Grind of the gig: Daily life for Tulsa headliners is hectic and wholesome
“My music career has always been at the forefront, and then trying to make a living,” says Grazzhopper’s Brewer, with a laugh. “I like keeping things fresh, but obviously, I like paying my bills, too.”
Music has been central to Brewer’s life since he picked up a guitar at the age of 10. He played electric guitar for years in Tulsa’s genre-
blending Moai Broadcast, eventually migrating to the banjo and creating his own jazz-grass fusion group — all the while keeping one foot planted in the nine-to-five and a relatively steady paycheck. Brewer is a crop manager at Gravity Grown, a cannabis farm, where he works a seven- or eight-hour day, always fitting in music practice.
“I either practice in the morning before I leave, or when I get back,” Brewer says. “When I’m off, the average day is trying to focus on a set list and just going over warm-ups because I feel like your muscle memory always has to be there.”
Brewer acknowledges the challenges inherent in a musician’s life. “On the outside, it looks like you just have fun all the time, but you realize if you want to be good at something, you have to really spend a lot of time on it,” he says. “Sometimes when you’re not reaching the level you’d like to, there can be a lot of ups and downs, emotionally and psychologically.”
But when everything falls into place, it’s worth it. “The camaraderie when you have a great night, there’s nothing else like it. When everything goes right, it’s just the happiest I’ve ever been.”