We had the good fortune of connecting with Jon Ruhl and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jon, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Be your own boss! Set your own hours! Little did I realize it also meant I wasn’t allowed to ever think about anything else. Growing a brand as an artist is a strange thing, because if people catch one whiff of desperation and they check out. But artists are inherently desperate, and need people to care without APPEARING that they care if people care. It’s infuriating and confusing but that’s showbusiness.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
See this is always the part where my ego starts fighting for the drivers seat. I’ll do my best to keep this coherent haha. I’d say the things that set me apart the most are the experiences I’ve had prior to pursuing a career in music. I left Mississippi at 17 to join the Navy, and I wound up as a combat medic in Afghanistan with the 2nd Marine Division. After that I became a legitimate alcoholic. Then I became a commercial diver and started working in the Gulf of Mexico. Always chasing the next thrill. Anything to make me feel “alive.” But after getting sober, I feel like my story is one about redemption and reinvention. The biggest struggle I’ve had as an artist is finding ways to make my unique experiences relatable. But I know it’s possible, and that struggle is what I enjoy the most about songwriting and self-expression.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
How appropriate! My sister was just with me in Fort Worth, the first thing we did was visit the botanic gardens. We also walked around the cultural district and would have visited the modern art museum but it was closed. For food, we visited Carshon’s, Montgomery St Cafe, and Paris Coffee Shop

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Credit and recognition all belong to the people that encouraged me and mentored me throughout the years, and gave me the confidence to pursue music at a higher level. Specifically Charlie Shearon, Ian Granucci, Claire Hinkle, and my heroes Jonny Fritz, Robert Ellis, and Ian O’Neil.

Website: Www.jonruhlmusic.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jon_ruhl

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DocRooster89

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