Meet Gabe Schillman | Songwriter and touring performance artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabe Schillman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabe, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
Happiness is not necessarily something I seek. My goal is to work towards making others happy and taken care of. When everyone around me is happy, I’ll be happy, but only then. Until then, I’m content to keep working, happy, sad, or otherwise.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a songwriter, I write the truth; what and who I experience is what I write. I’ve never been good at writing fictional songs, it feels deceptive, so I write the truth. When touring, my goal is to experience the towns and people and write their stories into my songs. I feel more like a documentarian, an observer. This approach has afforded me the opportunity to be invited into communities and families in a much more personal way than just a stop & go entertainer. Nothing about this profession has been easy- I spend over 250 days a year on the road. I don’t have a home, I live on the road or with friends during the down times. That lifestyle is not for everyone and there are times I question what I’m doing, but then I see the impact a song can make, or I get the opportunity to inspire and encourage a young artist, or the witness the joy that a good performance can bring to a room. We need artists, life would be very unfulfilling without their contribution. So I do my best to contribute and keep pressing on.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As a touring artist, I’ve had the good fortune of experiencing some of the most amazing hidden gems around the US. My favorites are the small towns, the unsuspecting and often overlooked. The small town of Lena, Illinois has become one of my favorite places. To the average person, it may seem that the small Midwest farm town has nothing to offer, but I’ve made some of the best friends, and experienced life like none other. The honesty and beauty of that town is hard to describe. I hope to be buried there on the hill overlooking the fields someday. Another town I’ve grown to love is Charleston, WV. I recommend checking out the world famous “Empty Glass” while you’re there! From Charleston, head East through the mountains and make your way to Coastal Virginia. You’ll meet the most amazing people and eat the best food against an unmatched seascape backdrop. Loveland, Colorado is also high on the list. I love it all, really

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a shoutout to the people who inspire me to keep moving, growing, and creating! I’ve had so much help along the way and could not do what I do without some very special people: Darren Aurand, Patty Wilks, John Hammer, Gary Sallee, Susan Schafer, Nina Schillman, and the countless others who have invested time, money and love to keep me going! The artists that have inspired me: Sophie Coyote, John Cox, Zoe Clarke, Joe Cartoon, Ted Perlman, Dave Elwert, and too many more to mention! I love and appreciate you all!!

Website: https://www.kinggabe.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabeschillman/

Twitter: https://www.x.com/TheWoodlingBook

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtistGabeSchillman

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gabeschillmanofficial6329