Meet Anthony McCarthy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony McCarthy.

Anthony, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in the Philippines, came to NY with my mother and father. I grew up in Lake Pleasant, NY and joined the Army when I was 17. I was in the Army for almost eight years (seven years and seven months).

Started pushing into my music career the first month I was in LA. I started going to Musicians Institute in April 2018. By late May of 2018, thanks to a Craigslist ad, I was in my first band located in Playa Del Ray (not my very first) with an artist named Tim Hurley. The following month I found myself opening for acts such as Brad Paisley, LOCASH, Brett Eldridge, and Dwight Yoakham.

Since then, I have been a part of numerous groups and session work, keeping myself employed the best I can while studying guitar and music business.

Great, 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?
It’s sure been a bit rough, going through changes and keeping up playing guitar while in the Infantry is not easy. Had quite a few emotional ups and downs and physically trying to keep myself healthy.

I have to thank Dwayne Milburn for putting the confidence and fire in me to pursue music as a serious career. I’ve had friends and leadership help, but it was Mr. Milburn that helped start that passion again. I served under him while I was in the Soldiers Chorus in Europe for a year and a half.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Right now besides using my talents for other talented performers and artists, I’m working towards pushing my efforts to help heal combat veterans with PTSD through music therapy and events. Music is the one thing in my life that has constantly been there to help me through hard times, and it still does. The power and overwhelming feeling of joy to see that help others with PTSD is unlike anything I have done for people before. I helped for a few months in Landstuhl, Germany give guitar lessons and help with the music therapy program, with the American Red Cross, and it was so a beautiful thing to see someone first hand be healed through music. I want to make it a mission to show other Veterans that you can push through and accomplish whatever you set your mind to, that people are out there, including myself, to help you and guide you through hard times. You’re not alone.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Outside of what I did in the Army, The proudest moment (so far) in my music career was being able to share the stage with Dweezil Zappa at the Big Mama-Jamathon. That was so surreal because he was one of my idols growing up.

Contact Info:

• Email: antmccarthymusic@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antmccarthyofficial/

Image Credit:
Brandon (tokenlbcpics), Roberto Aguilar

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