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Some of the most iconic stars got their start at the bottom of the music industry ladder, defying the stereotype of being “discovered” by a label executive while performing on stage (oh, the dream). Whether janitorial, secretarial, or administrative, these musicians’ pre-fame jobs showed a keen interest in and dedication to the industry that superseded their need for stardom.
Still, that doesn’t mean they weren’t going to jump at the opportunity to move up in the industry if given the chance. And fortunately for these four artists, that’s precisely what happened as they moved up from cleaning guy to chart-topping hunks and quiet secretary to Motown superstar.
Kris Kristofferson
Before he developed his reputation as the songwriter behind cuts like “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” Kris Kristofferson took on a lot of random side jobs and hustles to make ends meet. One of those entry-level jobs included working as a nighttime janitor at Columbia Recording Studios while trying to cut his teeth as a singer-songwriter in Nashville.
As the aforementioned songs would prove, his efforts worked. Kristofferson developed a relationship with Johnny Cash while working at the studio, and eventually, he was able to trade his mop and bucket for a mic and a guitar.
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi has built an impressive career for himself as the frontman of his eponymous rock band, Bon Jovi. But prior to releasing his first Top 40 hit, “Runaway,” John Francis Bongiovi Jr. was working as an errand boy at Power Station recording studio. “The Power Station was probably as famous as Abbey Road in its moment in time for the legendary records that were made there,” Bon Jovi said in an interview with Radio X.
Bon Jovi was there to witness Nile Rodgers producing David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and Bowie singing “Under Pressure,” and countless other artists cutting what would become career-defining singles and albums.
Lemmy Kilmister
Motörhead singer and bassist Lemmy Kilmister got his start as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix in the late 1960s, picking up bits and pieces of the stompboxes Hendrix would smash during his explosive performances, rolling cables, packing up gear, unloading gear, and so on. In addition to his usual roadie duties, Kilmister also hooked Hendrix up with LSD whenever the guitarist needed it.
Speaking to Marc Maron on the comedian’s WTF podcast, Kilmister said he learned plenty while working as a roadie for Hendrix. Most notably, he said, “I learned to give up guitar and play bass instead.”
Martha Reeves
Martha Reeves’ professional trajectory in the music industry was a testament to the fact that sometimes, stars are born because they were in the right place at the right time. The lead singer of Martha & the Vandellas, the pop group behind hits like “Dancing in the Street” and “Heat Wave,” appointed herself as the secretary for Motown’s A&R Director, William “Mickey” Stevenson, when she showed up at the record label unannounced and unscheduled to audition.
Reeves worked for free in the hopes that she could eventually cut a record of her own, and her sacrifice paid off. When Mary Wells didn’t show up for a recording session one fateful day, Reeves volunteered to sing with the Del-Phis instead. Motown loved her performance so much that they signed Reeves, Rosalind Ashford, and Annette Beard to the Gordy label as Martha & the Vandellas.
Photo by Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
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