Today we’d like to introduce you to Seth Van Dover
Hi Seth, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, I grew up hunting, fishing, and playing sports. When I was in the fourth or fifth grade, I started taking drum lessons, but that only lasted about a year or two before travel baseball took over. Fast forward to March of 2020, during my sophomore year at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Covid-19 hit and the University sent us home to continue our school online. Two weeks into online school, I had to find something to do in between classes so I borrowed my mom’s friends guitar and started looking up YouTube videos (you can learn anything on YouTube). Months go by, and I still hadn’t put down the guitar. Fast forward to January of 2023. I had graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a major in Civil Engineering and had moved back to Little Rock, Arkansas to work as a bridge designer at Garver Engineering. I had never sang in front of anybody up to this point, but I decided that I wanted to play my first gig on January 6, 2023 at a small tavern in Monroe, Arkansas called the Monroe Tavern. From then on, I kept playing music on the side whenever I could while still working at Garver Engineering.
Fast forward a year later to January 2024. I decided that I wanted to leave my engineering job and move to Fort Worth, Texas to pursue a career in country music. Since then, I have released a total of five (5) singles on all streaming platforms, including my most recent single titled ‘Marijuana Jesus’, which I released just last month. It has been a wild ride down here in Texas, but I would not trade it for the world. I understand that I have a long road ahead, but I am working hard each and everyday to make this dream become a reality. Texas has been very good to me and the Lord has placed such good and supportive people in my life. I want to say thank you to most importantly, my family, but also my friends and fans (I hope to meet all of y’all one day) for all of the love and support that y’all have shown me and for allowing me to do what I love each and every day. I would not be where I am at today without every single one of y’all. Much love.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, and I knew it would not be, but the state of Texas and the Texas people (especially the Fort Worth community) has been very good to me and has welcomed me with open arms. Coming from working as a structural engineer in my hometown and working a nine-to-five job, to moving to Fort Worth where I did not know a soul and pursuing a career in music has obviously been a complete one-eighty. It took some getting used to and I’ve still got a lot to learn, but I have met some of the best people down here that are not only some of my best friends, but also songwriters, musicians, and mentors to me each and every day. I strongly believe that if you trust in the Lord and surround yourself with good people that, will not only lift you up and encourage you, but that will also hold you accountable when you mess up, that you will become a better version of yourself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I have always had a deep love for music (country music especially), but like I said, it wasn’t until I picked up the guitar when I was twenty years old that it all came together and I really found my passion. Since I am so new to this, I understand that there is a lot that I still need to learn and that I will be learning new stuff, not only for the rest of my career, but for the rest of my life.
My weeks are filled with writing, booking gigs, band rehearsals, managing social media, and many other things, all on top of playing 3-4 gigs a week. I like to stay busy and I think it will all pay off in the end.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is definitely going duck hunting with my dad and brother. I will never forget when I shot my first mallard. Duck hunting plays a huge part in the Arkansas culture, and it is all we have ever known from Late November to the last day of January. I hope to raise a family one day so that I can make these same memories with my kids.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/sethvandovermusic
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sethvandovermusic/?hl=en
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sethvandovermusic?lang=en
Image Credits
Herschel Heath, Michael Parker, Tracy Van Dover
