Today we’d like to introduce you to Sterling Laws.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Sterling. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in Anacortes, Washington, a small island town north of Seattle. My dad bought my mom a kit before I was born, so it was always setup in our basement. I have early memories of my mom playing and teaching me the basics. When I was nine years old, I started a band with my neighbor. We made a record and played shows around the area. I’m thankful that there was no YouTube to check out when I was young, we had no idea if what we were doing was good or if anyone cared, but no one felt the need to compare it to other bands. When I was in grade school, I always played drums, but it wasn’t until I was approached high school graduation that I decided to buckle down and give it a go outside of Anacortes.
I went to a state school in Washington for a year to study music, dropped out, and took a year to save some money and move to LA. I then enrolled in Musicians Institute, graduated in 2015, and was fortunate enough to get a touring gig right when I finished. About a year later, I met the people who are now my band, Lo Moon. We toured for two years on our first album, and are currently recording our second. In addition to Lo Moon, in recent years I’ve recorded on numerous records, toured, and worked with artists including Natasha Bedingfield, Liz Phair, The War On Drugs, Léon, Linda Perry, Daya, Conan Gray, and many more.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’m incredibly thankful to have a family who are unwavering in their support of my career. Being self-employed as an artist, there is undeniably a consistent feeling of self-doubt and fear of failure that I have to overcome. Some days more than others. Also, very difficult to not eat the entire bag of pita chips in the greenroom!
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I’ve never had an interest in being the “best” drummer. All I want to do is serve the music as much as possible, and have the skills ready and available for any situation. That’s what fulfills me the most. I think that I’m known for being consistent and reliable, and having my own voice on the drums. I definitely don’t like showing up unprepared. I’m proud of staying true to spending my time making music that I love, whenever possible.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My first drum teacher, Jill Davis, was the best teacher I will ever have. She taught the fundamentals that would serve me for the rest of my life, and she was so patient with me. I definitely wasn’t the best student. My wife is my best friend and my biggest supporter. The assumption that you can’t have a happy and healthy relationship as a touring musician is completely false. (Thank goodness for FaceTime!)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sterlinglawsmusic.com
- Instagram: @sterlinglaws
Image Credit:
Michael Hili
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
