Daily Inspiration: Meet Gregory Fletcher

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gregory Fletcher.

Hi Gregory, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Los Angeles in 91’ and shortly thereafter moved to the Inland Empire (Riverside County) with my family, as my parents wanted a different surrounding for me and my brother than what was available in Compton during the LA riots. However, being that my father still worked in LA and the majority of my family and their community was still in the city, I spent much of my formative years splitting my time between Los Angeles and Moreno Valley.

My father became a Pastor when I was young, so I spent most of my childhood growing up and singing in a church community. Although I found a sense of belonging and comfortability singing in church, I never felt comfortable sharing that side of me at school. It wasn’t until after a traumatic stage fright incident at the fifth grade talent show auditions, which led me to avoid singing anywhere (even at church) for nearly four years, that I was able to find a sense of comfortability and community behind singing with my peers in high school. By my senior year, I found myself participating in six choirs on campus, spending any free moment I had making music.

Despite this evident passion for music and the complete support from my parents and community, internally I avoided becoming a professional musician for quite some time after high school. Even while studying music in community college, I found myself looking anywhere else for a potential career field, purely based out of fear and frequency, stereotypes that “you can’t own a house, have a family, or any sense of stability while being a musician”; not a mindset my family or community had ever instilled in me, yet something that paralyzed me to my core. Eventually, however, through God opening a lot of doors, a number of extremely supportive, mentors, and years of necessary, bonehead mistakes on my part, I found myself pursuing what it is I was created to do.

After finishing college, the connections I had made there, I began obtaining work as a songwriter, while creating and performing as an artist myself. After a few years of teaching private voice and piano lessons, I then found myself working at Orange County School of the Arts teaching voice, piano, composition and songwriting/production classes. Amidst these years closely after finishing my studies at CSULB, I also had opportunities provided to me by my mentor and dear friend, Christine Guter, to gain some experience as a session singer.

10 years removed from college, I now find myself working primarily as a session singer for TV, Film and Game, singing as a performing artist, both under the moniker G.R.A.I, as well as an independent contractor and member of groups like M-Pact, Conspirare, and The House Jacks. I still work consistently as a songwriter/producer for various artists in LA, teach at California Baptist University and tour, creating a successful and complete life, doing only the thing I tried so hard to avoid – creating music.

Alright, 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?
As with most who find themselves in the entertainment industry, my path hasn’t been a straightforward road. There have been major opportunities that fell through, auditions that went well yet didn’t pan out, canceled tours and months of no work, whether because of union strikes, a pandemic or just not being the right fit for the call. All that said, there has yet to be any obstacles that felt big enough to defeat the innate passion and calling I have for what I do.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I pride myself on my versatility as a musician.

As mentioned before, I work primarily as a session singer for TV, Film and Game, which could encompass any musical style from Classical to Rap, Pop to Musical Theater, R&B to Rock, World to Jazz and more; of which I feel comfortable and confident in my ability to authentically perform and navigate as a vocalist. I also work as a songwriter/producer, teacher and live performance artist, which provides me more avenues to explore my creativity and create opportunities for myself in.

It is easy in modern times to be a “Jack of all trades”, but I pride myself on being able to step into any of these hats and situations at a high level of professional delivery, in a city filled with some of the best in the world, authentically and consistently across any one of these artistic platforms

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Though I enjoy an informative book or podcast every now and then, I find that the people in my community are the greatest resource of knowledge and inspiration for me

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gregoryfletchermusic.com
• Instagram: @gregoryfletchermusic