Conversations with Larry Lacerte

Today we’d like to introduce you to Larry Lacerte

Hi Larry, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been drawn to music ever since I was a kid. When I was really young, I had a little red toy guitar. I would dance and strum along to some of my favorite songs like “Hound Dog” by Elvis. Later in my childhood, I started taking guitar lessons, and in high school, I started writing songs. I really enjoy the challenge of piecing together lyrics and music. In college, songwriting started to overshadow everything else. At first, the songs were poor imitations of my favorite artists, but slowly I started to get a bit better. In my twenties, I floated between lots of seasonal jobs. I spent most of my days off writing. I ski patrolled at Copper Mountain in the winter and had a different summer seasonal job every year for a while. One summer took me to Alaska. I vividly remember a day towards the end of that summer where I decided maybe songwriting could be more than a hobby. I had this moment thinking I’d rather go after this dream with everything I have rather than always wondering ‘what if.’ I decided to move back to Colorado when the season ended and spend the winter working on my craft, writing every day, and learning the music business.

The following summer, I found myself with a growing catalog of original songs and some home recordings. I joined some writing groups, played at open mics, and started trying to meet other people who were navigating a career in music. I started out wanting to be a songwriter for other people. I soon realized I would have to confront my quiet, introverted side and start gigging if I was ever going to get the songs out to the world. That led me to make my first full-band EP, Dreaming of the Ways, at CCM Studios in Denver. For a couple of years, I got really into the gigging scene in Summit County but slowly started to burn out on playing long bar gigs. I decided to travel for a year and get back in touch with what I really love about music. That pointed me back to songwriting, composing and recording. Today that is my main focus.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Music is an interesting road with lots of twists and turns and some bumps. It’s about being in it for the long haul. I’ve been told pursuing music is about getting through being told ‘No’ a thousand times to get to that one ‘Yes.’ I’ve had to learn to celebrate little milestones and victories. It’s hard work to hang in there amongst all the rejection. There have been many gigs to nearly empty rooms, tough love song critiques, and a lot of doubters. I have learned running a band is tough. There are all sorts of people in the industry with different skill sets and levels of motivation. I think a lot of my success so far can be attributed to showing up on time and doing what I say I’m going to do. It’s been a lesson in having thick skin and relentless persistence. It’s a process of constantly reinventing myself as I try to write better songs, make better recordings, form meaningful relationships and also navigate the business side of it all.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am focused on writing songs and pitching them to other artists and film/tv opportunities. I will write a song and pitch it for a while before recording and releasing it on my own. I release my roots rock/ Americana lyrical songs under my own name, Larry Lacerte, and with my band project, Broke Down Rodeo. Additionally, I release instrumental guitar compositions under the name LaCerte. I’ve come to really like having a lot of different ‘irons in the fire.’ While songwriting and recording are where I’m now putting most of my efforts, I’m also learning a lot about marketing, promoting my songs, and building a fan base as an artist. I’m most proud of my latest song. I think that keeps my writing growing to hold myself to that standard. I cringe looking back at some of my earliest songs and recordings. I also know they were important trail markers to get where I am now. I’m constantly learning. That’s all part of the journey of songwriting. It’s important to get the songs out to the world and for the musical and lyrical craft to evolve. It’s a reflection of my own life and growth.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
There are so many, so I’ll share a few of my favorites… For songwriting, I think it’s important to disconnect from technology in the initial idea generation phase. I usually put my phone in another room or turn it off. I set aside time away from distractions and interruptions so I can focus on writing. Outside of writing time, I’m a big advocate of books and podcasts in particular. The Music Lesson by Victor Wooten is hands down my favorite book. It focuses on spiritual growth through music and challenged me to rethink my process and approach to learning an instrument. For podcasts, I really enjoy the DIY Musician Podcast, The C.L.I.M.B, The Working Songwriter and Broken Record for a mix of educational topics and inspirational stories from other musicians. The YouTube video “Work to Publish” by Jack Conte also made a big impact on my early ethos as a musician and inspired me to get my songs out of my bedroom and into the world.

Contact Info:

• Email: lacerte.music@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.lacertemusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larrylacerte/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lacertemusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCux0X4RK9eIoLnj1MoJ9Cag
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/larrylacerte
• Other: https://linktr.ee/larrylacerte

Image Credits
Mia Tarduno Julie Lacerte Ian Zinner Shane Morris Anna Welcher