Join a choir at your school, church, or community center. 

Career

Join a choir.

Take a songwriting class online or in school, and get a jumpstart on writing your own songs.

Education

Take a class in songwriting.

Check out these free lessons on how to get started playing blues harmonica.

Learn how to play blues harmonica.

Singers

Sing songs on stage, radio, television, or motion pictures.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Second Interest High-Point

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

First Interest High-Point

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Third Interest High-Point

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Musicians, Singers, and Related Workers

Musicians and Singers

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers

Memorize musical selections and routines, or sing following printed text, musical notation, or customer instructions.

Sing as a soloist or as a member of a vocal group.

Perform before live audiences, or in television, radio, or movie productions.

Interpret or modify music, applying knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm, and voice production to individualize presentations and maintain audience interest.

Practice singing exercises and study with vocal coaches to develop voice and skills and to rehearse for upcoming roles.

Sing a cappella or with musical accompaniment.

Observe choral leaders or prompters for cues or directions in vocal presentation.

Seek out and learn new music suitable for live performance or recording.

Compose songs or create vocal arrangements.

Collaborate with a manager or agent who handles administrative details, finds work, and negotiates contracts.

Learn acting, dancing, and other skills required for dramatic singing roles.

Research particular roles to find out more about a character, or the time and place in which a piece is set.

Audio equalizers

Compact disk CD players

Compact disk CD trainers

Effects pedals

Effects racks

In-ear monitors IEM

Karaoke machines

Laptop computers

Live microphones

Loudspeaker systems

Microphone stands

Monitor microphones

MP3 trainers

Personal computers

Sound mixers

Studio microphones

Tablet computers

Universal serial bus USB microphones

Vocal processors

Wireless microphones

Acoustica Mixcraft

Apple GarageBand

Audacity

Avid Technology Pro Tools

Avid Technology Sibelius

Cantovation Sing & See

MakeMusic Finale

Singing Success

Children's Songwriter

[Roadtripper #1] Was music always something in your family [Ella] My uncle, uh, his name I used to call him Uncle Flud, musician, just like I'm not, his relaxing time, have a harmonica. and he finished his dinner, get a comfortable seat listen to him, and he would Then one day, my mother said, harmonica so much, I'm gonna, buy you one." any extra money, they called day-work, extra hours just to buy me Now I got all kinds Well, you know. was your first instrument, [Ella] First, yes. program director for the YWCA, They were very much interested and I had them on stage, they wanted me to go first up songs, making up rhymes And uh, someone said, little songs that you've Someone introduced me uh, City, who had a recording progressed from there. deal with th-the critical... like, "Ella, why are you Or were there, how did you [Ella] Oh no, you know, if you, a professional, you have to with everything. "Oh, this is the worst song You know, you can't be So you hope that whatever something worthwhile, Yes. play a song? a song? song called "The Cuckoo". she sings and she flies, until the fourth day of July. [roadtrippers singing along] Oh, [Ella] She's a pretty bird. She sings and she flies ♪ [all] ♪ But she never ♪ the fourth day of July ♪ [playing harmonica] she's a pretty bird ♪ [Roadtripper #2] We're working [Ella] Bravo! [Roadtripper #1] Dropped [Roadtripper #2] That was good. cool that you didn't formally So you just feel it? [Roadtripper #1] I think that's like, "I need to 'learn' [Ella] Well, you know, That's what it is. and then I play it. what you should put And you know, it makes me share this with you today. something that you do like, people, or if it's helping a, that's a, that's a plus. keep on keeping on. 

Chance

Family

Hobbies & Pastimes

Negativity

Interview

Everywhere you turn, people try to tell you who to be and what to do. that empowers people to roadtrippers crossed the country, to learn how they found their way. it's different than what I thought. we drive in here. we all just clicked. jokes just started flying off everywhere. anymore, they're like family to me. you're just, is she telling the truth or maybe I hit it and I didn't realize it. that live in the city they lay eggs in the hole. you know what I mean? the twenty questions while driving. is run by Rosemarie Certo. CEO, a lady In microbrewery. >> I graduated with a literature and I taught for two years. teaching is probably the most there is in the world. I was all ready done with it. and I didn't do it the third year. industrial photography, the same attitude towards food that I did, we would entertain a lot of our friends. a sudden somehow we started home brewing. that deserved a simple answer. really a naive way of thinking. thoughts come out of just a desire, have is gonna really drive that. is being an alchemist. I really do, it's alchemy. myself happy and other people happy. my dream or someone else's dream. constructive to society and follow someone else's rules. Brooklyn's place of residence, We should just, the side of the road somewhere. we come through Ohio, actually. I'm out, I'm out. I will be, and what I'm doing and I'm able to embrace that. Brooklyn, you won't be like this forever. you'll eventually want that. this is how I am and this is what I want. positive feedback about it. people who heard all the trash talk and so much to discover. it, called IL 64, La Salle Drive. years old folk singer who my mom uses her music at her preschool. Oh, you're Elliot. Yes. family and in your childhood? I used to call him Uncle Flood. just like I'm not. when he finished his work. then he'd go into, get a comfortable seat. listen to him and he would just, you like a harmonica so much. my mother worked some, hours just to buy me a harmonica. was harmonica? the YWCA so I worked on teenagers a lot. in all kinds of dances, and then they wanted me to go first. making up rhymes all the time anyway. that you've written should be recorded. that was in New York City then it just progressed from there. or the critiques from people, like Ella, deal with people like that? You know, if you ever to take that along with everything. the worst song that you could ever. that it has something worthwhile, she sings as she flies. till the Fourth day of July. didn't you? >> I think it's so so you just feel it. >> I think that's a limitation on so I need to learn how to play an instrument. that's what it is. should put into your instruments. to share this with you today. something that you do like, well that's a plus. >> Good, yeah. >> Nice meeting all of you. >> Welcome, welcome. >> She was beautiful. they've gone down one path and along to another one. like, in her 30s, you know? start out Chicago, definitely. >> I wanna be that happy, a certain amount of money a year. I wanna be happy and that's how I started. that's where I wanna end up. I'm passionate about guitar playing or these are all being trying to understand really where it boils down to. to a place and just kinda stop. I feel like. workshops on how to make films. a travelling film school. 4 years, and I like it a lot but at 23, like 28, like is such a career. and I did organic farming for the last year. speak with people such as yourselves that just embracing it. curious to see in our conversation how one in Orange County, which is a funny place. all over the world and my father, like, why did we move to Irvine? there's good schools and the weather. I'm sure I reaped the benefits, but a young man that I left and drifted. of wonderful endeavors, to Princeton, he was valedictorian, he was the real deal. being immigrants, made were so proud, Because my father always said Paolo you'll always be happy, right? I wasn't going to do the 9-to-5 and give to the 13 year old that comes in off grandparent that's like, frustrating, in your power to create things of beauty. mentioned, in honor of my folks that were died much too early in my life. it was kind of a life changing experience. a number of years and so a school, a cinema, and a retail space. just to be about me and but Literally on the opening day. neighborhood of Echo Park and there was this man there and we're opening a film center today. and I said, we're opening a film center. she started volunteering and evolved into a romantic relationship. a whole new chapter in my life. did some photography and painting. own neighborhood that was opening and exchange ideas. and make their own movies. we've had a couple thousand kids for free. everything we do on the road. filmmaking is about story telling. it's not about expensive equipment. where it was a hard choice for I mean my parents are very middle class. symphony and for me I was going to school. I'm discovering what I really love. making films until I was 35 years old. an instrument until I was 23. the fact that you can continually trying new things and finding your path. film is what you wanted? ten years and I loved it, years about year eight, nine, ten, was almost phoning it in? I had to step away from it. but in that framework, it was becoming the same rhythm, and and they needed to get energized again. Sure. Sorry. >> Continue. unusual to feel that. papers you're reading essays you to read and give them the love and you needed to step back. 40 years and I admire them but to start with my own framework. more time to really invest in these kids get to know their communities as opposed I will see you tomorrow, like boom boom. their stories in a political manner. communities, their story, their struggle. these sort of things. population that we serve. the ages of 12 and 19. to try pretty much everything. between the ages of 20 and concerned about doing what's right and adults is about, I'm learning that, just kinda mess around for a few hours. you're not getting graded on it. performance here today, it really is just as adults, we become very preoccupied rather than what feels right to be doing. I wanna be them, straight up. with being ordinary people. that's what I want is they're making their what I'm starting to like cue in on. to sleep just like kind of letting vacant pieces of property. some sort of like drive-in movie theater. your cars the whole time. organic garden as well. have like park benches with little trees. a community garden. center like the Ecopark Film Center but voice in your head, you can't do that, you are afraid to put something out there. >> I think we'll get at least one sincere really wants to talk to us. own sense of whatever experiences you're answer this question for us? liking whatever you do, go outside of it. to be in the first place. able to, at the end of the day, be proud of that. making connections with other people. I know about it If you have bad, don't need any thing else. because I'm meeting people like right? me that are like bitter and talk to people that have made it work space in mind when I started building, but is in he same country. mountaineer, photographer, a skier. [MUSIC] the program you just watched. to define their own roads in life. the Roadtrip Nation experience they experience, their life lesson. known since I was nine that I wanted to because they universe had chosen me. Planetarium in New York City and the struggles that you've had? if we do easy things that means, do it too, that's what easy means. as hard because other people don't do it, other people drop out, you emerge on the other side because no one else can do what you do. experience, everybody doesn't have >> Came from and well you can imagine what we're gonna be. from the road and driving visit roadtripnation.com. movement and how to bring the experience 

Arriving in Philadelphia, the crew meets with Rosemarie Certo, the owner of Dock Street Brewing Co., where they get a taste of her award-winning beer and her passion for the craft. Next, the team travels to Chicago to speak with Grammy Award-winning children's folk singer Ella Jenkins, who teaches the Roadtrippers a song. The team also meets with Paolo Davanzo and Lisa Marr-a happy-go-lucky couple that shares their love for filmmaking by helping students learn the art through affordable film and media arts classes.

Follow Your Own Rules 

Was music always something in your family and in your childhood? and I used to call him Uncle Flood, and just like I'm not. he would always have a harmonica finished his dinner. get a comfortable seat and listen to him. well you like the harmonica so my mother worked what they called day work hours just to buy me a harmonica. instrument was a harmonica? program director for the YWCA so kinds of dances and I had them on stage, because I was always making up songs, you've written should really be recorded. someone that was in New York and then it just progress from them. 

It Just Progressed From There

How did you deal with the critiques from people, like Ella, >> Oh well, people, if you ever are going take that along with everything. worst song that you could have, you know, that what your sharing is. howls cuckoo til the 4th day of July. >> That was good. [LAUGH] 

You Can't Be Discouraged

I think it's so cool that you didn't formally learn it. many people like, to play an instrument. that's what it is. should put into your instruments. able to share this with you today. something that you do like, and or if it's helping other people grow, 

Keep On Keepin' On

I find that really interesting, for the fact that you've been through various within the United States. kind of a deep question, but the effect of put any effect on your career at all? I always think progress, because I've gone I've been on tours where because of my color but, that you might have within you. be in my throat and my stomach. my stomach growling. if I'm gonna be accepted or not. man who was about 21 years old and so we had an act together, but he went to a restaurant and the man this is a private club, I said what? an ordinary restaurant. came in with his bag and is he a member of your club, too? we can't serve you. and I took some crayon. people here, and I put it in his window. that, and so, as soon as we got out and took it out of the window. someone would know that, you know. make you want to do more. what's wrong. 

Struggle

Values

Handling Racism

When I was in high school read a lot of history like most of it was of around slavery. uncomfortable I'd say is that all we what they've achieved or slavery was a part of our past. was proud of having been a part of that. history is very important. you go backwards first. very much interested in working together and then when you have Parks, and these people, they inspire you. forgotten that this has been, if it hadn't been for Martin Luther King. 

Self-Reflection

History Is Important

[Ella playing harmonica, roadtrippers singing] [Roadtripper #1] We're working [Ella] Bravo, that was great! director for the YWCA, And so they were very much of dances and they would they had the tango. but then they wanted me making up songs, making up And uh, someone said, little songs that Someone introduced me uh, City, who had a recording progressed from there. you do like, and if it's or if it's helping other people that's a, that's a plus. keep on keeping on. 

Ella Jenkins

Children's Songwriter

Videos

Ella Jenkins

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Art

Music

Being Creative

Interviewed By

Do It Anyway