Music is not the only appeal surrounding a musician. It is certainly the main part, but what is also a large facet of a musician’s appeal is their life, and the way they live it. Hypothetically, there could be a musician who is ground-breakingly talented. However, if they don’t live a story-worthy life, their mystique and narrative voice might be diminished.
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This is, of course, all a matter of opinion. However, to some music fans, a musician’s life is what amounts to their great music. In other words, the two work with each other. With that in mind, here are three musicians who did it right by living a life full of poetic adventure.
Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett was a seaman, a businessman, a pilot, a journalist, and probably many other things. He was the definition of a Renaissance man, and it bled through in his music, as many of his songs are about his miscellaneous adventures and the weird happenings they entailed.
While alive, Buffett survived a plane crash, got shot at by Jamaican law enforcement, covered the Pope’s visit to Cuba as a journalist, stole a taxi, and likely did much, much more. Buffett didn’t just sing about adventures; he actively engaged in them, and that is what makes him and his music all the better.
Jim Croce
Jim Croce‘s life was tragically short yet incredibly multifaceted. Before Croce’s career as a musician took off, Croce lived a colorful yet bland life. Prior to Croce’s career, he was a member of the Army National Guard in order to dodge the Vietnam War, and worked odd jobs as a truck driver and a construction worker.
Croce was authentic in every sense of the word. His songs were a direct mirror of the experiences he lived through. While they aren’t as high-stakes as some other ones, they are honest, and as a result, Croce sang about everyday adventurous tales that the average Joe could resonate with.
Townes Van Zandt
In a way, Townes Van Zandt lived a life very similar to that of Siddhartha Gautama(Buddha). Like Gautama, Van Zandt was born into a wealthy family and groomed to become part of the Texas elite. Van Zandt went along with this path until he dropped out of his pre-law studies and vowed to a life of nomadic minimalism, with music being the main focus.
Van Zandt was a lyrical genius, and this genius was only garnered through natural ability and natural circumstances, but also seemingly through acquired experience. He was a troubador, not a traveling musician, and he lived a life that many vicariously live through fictional stories.
Photo by Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
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