3 Country Musicians Whose Previous Jobs Had Nothing To Do With Music

If you are an aspiring musician looking for a linear career path to the top, well, then, you might want to look into a different profession. In music, there is truly not one type of straightforward career path. Frankly, would you want musicians to have a corporate-esque career trajectory? If they did, their colorful pasts would be dulled, and as a result, the stories embedded in their lyrics might be nonexistent. So, to us, non-linear career paths are a blessing, as country musicians who have truly lived “unorthodox” lives and worked unusual jobs usually have the best stories to tell. With that in mind, here are three country musicians from the 21st century whose previous jobs had nothing to do with music.

Cody Johnson

Before Cody Johnson secured his big break in 2019 with his major label debut, Ain’t Nothin’ To It, the Texas country singer worked several jobs that directly impacted his songwriting. Prior to becoming a full-time country musician, Johnson worked as a prison guard in Texas and as a professional bull rider.

If you are a fan of Johnson or at least aware of his music, then you very well know that these past experiences have bled their way into his lyrics. Songs that feature Johnson’s past jobs include “Dear Rodeo”, “Me And My Kind”, and “Guilty As Can Be”.

Stephen Wilson Jr.

When it comes to musicians whose past jobs had nothing to do with music, Stephen Wilson Jr. might be both the most random and most impressive. In 2016, Wilson left his job to pursue music full-time, but before that, Wilson was a food scientist for the MARS company.

Graduating with a microbiology degree from Middle Tennessee State University, Wilson contributed to many food products with the MARS company. Most notably, Wilson helped develop the popular dog dental chew, Dentastix Fresh, from start to finish.

Sturgill Simpson

Like the other selections on our list, Sturgill Simpson lived a whole life before his entry into the country music scene at 35 years old in 2013. Before releasing his debut album, High Top Mountain, Simpson served three years in the Navy at a Combat Information Center and worked as a railroad conductor and manager for Union Pacific Railroad in Utah.

Additionally, Simpson also worked at an IHOP in Seattle and was the first male in his family not to work in the coal mines. Simpson’s past experiences appear in many of his songs, and if you want to learn more about his past, we suggest you start by listening to these three songs: “Sea Stories”, “A Sailor’s Guide To Earth”, and “Railroad Of Sin”.

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