University Star

Growing up in the small town of Sedgwick, Kansas, Caleb McGinn, never imagined he would be writing and recording music as a career.

 After picking up a guitar only eight years ago while attending Kansas State University, McGinn has released two EPs, his latest being “Bigger Picture,” which was recorded in Nashville with Jeremy McCoy who has worked with the Fray, James Morrison and One Republic.

 Caleb McGinn will be visiting the Texas State Wednesday as one stop on his tour visiting high school and college campuses across the United States. He will be playing a free show in the LBJ Amphitheatre at 8 p.m.

 The University Star got the opportunity to speak with McGinn about his journey through his career and his philosophy on music.

RB: I’d love to hear how you came into music. Did you just stumble into it, or is it something you’ve always wanted to do?

CM: I always enjoyed doing performance-like stuff, but I never really thought I would do this. I played sports in high school, and I kind of got into music more in college and even after college. I can’t imagine my life without being able to perform music as I do now though

 RB: How and when did you start writing your own music?

 CM:  About three years ago, I was in Europe all summer. When I was in London and it was time for me to come back, I missed my flight. So, I stayed in London for a couple of weeks. I bought a guitar and wrote my first three songs. It all went from there.

 RB: When did you realize that this was more than a passion and you really wanted to make a CD and pursue music as a career?

 CM: Well, about that time when I started writing my own songs. I started thinking that hey, I should probably record these, so I recorded them. I recorded my first songs in San Diego two summers ago and last summer my main CD, “Bigger Picture,” was recorded in Nashville.

 RB: Could you tell me a little more about that latest EP and the song “Bigger Picture”?

 CM: When I wrote “Bigger Picture” I was at my parent’s house, and I was thinking about how you can just get stuck where you are at in life or in whatever you are doing. It could be a small town or wherever else and you don’t really go out and explore the world. I wrote the song about that sort of idea.

 RB: Where do you pull some of your other inspiration?

 CM: So far it has just been personal experiences and situations I’ve been in. I would like to put that in a song that could maybe inspire someone else.

 RB: Could you tell me a little bit about your philosophy on music and what has helped you get to where you are now?

 CM: I think ultimately what it comes down to is that people can be successful and do whatever it is they want to do if they work hard at it, learn about it, and stick with it. In music, for in me particular, I didn’t grow up being trained, and I wasn’t in a music family. I had to make a decision and say let’s go after this and see what happens.