Meet John Baxter | Composer and Arranger

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

Hi John, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?

I’m from the deep south, specifically Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Growing up, I sometimes had trouble feeling like I really fit in given how much I enjoyed playing the piano and singing. In a way, I feel like I was able to break ground being one of the first guys on both the football team and show choir roster. I sort of reveled in this fact, growing to enjoy the idea of breaking barriers and staying outside of templates. In my current career, I have similarly tried to always stay outside of a specific genre, scoring a slapstick comedy with the same professionalism as a thriller.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I work with several facets of music, mainly as a composer. I also work as a conductor, arranger, and producer. There are several incredible composers out there, but I think what sets me apart is how well I work with collaborators and my professionalism. I try to always hit or exceed the deadlines I communicate to partners. I try to never let an email fall through the cracks and I always try to keep negative or tense emotions from clouding the work. A director I worked with wrote, “I can’t tell you how thrilled everyone is with the work you did on this, it really makes a night and day difference and elevates the film to another level. I know I speak for everyone when I say we are so glad that we found you.” This was a quote from Daniel Cummings, director of the delightful film Man Camp.

I got to where I am today through a great amount of privilege and luck. But I also worked really hard, striving to make as many connections as possible to get my name out there. I began really diving into the industry in 2017, working nights, working for free, checking emails at 2AM just in case someone might have messaged me or posted a new job. Riding subways late at night to meet with directors or conduct musicals was definitely draining, but it was worth it to see my name in the credits of something I worked hard on. When I had time and zero credits to my name, I personally found it worth doing unpaid projects to build connections and momentum. It’s not right for everyone, but for me, it helped open doors. Try to wear your profession on your sleeve. People need to know that you’re a composer/screenwriter/director. Try not to overdo it obviously, but make sure you post about who you are so that, if somebody is in a meeting one day and someone asks “Does anybody know a composer?”, they will think of you. Another lesson is to get very good at email and communication. At a high level, a lot of candidates will be very talented. What could set you apart is responding to emails in a timely manner, showing up to appts when you say you will, using good grammar/manners/etc.

I would like the industry to know that they will find a professional musician in me. Not just a composer, but a consultant, conductor, orchestrator, arranger, and producer. I am proud of the work I produce, but I will never let my ego get in the way of the story we are telling together. Another nice quote to end with…“This isn’t just a musician hitting keys to play the notes in front of them. It’s a musician opening their heart and soul to the world, and that is amazing.” – Anonymous

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh man, I’ve never been a good tour guide. The things that excite and inspire me rarely line up with what is exciting to others. Let’s say I currently live in New Orleans, which is very near where I grew up. I would first take them to the major tourist spots to knock those out. So we’d walk down Bourbon Street, get beignets at the French Quarter, grab a painting or two there. There’s a nice candy spot where we could get pralines called Southern Candymakers. I would also make sure to visit Audobon park. It’s a very calm and peaceful environment. There are several great walking areas in the garden district. The WWII museum is an incredible experience and I’d make sure we got some seafood gumbo while we’re there. The aquariums and zoos are also quite nice. So many interesting people practicing interesting religions, crafts, and philosophies.

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 feel like a great amount of the momentum I had early in my career came from the inspiration that my alma mater gave me. So big shoutout to Yale University. The friends I made there continue to inspire me to this day. There were so many incredible courses and professors there that I can’t name just one. One of my earliest memories of college was walking around with my new suite mates. While we were exploring the campus, we came across a piano (there are several strewn about the campus). Thinking I was hot stuff, I went to the keys and started playing a piece I thought was impressive. Almost immediately, 3 of my suite mates sat down and played the exact same piece and one of them played a variation he had written. It immediately humbled me, but also gave me such a sense of belonging and warmth knowing that I was among such talented people.

Website: https://johnbaxtermusic.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwb-LQwFPcQ&list=PLA0rlGkV45an1NX5XuaUHud9Hnz8AE_jz&index=1&ab_channel=JohnBaxter