What do you call the combination of Wal-Mart, sixth grade boys, AC/DC, and good old Santa Claus? Lunacy, some say. Chaos, others might respond.
However, this lunacy and chaos combined in the life of Adam McPhail, sparking a tremendous musical passion. He recalls his earliest memory of playing music, reminiscing, “My friends were playing guitar, and I became interested too… the song Back in Black by AC/DC — I went and bought that album in Wal-Mart. The guitar part sounded cool. I bought that album and got a guitar for Christmas in sixth grade.”
Adam, now nineteen and a student at Southern Miss, has continued to pursue this musical passion in the jazz studies program. Inspired by “the fact that you can make a career out of just playing [which is] something you love,” he is constantly practicing, improving, and performing.
Adam is the lead guitarist in the popular Adam Doleac Band, along with Adam Doleac, Nick Manton, Kody Killens, and Trevor Ciongoli. The Adam Doleac Band has released their first EP, “Travel On,” which contains five original songs and two covers. They were featured in the November 2 Friday Night at the Fountain, a déjà vu experience for Adam.
[Check out photos of Adam and the band here.]
“I actually played at it [Friday Night at the Fountain] when I was thirteen with Cary Hudson, who brought me up on stage when I was young,” Adam recalls.
Always in high-demand, the band has eight gigs scheduled this November. The Adam Doleac Band plays at many locations in the Southeast, such as Daphne, Alabama; Ocean Springs, Mississippi; Destin, Florida; and, of course, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Adam particularly loves to play in Destin but loves being on the road in general.
According to Adam, the hardest part about being on the road is keeping up with schoolwork, especially the required (and usually boring) non-music classes. Despite this stress, Adam is driven by his desire for future success.
“You can never quit learning music,” he said. “You never get to a point where you’ve reached a climax. You can always learn more.”
This principle motivates Adam to continue to pursue his dream of becoming a freelance guitarist, touring with and playing for various artists.
The Adam Doleac Band’s success has been a big step in the right direction for Adam, and there is still much more to come. In 2013, the Adam Doleac Band will be releasing its first full-length album to expectant and eager fans. Looking back on his journey, Adam offers advice to any person interested in pursuing music.
“Never quit practicing because you can never get the attitude that you’ve learned as much as you can, that you’re the best,” he said. “You always have to stay humble and keep going. … Always say positive and look toward the future.”
cover image source: adbmusic.com