Guitarist Chris Leamy Is A Pioneer For Social Activism
Despite of the madness that occurs constantly today, there are groups, individuals, and communities who strive to make a change happen. It’s sad to admit that we live in a society which shines the light constantly on negativity. Thus, there are those as mentioned above who turn heads by leading a path of social activism.
New York-based artist Chris Leamy whose been featured on the Huffington Post, CNN, The Today Show, and many more is one of many individuals making an impact on people’s lives. He started a campaign called #HePlaysForMe playing music for those in need: homeless people. Even though his personal success has risen like writing music for artists who include Shaggy, his priority has shifted to giving back to the community. The talented artist has raised thousands of dollars for Bowery Mission Charity and those who need it the most. With the great work that he’s doing, we decided to talk to him about his background and also, the roots of starting the campaign #HePlaysForMe.
Tell us about you. Where are you from and what type of music do you make?
I grew up outside of Chicago in a town called Glen Ellyn. I really love the intersection of rock, pop, and blues. Towing that line between honest songwriting and constantly playing with live instrumentation verse in the box production. I think it leaves a lot of room to experiment.
What stage are you in your career and how long have you been publishing music?
I have been playing in bands and writing music since I was 15, but I would say it’s in these last 3 years I have been really concentrating on this current solo project. It is tough to say where I am at in my career but I think the focus has always been to continue moving forward. To make sure that each song is better than the last, that each performance is tighter than the previous one, and I continue to learn along the way.
What was the moment you realized you had to pursue music as a career? How did it feel was it scary, what steps did you take to get started?
I never really had a “this is what I am supposed to do” moment. It was a gradual process. I think at my core, I have always been a music fan. It started with hearing rock songs on Q101 and saying, “What is that? Can I do that?” Then, I picked up guitar and started really practicing. I think a huge part of it was my environment. When I was growing up, discovering new music was very much an active process and as you begin to fall in love with songs, you want to see what they look like in person. Outside Chicago, there was a real pop-rock scene emerging, so I was really lucky to be around that. It started really small, with lots of kids playing free shows in bands in their parent’s basements. Which sounds silly, but all the sudden local bands caught the attention of labels in the area (Spitalfield with Victory records, Rise Against with Fat Wreck Chords, Fall Out Boy with Fueled By Ramen, etc). It was incredibly inspiring to see these bands go from playing house shows to being “real musicians.”
How did #HePlaysForMe start and why?
In my mid-twenties I was given an incorrect misdiagnosis for a very serious disease. The initial shock of the diagnosis followed by retesting and the “let’s wait and see” period really threw me for a loop. I lost weight, stopped sleeping all together, and became focused strictly on the things that were within my control.
I was so far gone that I couldn’t really see what my life had turned into. One week my counselor asked me to do ONE thing that made me uncomfortable. . . it needed to be outside my comfort zone. So that Monday, I decided to change the order in which I got dressed for work. Unfortunately, to me it was like the world was ending. At that point, the walls came down and I realized how dire things had become. I was having a very hard time discussing some of these things, so music was a huge outlet for me. I wrote a lot of songs while I was putting the pieces back together.
One day, a homeless woman asking for spare change on a subway platform said “this would be easier, if I played one of those” and pointed to my guitar (I was coming from a songwriting session with another artist in NYC). She explained that those with a talent on the street often make more tips than those without one. That weekend, as my “one thing,” I decided to go out on the street and play some song ideas next to a few homeless folks. I was not nervous about playing music live, but sitting next to someone who might be a bit dirty or unkempt frightened me. I thought it was a good test to see how far I had come with everything. That weekend I went to Union Square and sat with a few folks. I played some music, we made a few bucks, but that wasn’t the important part. THESE PEOPLE, and their amazing stories of strength absolutely took me back. I expected people with addictions and lazy attitudes. Instead, I found humble individuals with compassion and perseverance. I was really unnerved by how horribly I had misjudged these people. With permission, I started sharing some of the stories I heard on social media with the hashtag #heplaysforme. Not all of them were about the hardships of being homeless, often they focused on kind moments, or funny jokes. I was trying to show a different side of the homeless community. A side that I wouldn’t have believed existed had I not seen it with my own eyes. The more I did it, the more I began to feel like my old self.
I am very protective of the homeless community, and would never want my friends to feel exploited.
How has your experience been like doing so since you started this campaign? Could you share a story about a time you were playing and someone was extremely impacted?
#Heplaysforme has absolutely changed my life. I wish I could say that my playing created the impact, but really it has been others who have stepped in and changed the lives of those on the street. One friend and I were able to raise a large amount of money for him by playing, but it was due to media coverage he was able to land a job and an apartment, completely changing his life, all within a week. Another friend was seen on the news by his family, who did not know he was homeless, this lead to him also getting off the street.
What is it that you envision for #HePlaysForMe campaign to unfold before you in the next couple of years?
The goal of the #heplaysforme tour was to spend 2–3 days in each city getting to know the local homeless community and finish each visit with a full band celebratory show. I put together the concerts on a whim, and reached out to local musicians I knew in each city to put the show together. Several companies and homeless shelters reached out, wanting to get involved.
Do you find that in today’s industry artists’ are doing enough to give back to the communities?
I think there are amazing role models out there right now, I look at what Chance the Rapper has done with Chicago, and it’s so inspiring. That being said, people make art for all sorts of different reasons, so I don’t think just because someone is an artist, they have a higher responsibility. All of us can do our part and honestly it doesn’t take much. Most of the people I meet on the street just wanted to be acknowledged. A simple “hello” can go a long way.
What’s the inspiration behind creating your music? Any kind of messages you’re trying to relay?
Music has always been such a cathartic experience for me. I haven’t had any overarching themes really; the goal has always been to create something honest.
For up and coming artists’ who wish to make an impact in our society positively and don’t know where to start, what’s the best advice you can give to them from your experience?
When I was first starting, I wanted to have a huge, all-encompassing plan for everything in #heplaysforme. I probably wasted too much time planning for things that would never happen. My advice would be to have a rough outline and just start. Trial and error is such a powerful thing. The sooner you can start learning about what works and what doesn’t, the better.
Tell us about any new or upcoming projects your working on that your excited about.
I recently signed with MOXI MANAGEMENT, which has been fantastic. My manager, Wallace Morgan, has been such an amazing guiding light for me in the music industry and a huge resource for #heplaysforme. Her insight and opinions have been so vital. Currently, I am writing for the next EP. I just got back from Nashville for the third time in 2 months. I absolutely love that town, I am really excited about the tunes we have been working on.
