Today we’d like to introduce you to Bill Bartelt.
Hi Bill, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Chicago but I’ve lived in Kansas City for nearly 20 years. I’m a musician and student of the Blues. I’ve been the host for several weekly jam nights over the years, including one geared toward young musicians. I was also a journalist of sorts for two different Blues music publications and I hosted a YouTube show about the Kansas City music scene.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road at all and it continues to be difficult. The audience for live music can be fickle. Economic challenges can affect the number of venues that feature live music. Some music venues close, some just cancel live music, some venues have to very selective over what music acts they book. The overall high cost of living affects everyone.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have been a musician and fan of Blues music since my high school years. I always felt there were more Blues fans out there that just don’t realize they are.
I’ve played numerous shows at many unconventional locations, especially for a Blues act including homeless shelters, biker bars, heavy metal festivals, country music venues, punk venues etc. I’ve also worked with a number of young musicians over the years. There are quite a few musicians around KC that can claim their first paying gig was with my band.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Yes, I am. See my answer to the previous question! Personally, I love it. I love trying new, or thought provoking things and love hearing bands trying out new ideas. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot less risk taking nowadays, for obvious reasons. The market for live music isn’t as fertile today as it was in the recent past. There are still a ton of bands who are getting plenty of work, but a lot of them sound the same: safe, paint-by-numbers, blah.
There’s a lot of tribute bands or genre-specific cover bands. People seem to love that stuff but it’s not my kind of thing. I guess it’s somewhat a risk sharing that opinion publicly! But hey.
I could go on…
Contact Info:
- Facebook: @coyotebillmusic
- Youtube: https://Youtube.com/coyotebillsroadhouse
