Life & Work with Marcus Eaton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus Eaton.

Hi Marcus, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in a small town in Idaho. My dad is a musician and my grandparents were opera singers. I feel very fortunate to have grown up around music and in an environment that nurtured my creativity. We only had one or two TV stations (on an antenna) so my brother and I created ways to entertain ourselves. I took piano lessons from my grandma when I was four or five but my whole world opened up when I was nine and began playing guitar. I was, and still am, enamored with the guitar. It is such an amazing instrument and I am still learning.

I formed my first band with a drummer in high school and we were signed a few years later. After our first record was released, the label folded. I have been releasing music independently ever since. I have many albums now and I am really fortunate to be doing what I love most; writing, playing and singing. I’ve dipped my toes into some really interesting projects and I am keeping inspired by looking forward.

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?
I would not explain music as a smooth road by any means. But, I believe with any creative endeavor, there are challenges that one has to overcome. Willpower and tenacity are essential for weathering the storms and making it through fully intact. Luckily I can look back on most of my struggles as opportunities to learn, however, while I was living them, it absolutely sucked!

One of my earliest experiences was with a manager who took our newly recorded album hostage and tried to blackmail us with our own master recordings!

That situation set the tone for many experiences to come and I have many similar stories.

Luckily, I have had enough inspirational experiences to balance out the negative ones.

My love of music always endures and I just keep going and adjusting my perspective.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a singer and songwriter but I am also known for my guitar playing and recently I’ve been getting into scoring films. I played, wrote and sang with David Crosby for a while and worked on his album entitled ‘Croz’.

In 2021, a very special collaboration with some incredible Italian luthier friends came to fruition: They created a very innovative acoustic guitar for me. It is called a Guarnieri G1-ME (Marcus Eaton signature) guitar and it is beyond description! We spoke about it for about five years and all of the details came together in an unparalleled way. I am so lucky to play this guitar which was crafted meticulously in the mountains of Northern Italy. Now it is available as a standard model. In fact, I am at their workshop right now.

Last year I was also invited to play on the score of the blockbuster Netflix film ‘The Harder They Fall’ by the director Jeymes Samuel. It was really a shot in the arm and I am really thrilled that I had the opportunity to do it. He directed the film and also wrote the music for the score; he is a very talented guy.

I also had a video go viral on TikTok last year where I am playing the theme to “Last Of The Mohicans’ using a new acoustic guitar bow called Pickasobow. It has almost 6 million views now so I’ve been experimenting a lot with guitar bow which is unique, new, and has never really been done.

I have finished a new album and I’ve been releasing the songs one at a time for the past few months. The next track ‘Better Way’ will be released in the next month or so and features Aaron Sterling on drums and Sean Hurley on bass, both of whom play with John Mayer. It is a killer rhythm section and I am excited for everyone to hear it!

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned was from Carlos Santana, who I randomly ran into in a guitar shop in Seattle while I was playing there years ago. He said “don’t let anyone fuck with your vision”…”it doesn’t matter who it is: it could be your family, your mom, or the best producer in the world; stay true to your vision!”

Ok, that may not be the MOST important lesson but it was very sage advice right when I needed to hear it! I would just add that you have to stick with it and keep staying open.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.marcuseaton.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcuseatonmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcuseatonmusic/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcuseaton
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MarcusEaton
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@marcuseaton?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Image Credits
Shot one (Red pants) photo: Tomasso Barletta Shot with David Crosby in Rome: Anjali Ram Live Photo: Sara Commei