Meet Steven Buckner

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Buckner.

Steven, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It all started back in the summer of 1984. I was about ten years old and living in Birmingham Alabama with my mother. During that time, one of my favorites things to do was watch Kung Fu Theatre at church on Saturdays! While I was watching those films as well as others, I would always think about how I would like the music to sound like.

Now at the time, I did not know how to play a single instrument nor was I taught one. As a matter of fact, there was a piano in the house I was living at, yet I never thought to practice playing on it. I was actually intimidated being near a piano during that time and thought that was not for me.

About a year later, I remember walking behind some apartments with a friend and was attacked by several wild dogs. Of course, my friend went a different direction and all the dogs started running towards me. I literally was running for my life and ran out of places to go. I ran towards a hill with a cliff that went down into the street below and jumped it landing on my left leg breaking it into two places. I looked up and the dogs must’ve thought I was dead because they just walked away like nothing had ever happened. That sequence of events led me to moving back to Flint Michigan to live with my father and grandmother.

During the month of December in 1985, my dad was playing a Christmas song Ole Little Town Of Bethlehem on the family piano. I should mention that he primarily plays the guitar but once in a while will play the piano. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the piano was out of tune and as he played the song, there was a chord that struck something in me. It was miraculous in the sense that I had no desire to play the piano before and all of a sudden I wanted to learn this song. So I asked my father to teach me the song and after that I began playing around with the chords which led to eventually writing my first composition. I was so excited that I wrote my first composition that I wanted to share it with my 5th-grade class. I took my Casio keyboard to class and I’ll never forget the reactions from my classmates that day. The whole class hated the piece except for one red headed girl whose name was Wendy! I’ll never forget that Wendy because she helped me stay on track with her feedback! I still remember and can play my first composition to this day! I eventually made a pact with myself and that I was going to write music for film and television somehow and someday. I started watching Kung-Fu theater again and turned down the TV volume and starting writing music on my 32 key Casio keyboard to the movements of the actors talking and fighting. In 5th grade, the imagination can go wild, at least mine did at times. I even got inspired to write a song I called Stale Kung-Fu! Some of the kids at school couldn’t stop singing it! The first couple of lines went like this, “I’m going to eat some collard greens, and wear a pair of bell-bottom jeans! Then I’m going to go to this crazy school, to learn how to do some stale Kung-Fu”

During my teenage years, we couldn’t really afford to have me take piano music lessons but I had a deep understanding of music so I continued to teach myself how to play the piano and compose music on my own. I became more dedicated and I remember choosing to practice more instead of hanging out in the streets. I didn’t think much of it except that I was really determined. After I graduated high school, I attended a community college where I eventually studied music theory and composition for two years. I later went to the University Of Michigan Flint campus and auditioned for their music program, I’ll never forget that audition because I thought at the time that I had learned everything I needed to learn, but in reality I didn’t. I didn’t get accepted into the music program but became very active with their jazz ensemble performing at many venues. I later graduated from college and started looking for work.

After college, I got fortunate enough to find a job in public service. I received awards after awards and got to travel and get promoted. Everything was going well for a few years actually. I became so comfortable that I began to stop writing music and eventually put up the keyboard and just work my job. I enjoyed working with the people and helped them out as much as I could with their problems. Some of the people were homeless and to hear their stories help mold me into broadening my purpose to this day.

Needless to say I had problems of my own which led to several circumstances that made me realize that it was time to get back to writing music again. I believe nothing is by accident or coincidence. During the summer of 2012, I went to a Mac store and bought a computer with some money I had saved up to start up my home studio again. I set up and established my official website www.stevenbucknermusic.com and resumed my journey in music. At this point, I was at the point of no return and began writing music again.

It was in 2016 that there was and still is a water crisis in Flint and I got to experience it first hand. However, several more circumstances led me and my family to move out to Los Angeles California. I remember telling my boss at the time that I felt that I had to work with the people and the homeless. My wife and daughter flew to LA while I took a U-Haul and drove solo across the country. Now living in LA for three years now, I can see what I’ve been thru in the past that has prepared me for what I’m going thru now.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No road is meant to be a smooth for everyone, myself included. Before we moved out here to LA, my wife had been hired as a teacher. However, once we arrived she had been terminated before she even started due some technicality beyond her control. I had to make some tough financial decisions at that point so that we would not be homeless ourselves. To me, that is probably my biggest personal struggle, yet it is small compared to the struggles I see in everyday life here with the homeless population. Although I do have an opportunity to help the homeless everyday and I really do, I’m just putting on a temporary band-aid on the problem remotely. I have no hidden agenda other than to help the homeless whether it is with my music or thru public service.

I believe that the solution to the homeless problem is complicated yet simple. It involves every Angelino making a decision to help one another and put our differences aside for the greater good. This may come as a sacrifice for some, but I believe that it comes with a great reward by doing so.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m simply a freelance film composer from Michigan who writes music, plays the piano and wants to share it just like I did while I was in 5th grade, well sort of! We live in times where the value of music has been compromised, so it has become more of a challenge to make a living off of it solely on its own accord. As composers we have to be more creative and find ways to support our craft.

One aspect of my creativity is that I market my own music to the masses thru music videos of my music and live solo piano performances. I have performed several times at the Hollywood United Methodist Church and at Kulaks Woodshed. I can now say that I’ve produced several music videos on land, sea and air! Several of my music videos have been viewed by over 20,000 viewers on Facebook. My 11-year-old daughter always keeps putting me in my place though. She once showed me a couple of kids teaching how to bake cakes on YouTube using Betty Crocker mixes and that had over 10 million views! Perhaps I should go into the cake baking business!

On a more serious note, I have had the honor of receiving 7 Indie Music Channel Awards in a span of two years and nominated three times for a Hollywood Music And Media Awards. In addition, I have written music for a few TV placements and several indie film projects one of which Raceland just premiered at the TLC Chinese Theatre during the Dances With Films Festival recently. As a film composer, it is my goal to help tell the story thru music which helps make the movie a very memorable experience.

Because of my personal experience with music, I believe that it can be a spiritual experience in the sense that it has its own language that communicates directly with our soul. There is no right or wrong way to convey that as long as the intentions are good. For me, understanding that language involves deep meditation. As a matter of fact, I’m currently working on a guided meditation with a book author.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is simply defined by the eye of the beholder! For myself, every time I find a new way to be innovative in my music and release a video that is better then the one before is a successful milestone for myself. Also, anytime I can get an opportunity to write music for a film or television show is an exhilarating experience for myself as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.stevenbucknermusic.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenbucknermusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StevenBucknerMusic/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/StevenBuckner1
• Other: Steven Buckner Music

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