musical genres, but I’m probably best known professionally as an instrumental fusion guitarist. I’m proud to be able to pick up the guitar every day and do what I love. The journey truly is the destination, so I try to just enjoy the ride. And what sets me apart from others is the same thing that unites me with others – that I am an individual with a unique perspective and experience of the world, just like everyone else. And as long as I remain true to myself as an artist, I believe my work will always have an originality that makes it identifiably “mine”.
What makes you happy?
Of course, music makes me happy, and I consider myself a music listener first and foremost. The love I have for listening to music makes performing it all the sweeter. I thoroughly enjoy working on my craft and continually growing and improving. Playing music is like a form of meditation; when I’m making music, I’m not worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, I’m only aware of the present moment. And that “flow state” is inherently blissful, and it keeps me centered. The same thing can happen when listening to music, and my goal as a performer is to bring that experience to the audience, to bring them an experience of the present moment that allows them to enjoy the freedom that music has to offer. I also really enjoy sharing my knowledge with others and helping them grow and develop their potential. I believe every musician has a unique set of gifts to offer to the world, and proper training and education can be the key to unlocking their true musical personality. It is greatly rewarding to play a part in helping to unlock that potential in my students. Aside from music-related things, I love spending time with my family and friends. I’m happiest when I’m with the people I love, and I’m grateful to have amazing people in my life. I also enjoy various other forms of creativity and art, along with exercising, learning new things, dogs, Indian food, the list goes on…
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cameronallenmusic.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/cameronallenmusic
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/cameronallenmusic
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cameronallengtr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/cameronallengtr
