Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Dooley.
Hi Megan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born into a very creative family in the parking lot of Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, MI in the cold, early hours of March 1st, 1986. My grandmother was an impressionistic oil painter, my grandfather was a guitarist, my father was a commission artist specializing in hand-made quills and recreating historical documents, and everyone was an amazing singer. I grew up singing and listening to music every day. I learned how to play guitar at age 13 and started writing music shortly after.
My father pushed me very hard to follow my passion for performance. He was originally a cartoonist that was offered an animator’s position with Disney in the late 60’s, but was very soon drafted into the Vietnam War- where he served two tours in the Navy as a Seabee. Having to miss his calling as an animator really pushed him to help me realize my own artistic pursuits. I played my first paid performance as a singer-songwriter when I was 14 years old. I emancipated myself and tested for my GED at 15 years old- leaving home to pursue a career in music.
I knew early on that I wanted to stay an independent artist in complete creative control of my work and career trajectory. I always knew I wanted Michigan to stay as my home base and that the state was one of the best places in the country to work as an independent musician. We have it all here, and the summer tourism alone has made it possible for me to solely make a living as a full time musician for over 13 years now. I’ve been playing for over 26 years total. More than half my life!
I’ve opened for some amazing artists here in Michigan like Billy Strings, Aimee Mann, Rodriguez (The Sugarman Himself), and Eilen Jewel, to name a few. I ran open mic nights for 15 years in Kalamazoo and threw many events and shows- earning myself the moniker “The First Lady Of The Kalamazoo Music Scene” by Revue Magazine, and 2019’s Best Solo Performer by popular vote. I even spent a month performing in London in 2016, ending at Brasserie Zedel, London’s oldest Cabaret.
I’ve always been pretty against the mainstream music industry. It’s extremely exploitative and destructive to the average artist. I’ve spent a lot of time in Kalamazoo just helping other performers carve out their own independent space and opportunities. Luckily here in Kzoo (and it’s a large reason why this place has always remained my home base) we have arts endowments offered in perpetuity that open for proposals twice a year, through the Arts Council of Kalamazoo. Any artist, of any medium, can apply for project funds. Obviously not many cities place an importance on the arts like that. We are very fortunate.
Luckily today it’s easier than ever to be an independent musician, but cutting through all the noise to be heard is what’s hardest about it now. Here in Michigan though, we have an incredible independent music industry just absolutely frought with integrity and talent. They’ve been calling this area up here the the “Nashville of the North” for many years now. I’m so proud to be a part of that.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As anything worthy of pursuit- my career has had many challenges. Just carving out the space to work full time took me over a decade. I spent my first 13 years also training to be a chef full time (I didn’t want to be a starving artist!) So I often worked 15-20 hour days during that time. Doing so much work with my hands for so long led to a tendonitis and carpal tunnel diagnosis when I hit my mid-thirties, so I have to be careful I don’t over do it now. Recovery was tough, and I couldn’t stop playing- so working through that was hard. That built up along with my workaholism, which led me to an extreme case of burnout starting in 2019. The pandemic was actually a godsend for me- it forced me to clear my schedule and take the time to really heal my body (and mind) and to reprioritize my life. I was able to prove my work as an independent contractor to the state as well, so I also recieved unemployment compensation and health insurance for the first time in my career. My body had been breaking down for a couple years (I actually played something like 287 shows in 2018, which is a CRAZY schedule for an independent artist) and I suffered from some very real, very scary health issues that almost killed me twice while recovering. I couldn’t actually play any music for about a year, and I almost didn’t make it back to playing at all. I was in a very dark place and wasn’t sure if I could find the light again. But I gave myself the time to just be a person for once, fell in love and got married to my husband, and he really showed me how to slow down and get back to what life is supposed to really be about. I now have a much, MUCH better work life balance, and I truly cherish my time more than anything else now. I took to heart some lyrics from a song I wrote about capitalism called “Nothing But Trouble”- “The only thing we truly own is all our precious time.” I’m proud to say I cherish my time the most among everything else.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a multi-instrumentalist (mainly guitar and ukulele, but I also play drums, mandolin and a bit of piano), a vocalist, and a professional whistler- also known as a “Puckalo”.
I learned whistling from my father- who could do those inhuman sounding birdcalls! I could never figure that out (he tried to teach me, I’m still convinced he had extra parts in his vocal chords that I wasn’t blessed with), but he did teach me melodic whistling, which REALLY grabs people. That’s something that really sets me apart from other performers.
I specialize in quite a few things, one of which happens to be jumping genres (I like to joke that I have genre ADD onstage) and I have some decent mimicry skills with my vocals, so I sing a LOT of different styles. My favorites to sing tend to be Cabaret style music, gruff blues/rock, and big band-style jazz. I’ve performed regularly with the Kalamazoo Concert Band, a 93 piece brass and percussion outfit, which has been one of the proudest collaborative projects I’ve ever done. We’re in talks to do an album together soon.
I’m known for never performing the same show twice, which always brings a lot of repeat listeners. I get bored easily and often switch things up. My versatility is another strength- I play anywhere from a solo one-man-band type show with multiple contraptions hanging off me, or with a full band depending on the event. My powerful vocals have also set me apart, described as “a train dressed in satin. It lilts, flirts, and storms” by Encore Magazine. I also studied comedy a bit, so I’m always telling bad jokes in between songs. I have a lot of fun onstage and folks can feel it.
I’m most proud of my album “Made In Kalamazoo” released in 2016. It’s a critically acclaimed independent album that sold over 15,000 copies in it’s first 2 years. Rookie numbers when you’re working with a national label- but as a local, independent artist doing all their own marketing and sales- that’s pretty amazing. I’m also proud if my newest album- a live performance recorded in-studio with an audience at La Luna Recording and Sound back in 2023- one of the best independent recording studios in the area. All my music is streaming on all the platforms.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
It’s always been very important to me as an independent musician to be accessible and dependable. The arts shouldn’t be held at arms length or priced so high that the average person can’t enjoy it. I’ve always made sure to be so versatile that I could be hired for any type of event, as well as affordable and reliable. Those qualities have carried me for these 26 years and I wouldn’t be anywhere without them!
Pricing:
- My average hourly rate fluctuates but my base fee starts at $150 per hour. I’ve played every type of occasion!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.megandooleymusic.com
- Facebook: https://Www.facebook.com/MDooleyMusic
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@dooleymusic
- Soundcloud: https://share.google/X1GzIycL3vnIMcCpY
