In anticipation of this year’s Make Music Day Aberdeen on Saturday, June 21, Wil Russoul — musician, visionary and executive director of both the event and the Downtown Aberdeen Association — took time out for a question and answer session.

Since its official inception in 2023, what began as a grassroots gathering of 40 musicians has grown into a citywide celebration of sound, spirit and community. This year, the event expands into a weekend celebration called “Come As You Are,” a nod to Aberdeen’s rich musical heritage and the enduring legacy of Kurt Cobain.

Russoul shares insights into the festival’s origins, the impact it’s had on the town he loves, and how music — for him — has always been more than just a sound.

Q: Let’s start at the beginning — how did Make Music Day Aberdeen come to life in 2023?

Russoul: Initially in 2019 Bobbi McCracken, Bette Worth and myself asked the city of Aberdeen to proclaim our beautiful pink flowers arrangements downtown as Bloom’s Day on June 21. I simultaneously realized on June 21 it is also recognized as World Music Day. I called some guitar players and we launched into our downtown walking and playing in the streets and businesses.

Following the event the press ignited, and it began to get serious momentum. Matthew N. Wells, a reporter with The Daily World continued articles of our music movement, and it caught the attention of the Make Music Alliance nationally. I pulled our musicians together to see if their hearts were into this and then it exploded.

Q: What inspired you to bring this global celebration to Aberdeen specifically?

R: I wanted to bring attention to our musicians and artists on a larger scale hoping to advance the Art and Music District which we helped to bring into existence in 2019 (through the Aberdeen City Council). I also wanted to give our city more attention with tourism, hoping it would lead to improved economic development. My heart has been all along that our youth need to have more opportunities, especially around music. The gathering on World Music Day might help by connecting them to others with like interests.

Q: How did the partnership with The Music Project come about, and what role do they play in the festival?

R: In 2023 Dani and Lee Bacon with The Music Project not only encouraged me to move forward with my ideas but it happened that their mission aligned in perfect harmony. From that point on we began to throw ideas out for 2024 and while we probably only could implement a small portion of them, the road ahead was being plowed. In fact, we went into 2024 with no budget and took personal resources to lift the concept off the ground.

Q: The event has grown from 40 musicians in 2023 to over 150 last year. What do you think has fueled that growth?

R: I believe part of the growth came from our local musicians and artists wanting to build their community and this was an easy platform for them to navigate. Having support from our businesses, organizations, and governing entities was another key element. Of course, the press and media outlets took the energy and broadcast it far and wide. I want to shout out to several people whose timing was impeccable which threw 2024 into hyper drive. My wife had just met Screaming Trees drummer Mark Pickerel, Darrell Westmoreland was chatting with Heart’s Roger Fisher, and Jeremy Laier brought up in a conversation his cousin Krist Novoselic. These three folks had no idea that behind the scenes the connections to leading these celebs here was in my mind a miracle of timing. Someday that in itself is a story.

Q: This year, the event is expanding into a full-fledged weekend festival called “Come As You Are.” What can people expect from this expanded format?

R: For 2025 there has become so much interest that we had no choice but to expand World Music Day into a Come As You Are festival. The concept last year to hold an event that was “everything, everywhere, at once” for free and available to all ages was again the recipe for 2025. I trust that no one can see or do it all, which in 2024 led to folks sharing their experience which was only unique to them. Meaning each attendee or participant had a similar but different take on the event. A lesson I learned from Kurt Cobain which one moment can be described in multiple ways which today we call FOMO (Fear of missing out). All you can do is come and navigate what you want out of the festival. We are placing a map, FAQ, and event schedule in one place — www.98520.org. Plan your memory now.

Q: Why was it important to include locations outside of downtown this year?

R: We want tourists and attendees to see how much Aberdeen and our neighbors have to offer. We want our musicians to go into new places and continue to build relationships. I learned from Jessica Preston, a highly respected entrepreneurial marketer form Texas, the world today can buy most things online, but as she repeated Gene Simmons from KISS, they can’t order “experience.” It’s our job to create experiences as that is the new power.

Q: How do you see Make Music Day Aberdeen evolving in the next few years?

R: Honestly, I have ideas, but this will be determined by what God has for me next. I hope this unlikely festival that all of us have poured our hearts into will draw the interest of a well-resourced promotion agency to transport it into the future. I want the value of giving our local musicians and artists more opportunity to not go answered. My dream is for the next Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, Patrick Simmons, Kurdt Vanderhoof, Brian James, Erica Corbin, Alex Mabey and/or Ben Fagerstedt to explode from Aberdeen.

I have asked record labels and industry professionals to consider coming to hear a group of our singer-songwriters, in an American Idol fashion here in Aberdeen so I can present them and give them an industry experience and chance. I believe that wish is manifesting during this festival. And if I am right, then Aberdeen will hopefully birth another rock star, right Jonas Allen?

Q: What has the response been like from the local community and businesses?

R: As the executive director of the Downtown Aberdeen Association, I cannot really express adequately my joy that our business community can come together to create a stage that is actually a while downtown and beyond. It certainly isn’t easy for them as it’s a workload and resource intensive effort.

A. How does this event contribute to Aberdeen’s cultural identity and economy?

R: This festival attempts to showcase as broadly as possible our rich heritage and history capturing the diverse culture and communities. We invited all forms of creatives to come celebrate with us, not just drawing from Aberdeen but with our surrounding counties and even further. As in our music world we cultivate connections outside our day-to-day circle to help us expand and succeed, the same is for all other artists and creative businesses.

Last year while many local businesses claimed it was their best financial day, others were just trying to survive such a crowd as it came fast and like myself I was swimming in details that swallowed every part of my professional and personal life. I want to hold out hope that everyone here gets something wonderful and meaningful from 2025’s festival. It’s a moment for so many to take a new snapshot of Aberdeen.

Since starting in 2019 we have seen new businesses move into downtown that are carrying records, music related apparel, and instruments along with established businesses adding the same into their stores. We have seen some businesses even branding some products matching our Come As You Are history.

Q: What role does music play in bringing people together in a town like Aberdeen?

R: It’s a kind of an undefinable medium that each of us have some common but different understandings. I have stated many times God created two amazing communication dynamics that I ascribe to as real magic, which are prayer and music. I often wonder which is more powerful in the human world as both as spiritual energies that pass through languages, love, moments, war, cultures, etc. I think my accountability to God is what I use these two superpowers for. Having tried to relay that, music is a magnet for people to find something amazing through and with, which will compel folks to travel a long way just to be there. Again, I would throw into this mix, experience, as we all want a new, or to relive an experience. Finally, it’s something anyone at any finance level can have as much of it as they want.

Q: You’ve been described as someone who can’t be separated from music. Can you share a bit about your personal journey with music?

R. I grew up with a hearing loss. I recall praying everyday if God could let me hear I wanted to sing without others looking at me and snickering. As a missionary’s child I was around music every day and I hopelessly tried out for school band and plays. I can recall one teacher, after my audition the teacher quietly said “we’ll make you a rabbit, that is really your thing,” so I was in a costume with a little tail hopping around.

At age 15 my hearing was returned through a simple procedure which dramatically changed my life. The first radio song I heard clearly was Elton John’s “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.” I was struck by the lyrics which made me think this song is really about something, it made me cry.

I then bought a $5 beat up guitar with holes in the body from a St. Vincent DePaul (thrift store) and became a recluse to figure things out. I quickly realized that I could not sing anything I heard on the radio, nor could I even maintain any timing. So I made a decision that I would just write my own songs and again seriously prayed that If God would help me figure it out I would dedicate my songs to impacting someone, not just entertain but try to share my Elton John experience in lyrics.

My dad let me trade my nice bicycle for a nice electric guitar, in return I would need to sit up front in the church and play unplugged by watching a Puerto Rican man play guitar and try to mimic him. Yup, it was humbling and my stage fright became a new frontier to overcome. Looking back, my dad must have thought this experience would give me something more than learning guitar, it would give me something I had none of — confidence.

Q: You’ve overcome hearing challenges and still became a musician. How has that shaped your relationship with sound and performance?

R: Well today, I still have ear problems and usually three to four times a year I am in some emergency room. My music mates all know it seems to hit me right before a huge event where I am performing. I have sung on the radio not being able to hear much of my guitar or the DJ. Sometimes I have to belt out my voice just to hear me. I know sound engineers must say, “Oh no it’s Wil and we will have to completely reset monitors for him to hear.”

When I go to a doctor my favorite line to say is after praying to be able to hear, I have spent my life cranking guitar amps to ruin my hearing.

I think this different ability of mine, hearing issues, has made me sensitive to others and having far more confidence than hearing pushes me to step out hoping to encourage others with, “If Wil can do I can do it.” I recall my first live radio performance where I almost didn’t do it because of my hearing struggles, but I was determined to be able to encourage others so I just said to myself this is never going to be a perfect easy thing but it will give me a chance to impact a listener. Same with my first recording, as I would have my friend Jeni West listen to my tracks and help me edit my pitch issues.

Today with social media and videos where I just have to do it and it is what it is. I think folks who follow my music probably can tell when my hearing is attacking me, but I don’t have a life where I have time to wait, it’s now or never.

Q: Tell us about your musical projects.

R: My music projects are very fluid but to mention some current ones that I am involved with are consulting with other states on music festivals, a music industry showcase to pitchout local singer songwriters, a film documentary on Aberdeen’s musicians, partnering with The Music Project on Fender Play instructional program to include helping our schools receive new Fender guitars, and of course our Come As You Are festival celebrating World Music Day on June 21. I am trying to keep up on songwriting and rehearsing for some upcoming performance commitments.

Q: What drives you to take on so many roles — musician, organizer nonprofit leader — all at once?

R: I don’t have an easy answer but when things come into my life I have a bit of a pep talk to myself which includes some parameters like: is this what God wants me to do, does this make a difference to creating a music scene and opportunity for our youth (of all ages), can I be passionate about this work, is this something I can kick start for others to complete, and will Aberdeen as a whole gain something good out of my commitment to the project. Others simply sum it up by telling me I am crazy. But in all sincerity, I probably say no and fail and far more than I actually do.

Q: What does the phrase “Come As You Are” mean to you personally, especially in the context of this festival and Kurt Cobain’s legacy?

R: Come As You Are is something that makes me feel adequate to just be me. I can be OK with who, what, and how I am. If I wait till the one day when I am ready, then maybe I will never be ready. Today I give you the best I am. Tomorrow I will be better but today is gonna take me there.

I find myself telling others that the genius of Kurt’s take on Come As You Are is a dynamic mix of acceptance, we are here now, and this moment will be a memory that you get to have for the story of your life. And I like to throw in “80% of success is showing up,” a quote from Woody Allen which is so true in my life.

My advice to others is that you should be aware of small opportunities, waiting for the big one is robbing you of so many other things that could grow into something amazing. I was told once by a community leader, John Shaw, something like baseball is won by getting on base, not being a home run king. I needed to hear that. I define my success, not others, and certainly not the industry.

Q: What are you most excited about for this year’s event?

R: I am profoundly honored and excited about what a huge group of volunteers and our communities can do when we all move in one direction. I believe the work and struggles to bring about something like this and past festivals have built up relationships and a stronger community. That’s something amazing.

Q: You mentioned a local high school student who turned their Make Music Day performance into a major opportunity. Can you tell us more about that story and what it meant to you?

R: In 2024 I was in The Music Project’s upstairs greenroom with members from Nirvana, Screaming Trees, Heart, BB King and others when I saw a young man playing his heart out across the street with not one person in the area. I thought wow he has no idea who is watching him. I snapped his photo and later inquired as to who he was. He is Jonas Allen a graduate of Aberdeen High School and an outstanding young talented rock star, he is simply Bandtastic. His high school principal told me that he just started playing guitar and writing songs, and Jonas told me his first performance was World Music Day. In one year, he exploded in the music world from Spotify Tunes, YouTube, radio, gigs, interviews, social media, co-starring in a film, and much more. And it’s exciting to say there are many more youth like him moving forward. All of us are part of this movement.

Q: Every festival has a headliner — who would you say is the headliner of Make Music Day Aberdeen this year?

R: This year’s festival will make Aberdeen itself the headliner. Last year working with Krist Novoselic left me holding on to something he said, “I don’t want to be promoted higher than any other participant.” Which translated to everyone performing here is the headliner, and that means we are all rock stars.

Q: Do you have any favorite moments or stories from past Make Music Days that really stuck with you?

R: I absolutely loved seeing an elderly woman from a residential facility ask to get out of the car just to dance with me. Another one is watching youth who just a short time ago were dealing with life struggles and now are carrying guitars and have some fans, that’s a powerful transformation.

Q: What’s your dream for the future of music in Aberdeen?

R: That is the million-dollar question. So, I ask, “God what do you want me to do next?”

Q. And finally — if you could describe Make Music Day Aberdeen in just three words, what would they be?

A. Come, play, grow.

For more information on all the scheduled events, visit www.98520.org.

Darrell Westmoreland Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic at last year’s festival.

Darrell Westmoreland The drum setup at the D&R Theatre prepping for Friday’s kickoff.

Grunge photographer Charles Peterson

Darrell Westmoreland The DR. MUMBAI Band, set to play at the D&R Theatre this Friday with Lisette Bennett opener and RHYS Davis MC. This is a free concert to kick off World Music Day. Starts at 8 p.m.

The essence of the festival: Grungers rocking the street in Aberdeen at last year’s event. (Darrell Westmoreland)