Today we’d like to introduce you to Reginald Terrell.
Hi Reginald, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Born and raised in Austin, TX, I was taught how to be an efficient musician from my church. At first I was getting acquainted with the drumset/percussion. However, once I got into middle school, that changed completely. Of course, getting into band wasn’t too hard (especially for someone who’s played in his church all of his life). The hard part was having a drum part because every middle schooler wanted to play drums; so I chose to pick a different instrument. One day, while I was cleaning out the house, I found an old trombone that my older sister use to play. From there on, I never looked back on the slide horn. It has been my specialty since and it shows from the plethora of bands I perform with to this day.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I can’t say the ride was the smoothest from top to bottom. There have been some situations where classism in the music side shows itself. Specifically in how the horn player is being treated in comparison to the rest of the band. I cannot stress enough about the importance of treating all of your musicians with the upmost respect and care. The horn player(s) help enhance the band to new heights with their ability to add backgrounds, harmony, and any extra things to really make the sound pop. Unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way and as a result, tend to diminish the horn player’s value through lesser pay and even negative attitudes on and off the performance. Another struggle is the lack of transportation on my end. To this day, I’m still ubering to shows left and right, thus can eat your pay off a gig. That’s why I’m planning on getting a vehicle by the end of the year. Even with these issues, it hasn’t deterred me from continuing to show out and play my heart out. Now I’m playing with good people who pay me a decent amount and they also love my ingenuity and personality.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Being a Trombonist that mainly resides in the DFW area, one thing I am best known for is how energetic I am throughout a performance I love to dance around and give the crowd something to move to. Whether they’re enjoying my solos, chuckling whenever I do something extra during the show, whatever I can bring to the show is important to me. I am extremely proud of being a part of every band that I perform with; including the ones I don’t play with anymore. I’m blessed for them even thinking about me to be a part of their project. Even if I’m exhausted to no end, I give it my all because I treat every performance like its my last. But energy alone isn’t what I’m the most known for. I LOVE playing fast. I like to think I’m rushing to the next part because there is so much I want to say during my solos. I treat my trombone playing like drumming. I want to give it a particular rhythm with the notes I’m dishing out. I’m quite elated with my drumming transferring over to the trombone.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Getting calls for gigs has to be the biggest luck of the draw. There aren’t many trombonists in the area that are constantly available so its pretty easy for me to get gigs. Whether its from a one-time gig or a residency, there’s a good chance someone is studying you to see if you’re a good fit for their music. The difference is what’s worth it to you. Not every opportunity is a good one. You have to know your worth in this scene. Not everyone has your interest in mind. Make sure your rates make sense to you and know how valuable your time is.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.reggietboneheadz.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reggietbone/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawn.terrell.773
- Other: https://linktr.ee/reggietbone?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=165fe0a4-a585-43d5-b992-1cfa5c4c48b9
