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Episode 66: Create with Friends, Grow with Purpose with Steve Matthew Carter
For the entire interview transcript, please click here.
Steve Matthew Carter is a Nashville-based media composer for film, TV, and advertising. He most recently scored Gazer (2025), a neo-noir thriller directed by Ryan J. Sloan, which premiered at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and is distributed by Metrograph Pictures.
His music has also appeared in The Other Guys, Escaping Ohio, The Tomorrow Job, and national ad campaigns for brands like Honda and Body Armor (2024 Super Bowl). Steve’s work spans dozens of film festivals, music libraries, and TV networks, including Netflix, Bravo, TLC, and History.
What You’ll Learn
In this episode, Steve opens up about the myth of linear success, the pressure to "make it" young, and how wandering can be part of the creative process. He shares why it’s okay to have gaps in your journey and how those quieter moments often lead to a deeper artistic identity.
Things Discussed: Rather than chasing clout or traditional networking, Steve believes in “friend collecting”—building real, lasting creative relationships with people you respect and enjoy. He encourages younger musicians to stop waiting for permission and start making the kind of work they wish existed in the world—with friends, collaborators, and a sense of purpose.
Steve also offers practical advice: know your strengths, and let your style become your signature. Whether you’re the go-to guitar player or someone still exploring their aesthetic, his message is the same—be real, be kind, and keep making things.
Connect with Steve Matthew Carter
Official Website
Imdb
X
Connect with Jason Tonioli
Website
YouTube
Spotify
Pandora
Amazon Music
Apple Music
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By Jason Tonioli
4.6
1010 ratings
For the entire interview transcript, please click here.
Steve Matthew Carter is a Nashville-based media composer for film, TV, and advertising. He most recently scored Gazer (2025), a neo-noir thriller directed by Ryan J. Sloan, which premiered at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and is distributed by Metrograph Pictures.
His music has also appeared in The Other Guys, Escaping Ohio, The Tomorrow Job, and national ad campaigns for brands like Honda and Body Armor (2024 Super Bowl). Steve’s work spans dozens of film festivals, music libraries, and TV networks, including Netflix, Bravo, TLC, and History.
What You’ll Learn
In this episode, Steve opens up about the myth of linear success, the pressure to "make it" young, and how wandering can be part of the creative process. He shares why it’s okay to have gaps in your journey and how those quieter moments often lead to a deeper artistic identity.
Things Discussed: Rather than chasing clout or traditional networking, Steve believes in “friend collecting”—building real, lasting creative relationships with people you respect and enjoy. He encourages younger musicians to stop waiting for permission and start making the kind of work they wish existed in the world—with friends, collaborators, and a sense of purpose.
Steve also offers practical advice: know your strengths, and let your style become your signature. Whether you’re the go-to guitar player or someone still exploring their aesthetic, his message is the same—be real, be kind, and keep making things.
Connect with Steve Matthew Carter
Official Website
Imdb
X
Connect with Jason Tonioli
Website
YouTube
Spotify
Pandora
Amazon Music
Apple Music