Cobey Brown is the lead vocalist and guitarist for The Odyssey, an alternative rock band out of Tulsa, Okla. Brown has a passion for making art that not only helps him express himself, but that hopefully reaches others and helps them feel less alone in all seasons of life.
How did you get started?
Derek Johnson and I (Cobey Brown) were high school best friends and we started The Odyssey in 2016. The beginning consisted of playing little coffee shop shows playing covers and small acoustic songs we had written together. We have since acquired full-time band mates in Kyle Devers and Aidan McCormick, and the ability to express a wide range of musical dynamics and emotion has followed.
Did you always want a career in the music industry?
I did not! I sang as a child, but only picked up the guitar and started writing music after I quit playing sports and skateboarding and wanted a way to express myself. I have always had one big love at a time. When music became my next love, I wanted all in. All four members of The Odyssey are aspiring full-time musicians. It’s been a beautiful journey so far.
What is your role in the music industry?
I am an artist. I am the singer, guitarist and main songwriter in The Odyssey! For many years I managed the band myself. This challenged me to grow in many ways that I am now proud of. Taking creative ideas and turning them into actual endeavors has been both intimidating and rewarding. Now that we have Bailey Lev on as our band manager, I am free to focus my efforts and energy much more creatively. We are taking on bigger and more exciting projects than ever, and our new music is very true to where we are in our journey.
Most Recent Successes / Placements / Accomplishments / Projects? Career highlight?
We released our debut full-length album on November 11, 2022! This was over three years in the making. We have since toured around the country, playing more shows in a single year than any of us have ever done before. We have had the honor of performing at Cain’s Ballroom, being invited by the BOK Center to perform at an outdoor mini festival, and opening for nationally touring acts, such as The Happy Fits, Night Moves and Black Joe Lewis! Our song “I Love You Back” remains our most popular song with over 200,000 streams on Spotify alone.
What is your favorite Oklahoma music venue, music store or recording studio?
We always love playing The Vanguard. We feel supported in our creative endeavors by the staff there. We’re also grateful to live in a city like Tulsa that is so rich in music history and culture, so we can’t leave out mentioning the Historic Cain’s Ballroom.
Networking and connecting with others who share your dream or vision is a vital aspect to the music industry. Can you share which Oklahoma organizations (if any) have contributed to your success and are there Oklahoma organization you would recommend others to connect with? To help further their craft or promotion?
Absolutely! We recently joined the Trip the Fan management roster and we’ve definitely felt supported by them. I think that no matter who you’re working with – management, other artists, labels, or whatever – making sure that you feel supported by them in the ways you need should be a top priority.
How can we follow you? Best place to purchase and listen to your music (if applicable)?
The best way to stay up-to-date on what we are doing is Instagram – @theodysseymusic. We are also active on Facebook and TikTok and have been making a lot of fun new content! Our music can be streamed anywhere you listen to music – Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
Advice for someone interested in working in the music industry.
Value yourself. It is very easy to lean on numbers and outside support for validation. These are things to be thankful for, but art is art and yours is beautiful.
What are some of the benefits of having a music career in Oklahoma?
We have had a great experience coming up as a band in Oklahoma. The rich history is inspiring. Compared to huge music states such as Texas and Tennessee, Oklahoma does not attract as much commercial attention from bigger artists and brands. This can sound bad, but in our experience, it is exactly what allows the different pockets of wonderful local art scenes to thrive and grow. Oklahoma creates so many great artists who have found their niche because of people “making their own fun.” Not many people vacation here. Not as many huge entertainment companies or brands are here as other states. So we turn to art. It’s actually the best thing anyway.
Each featured individual or business is given the provided questions to answer in their own voice. Other than formatting and grammar, the answers are personal to each featured voice, and are not provided by the Oklahoma Film + Music Office.
