2008 Woodie Awards
Student chooses music over school
Former Towson student Phil Minissale pursues blues and folk music career
Krysten Appelbaum
Arts | 9/16/07
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To say Phil Minissale is a busy guy is probably an understatement.
"I'd love to chat. I'll be free tomorrow afternoon, but I have a gig tomorrow night and a festival Saturday and Sunday," the former Towson student replied to a request for an interview.
Minissale, a 20-year-old former resident of Tower D, now hailing from Stony Brook, N.Y., left TU a couple of years ahead of schedule to pursue a music career and has been building a name for himself in the New York/Pennsylvania areas ever since. According to his Facebook profile, "college is on the backburner."
"I left for personal reasons and money. It was a combination of things. I knew I wanted to play music all along, the opportunity just never presented itself. So the things the drove me to leave were sort of blessings in disguise," he said.
Leaving though, even to chase a dream, came with its downsides.
"It was hard for me and my friends at Towson when I told them I was leaving. And of course I got the 'why are you dropping out of school, you need to go back to school,' reaction," he said. "I still get that now, and it probably won't end any time soon."
But, with the support of his family, friends and fellow musicians, Minissale is pursuing a love of music, specifically blues and folk that seems to have been engrained in him since he was young. A guitar and harmonica player since age 14, Minissale grew up listening to blues and folk musicians including Bob Dylan, who he lists as one of his main inspirations.
"I've been singing Bob Dylan songs since I was little. I think my first words were probably from a Bob Dylan song because I've always listened to it," he said.
Now Minissale continues his career with a schedule busy enough to match any students' back at Towson. Averaging three gigs a week, managing his own promotions and bookings while holding down a regular job, keeps him running.
"I play a lot of restaurants, coffeehouse gigs, and a lot of folk society shows. I also play a lot of the emerging artists showcases," he said. "I'm hauling all my own stuff. It's just an acoustic guitar and a mic and a PA system when the venues don't have them It's kind of like living out of my car right now, but I have a bed to sleep in, its just everything is in my car. I also take around a bunch of demos and posters that I sell at each gig."
"I'd love to chat. I'll be free tomorrow afternoon, but I have a gig tomorrow night and a festival Saturday and Sunday," the former Towson student replied to a request for an interview.
Minissale, a 20-year-old former resident of Tower D, now hailing from Stony Brook, N.Y., left TU a couple of years ahead of schedule to pursue a music career and has been building a name for himself in the New York/Pennsylvania areas ever since. According to his Facebook profile, "college is on the backburner."
"I left for personal reasons and money. It was a combination of things. I knew I wanted to play music all along, the opportunity just never presented itself. So the things the drove me to leave were sort of blessings in disguise," he said.
Leaving though, even to chase a dream, came with its downsides.
"It was hard for me and my friends at Towson when I told them I was leaving. And of course I got the 'why are you dropping out of school, you need to go back to school,' reaction," he said. "I still get that now, and it probably won't end any time soon."
But, with the support of his family, friends and fellow musicians, Minissale is pursuing a love of music, specifically blues and folk that seems to have been engrained in him since he was young. A guitar and harmonica player since age 14, Minissale grew up listening to blues and folk musicians including Bob Dylan, who he lists as one of his main inspirations.
"I've been singing Bob Dylan songs since I was little. I think my first words were probably from a Bob Dylan song because I've always listened to it," he said.
Now Minissale continues his career with a schedule busy enough to match any students' back at Towson. Averaging three gigs a week, managing his own promotions and bookings while holding down a regular job, keeps him running.
"I play a lot of restaurants, coffeehouse gigs, and a lot of folk society shows. I also play a lot of the emerging artists showcases," he said. "I'm hauling all my own stuff. It's just an acoustic guitar and a mic and a PA system when the venues don't have them It's kind of like living out of my car right now, but I have a bed to sleep in, its just everything is in my car. I also take around a bunch of demos and posters that I sell at each gig."
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