Life & Work with Stanley Samuel of Norcross

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stanley Samuel.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born in a family with musical talents and have been playing instruments and singing since my childhood – starting with bongos, congas, drums set, Indian drums, keyboards, harmonica, and guitars. I grew up mostly with a Christian gospel music repertoire but have in the recent years been exposed to other popular secular music. I still perform Christian spirituals and gospel songs but also popular songs from the 1950s through the 1980s mostly (some older and some newer as well). Presently I play the guitar and use backing soundtracks (some I create and some I purchase) to sing along with. I work full time as a spiritual counselor with Golden Rule Hospice and utilize the gift of music to bring spiritual and emotional connection and comfort to patients, families, and communities where they reside. I also provide music performances in the evenings and weekends outside of my full time work hours.

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?
When I was first interested in going to school to study music, my father/mentor whose footsteps I followed, guided me to theological training to become a Christian clergyman instead and wisely said, “You will always have and use music in your work.” That wisdom has remained useful for me in my personal and professional life. The arts are a difficult field to make a decent living in, and very few artists are successful enough to not have to work another job. In my case, I love being a hospice spiritual counselor and also have the opportunity to perform music with and outside my work. As for whether it has been a smooth road, I will say, there was a time when I needed more work and tried to venture out to perform for paid music gigs. I found out really quickly that venues were happy for me to perform for free but not open to paying me when I needed it. So, I can understand how difficult it is for professional musicians to get paid gigs. The venues I have been performing at for over 3 years now have never had me play music for free and value my work more than where I have performed for free.

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?
As a spiritual counselor in hospice care I utilize music to bring spiritual connection and emotional comfort through familiar songs during very difficult times for patients and their families. I carry this same spiritual awareness and ability to empathize with the listener when I perform songs from the listener’s choice of music.

I perform popular songs mostly from the 1950s through the 1980s (some older and some newer) as per requests from the audience. I currently perform from a repertoire of over 50 Christian spiritual and gospel songs, and over 300 popular songs that include numbers from the Beatles, Bee Gees, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Carpenters, Chuck Berry, Elton John, Elvis Presley, Engelbert Humperdinck, Frank Sinatra, Freddie Fender, James Taylor, John Denver, Jonny Cash, Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole, Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson, Willie Nelson to name some of the great performers.

I engage the listener through my music and receive feedback like “personable”, “professional”, “crowd pleaser”, “great voice”; and bring emotional connection to the essence of a song. Additionally, I like creating my own soundtracks to sing the way I feel about a song. I’m not only a singer; I’m a music creator, writer, composer, arranger, and have a studio for recording, mixing, & mastering music. I’m not popularly known because music has always been more of a hobby, but, more recently, I’ve decided to get out more before kicking the bucket.

What makes me most proud is my willingness to not be stuck in the rut of my principles; whether of faith, or the sense of hope for this life or the next, but to be open to opportunities to love and accept the other.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I’m not an old dog who can’t learn new tricks. I have my preferences like anyone else does, but I am open to new music, new spiritual perspectives, and am not stuck to any rigid system. My flexibility and willingness to work on new material is surprising to those who know me or my past work.

Pricing:

• $125/hr of music performance
• $40/hr of audio recording session
• 450/hr of video recording session
• $40/hr for music training
• $500/3 month basic music training program

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imusicstan.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imusicstan/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKUl8IWOoYSfXITU4B2JcGQ
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/imusicstan-norcross-2
• Other: https://www.google.com/search?q=imusicstan+reviews&oq=imus&gs_lcrp

Image Credits
Sabrina Samuel Photography