Can you share your musical journey with us, from when you first discovered your passion for music to where you are today as an independent musician?
As a small kid, I enjoyed music casually and would mess around on a small toy keyboard… I still remember the built-in song on that thing even though I haven’t heard it in about 35 years or so. But I really started enjoying music around the age of 11. My uncle gave me U2’s Achtung Baby and Jimi Hendrix’s Greatest Hits on CD and those rocked my world. My dad bought me my first guitar when I was 13 and I was hooked. I practiced every day and learned how to play by ear to where I could figure out how to play all the songs I liked. And I did what many naive kids do: I decided I was definitely going to be a rock star. In college I started a band and experienced some very modest local success, which fed my ego and lured me into the rock and roll party lifestyle that I saw my role models partaking in.
I was headed down a dark path that would have no doubt ended badly, but thankfully I met Lindsay who I’ve been happily married to for 18 years. God used her to help get me on the right path, and in doing so, marriage and family became a higher priority than music. I never stopped playing guitar and brainstorming song ideas, but I put my music endeavors on the backburner for about 15 years or so. And about 9 years ago, I stopped running away from God and started running towards him. That changed my life radically and I became a pastor a few years later. My family grew in size as God blessed us with more and more children, and we now have 7 kids (5 boys and 2 girls ages 3-15). Two years ago I clearly heard God telling me to pursue music again, but this time to do it for him instead of for selfish reasons. So now, everything I do with music is to help other people experience the profound blessing of encountering and serving their Creator.
What motivates you to create music, and how do you stay inspired to continue making new and unique music?
Before I became a Christian, I thought mainstream, contemporary Christian music (the stuff played on the radio) was the worst genre in existence, and it actually deterred me from faith because I thought there was no way someone who was allegedly responsible for creating the universe would inspire music that awful. I realize how snobbish that was, but just being real with you about how I felt. And the funny thing is, I still can’t stand the majority of mainstream Christian music even as a pastor. Lyrically, most of it is good because it contains biblical truth, but musically it’s cringeworthy, generic, and bland.
So the primary thing that motivates me to write music is to reach people who have similar tastes in music as I do in order to help them encounter God and experience the life-changing power of Jesus. They may be hostile to Christianity as I was, but they can’t help liking the music they like, just as they can’t help enjoying a delicious steak regardless of their feelings about the chef who cooked it. All music lovers find themselves liking certain songs even when they don’t agree with the message contained in the lyrics. Musically, my songs don’t sound like what most people expect of Christian music, but lyrically they are overtly Christian. So my prayer is that people who don’t believe will first connect with the music and then the power behind the words will plant seeds that grow into them having a strong, personal relationship with God. And just as chefs cook food they personally like to eat, I make music I enjoy listening to, which is another motivator for me. When you are a music freak/snob as I am, finding songs you like isn’t as easy as it should be, so by writing my own I can make them just the way I like them.
I stay inspired by being disciplined and intentional in my faith to spend time in prayer, reading my Bible, and frequently gathering with other Christians to worship God and equip each other. Music is from God, so it’s important to stay close to the source.
As an independent musician, you wear many hats – from composing to marketing. How do you balance these different aspects of your career, and what challenges do you face in the process?
I focus on the fundamental stuff like building a mailing list, making my music easy to find, maintaining a strong social media presence, and of course songwriting, recording and production. There are always a million things we should also be doing that we don’t have time to do, and it’s overwhelming to try to keep up with it all, so I’m at peace with just doing the best that I can. The biggest challenge is maintaining a strong work ethic when I don’t have a boss telling me what I have to do each day. I have to frequently resist the temptation to slack off and be lazy.
Could you tell us about your creative process? How do you come up with new ideas for songs, and how do you go about turning those ideas into finished tracks?
All my songs start on the acoustic guitar. Sometimes an idea will pop into my head while I am away from my guitar that I will start to flesh out as soon as I have it again. Other times, the ideas come as I am just messing around on the guitar and throwing random things at the wall to see what sticks, so to speak. I’ll record these ideas into the voice memos app on my iPhone and then play them back repeatedly over time to see what stands the test of time and to help spur additional ideas to build into a full song. I eventually throw out most of my ideas because I grow bored of them or realize they just weren’t very good in the first place. But for the cream that rises to the top, I will eventually write lyrics too as the last step. For lyrics, I always ask God to give me the words he wants me to sing. He’s a much better lyricist than I am.
Independent musicians often face financial challenges. How do you manage your finances to sustain your music career while also covering your personal expenses?
Since I put music on the backburner for many years to focus on my family, I’ve pursued a career in IT and have been blessed through that to have enough money to cover our needs. For the most part, my music career is self-sustaining in that I invest everything I make from it back into it. I don’t do it for the money, but obviously without money you’ll reach very few ears, so I take the music business aspects seriously and work hard to grow it to maximize the number of people who might encounter their Creator through my music.
Can you share a particularly memorable or challenging experience from your journey as a musician that has had a significant impact on your career and personal growth?
I will never forget the moment I knew exactly what I was supposed to do musically. It was Christmas morning of 2021, and I opened up a gift from my wife Lindsay. It was a painting of an older man embracing a younger man in front of a farmhouse with pigs in the background, and I immediately recognized it as a depiction of my favorite scripture known as The Parable of the Prodigal Son. In the months prior, I knew God was calling me to pursue music again but I didn’t know what that meant I was supposed to do specifically. The moment I saw this painting, I immediately knew I was supposed to record an album, name it The Prodigal, and use that painting as the album art. I didn’t hear the audible voice of God, but it was as close to that as I can explain. Lindsay had commissioned it from a local painter because she knew that was my favorite scripture. But here’s what she didn’t know: the first Christian song I started writing after coming to faith about 9 years ago was about this parable. She didn’t know that because I never told her about it because I never finished it. The Prodigal was the last song I finished on my debut album that I released in October last year. That Christmas morning moment was what really launched this mission I’m on.
With the rise of digital platforms, the music industry has changed significantly. How do you navigate the digital landscape, including streaming services and social media, to promote your music and connect with your audience?
I maintain a strong website and social media presence, and I personally respond to every comment and email I receive. I always try to steer folks to sign up on my mailing list because social media followers can be taken away from you instantly (as we saw with MySpace). I post to social media multiple times per week with a variety of content intended to connect to a wide range of people.
Collaboration is a key part of the music industry. Have you worked with other musicians or producers, and how have these collaborations influenced your sound and career?
My good friend Kevin Reddoch mixes and masters all my songs, and he is incredibly talented. Beyond that, I haven’t had the opportunity to collaborate with others yet just due to having very little time. But I am hoping that some doors open that give me the chance to do that, because I absolutely love playing music with others.
Your music likely reflects your unique style and perspective. Could you describe your musical identity and what makes your sound stand out in a crowded industry?
My music is normal enough to have some mass appeal and weird enough to entice the hardcore music nerds with a flair for eclecticism. I’m a sucker for good earworm hooks and epic Slash-like guitar solos. Lyrically, I write Christian music but it doesn’t sound anything like what most folks consider to be Christian music stylistically, so while it will likely never be played on most Christian stations, it’s a great fit for alternative-rock stations and playlists looking for something catchy but unique in the realms of rock, folk, grunge and Americana. You’ll hear influences from all my favorite bands like Radiohead, Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Supergrass, Ween, Failure, Air, Elliot Smith, Beck, and U2… along with alt-country accents because I can’t suppress my Texas roots.
What role does live performance play in your music career, and how do you approach planning and executing your live shows, especially in light of recent challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic?
I play a lot of live acoustic shows around my area that include originals and covers. I tailor the setlists to the venue’s atmosphere and audience depending on whether it should be a more upbeat, lively bar vibe or classy, slower winery vibe. I started this most recent journey after the pandemic so that hasn’t impacted me.
Many fans are interested in the stories behind the songs. Could you share the backstory or inspiration behind one of your recent tracks that holds special meaning to you?
My newest single’s release date is November 1, 2023, and I wrote it for anyone who has ever struggled with suicidal thoughts and/or attempts. I believe it has the power to literally save lives because God is in the life-saving business and he’s the one who inspired this song. As a pastor, I have seen God work miracles in countless people’s lives who were previously thinking about taking their own life, but who have been set free from those thoughts. The name of the song is He Knows Your Name, which alludes to the fact that God is the one who created each and every one of us and he knows us better than we know ourselves. A lot of folks believe they were a mistake and that they don’t have any worth, but they’re wrong because God has never made a mistake or created anything without value.
Looking ahead, what are your future goals and aspirations as an independent musician? Are there any upcoming projects or exciting developments in your career that you’d like to share with your fans and the audience?
My goal is to reach as many people as possible with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ through music, so I am writing/recording the songs for my next album, performing a lot of live shows, and raising awareness. Folks can join my newsletter at https://DavidRaybuck.com to stay in the loop on upcoming developments. Thank you so much for the interview and helping to get the word out!
