Check Out Darrin Stafford’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Darrin Stafford.

Hi Darrin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started taking piano lessons when I was seven. My dad and his brothers all played guitar and sang, and my mom would play piano and sing, so singing while playing an instrument was always something that I always knew I wanted to do. I went to school for music education, but ended up playing in bands at night and on weekends to make money before I started teaching.. I’ve been a dancer in stage shows, played keyboard in stage show bands, and sang in cruise ship shows, I have played with artists like Taylor Dayne and Shoshana Bean, played in corporate bands (weddings and corporate events), performed as a dueling pianist, and I write and produce my own music. I got married 2 years ago, and my wife is an amazing classical pianist. You should interview her next! 😀

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been obstacles, sure. Probably the one that seems to be the most glaring was figuring out how to make a living. No one tells you when you’re in school how to start gigging or how to find work. It seemed to just happen organically, and then you figure things out along the way. I think once I realized how important both professional and personal relationships are, work became much more consistent. Also, I think we all battle that voice in our head that says we’re not good enough to do what we want to do, and sometimes that can be paralyzing. I feel like I finally have a handle on it now, though.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am both a singer and a keyboardist, and I think that I’m quite good at both. It took a lot of years to feel confident enough to say that. I also write songs, and I think they have a distinctive sound that is uniquely mine.

I also enjoy teaching music – particularly singing – as it seems to be a great way to empower people by getting them in touch with their own voice. I am an adjunct faculty member at both Los Angeles City College and Los Angeles Valley College, and I really enjoy working with the students at both campuses.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
They can stream my music on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube. (just search Darrin Stafford on each). I also have physical CD’s available of my album Sending Out A Light, and I’m willing to mail them to whoever wants one.

For collaboration, they can e-mail me and let me know where they are and what they’d like to do.

Pricing:

• $10 for CD’s

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.darrinstafford.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darrinstafford/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@darrinstafford
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/darrin-stafford

Image Credits
Tymur Deina