Affirmations For Professional Musician & Songwriter

This post is a list of wisdom collected by my friend, producer Ron Oates. I wholeheartedly agree that if we practice and act on the following affirmations, we would be miles ahead of most, in fact, there is no telling what will be possible. So here goes... and THANK YOU, RON! How kind you are to share this with us...

Affirmations
For The Professional Musician And Songwriter
From the archives of Ron Oates

1. I present myself in a positive light and display a professional image with everything that I do.
2. I respect people’s time by being organized, pleasant, and concise.
3. Despite anyone else’s disposition, I am likable, friendly, courteous, polite and easy to work with at all times! I treat everyone—regardless of title—professionally.
4. I treat my music and/or songwriting as a career, even if I’m only doing it part-time for now. I am not in this for a one-time “quick hit.”
5. I take my music and/or songwriting seriously and treat it as a successful business operation.
6. I constantly hone not only my music and/or songwriting skills but also my business skills – such as communication, negotiation, and sales skills.
7. I invest in my own career by making demos, attending workshops, going to Nashville (or other music centers), and buying books, audio, software, etc. to help me advance and grow.
8. My oral and written communication skills are impeccable! I treat each and every conversation, e-mail, and letter in a business-like manner.
9. I understand all of the various parts of the music business, even if I am not working in all areas right now. I know how they interrelate so that I can speak intelligently about them.
10. I stay informed of current music industry affairs through the Internet and various trade publications. I am familiar with the major players in a variety of areas.
11. I constantly hone my craft through practice, writing, exercises, workshops, books, etc.
12. I am persistent in my efforts, yet careful not to be pushy or pesky.
13. I make myself easily accessible through e-mail, fax, voice mail, and/or a cell phone.
14. I am confident of my abilities, yet remain humble in my approach with people. I let my music and my songs speak for themselves.
15. I am passionate and enthusiastic, yet careful not to appear overly eager or desperate.
16. I am flexible and open to suggestions for improvement, new ideas, and feedback.
17. I listen more than I talk.
    
18. I always use my common sense!
19. I don’t make “contacts.” I build lasting relationships that are mutually beneficial.
20. I am tremendously appreciative of all who help me in pursuing my dream. While I always express my appreciation verbally, I also show my appreciation through thank-you notes and other small tokens (where appropriate)
    

Mike Coleman speaks at Indie Connect, Mt. Juliet... this Tuesday

Heads up, heads up... for any of you dear readers who are near Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, this coming Tuesday morning there is a new "Indie Connect"music business networking luncheon beginning there next week. AND... the speaker will be my business mentor, Mike Coleman. I can't tell you how much he has enhanced my business and my day-to-day life since I began working with him. I highly recommend that you attend this meeting, hear Mike give you some very valuable information and network with others who will be there. Here is the information Mike sent me:

Cost - $5
Date – Tuesday, April 21st
Time – 11:30am
Location - Logan’s Roadhouse / 401 S. Mt. Juliet Road, Ste. 130 / Mt. Juliet, TN
Directions from Nashville - Take I-40 East to Exit 226A. Merge right to red light. Turn left and Logan’s is on the right.

Description: Playing The Right Cards To Create A Successful Music Career
In this presentation, you will learn five key elements that will have a dramatic impact on your success in the music business. You will also learn skills that will help you better manage your time and resources to achieve a balance between creative side and running your day-to-day business. You will be able to put everything I show you in this presentation to work immediately to take your music career to the next level.

Songwriters, performers, artists, managers, producers, studio owners, and others involved in the music industry are sure to learn something they can start using today to take their career up a notch. If you are serious about your music, you do not want to miss this opportunity.

Mike Coleman
Charting My Course
Lebanon, Tennessee
615-308-8078
www.mikecoleman.net

Working with professionals and small business owners who want to be more successful in their business

Creator of:
Playing The Right Cards: How To Successfully Market Your Small Business or Professional Services Marketing System.

Follow Mike on http://www.twitter.com/mikecoleman99

Performance Coach Diane Kimbrough to Speak at Indie Connect Monday!

I know I've done more blogposts this week than ever, (don't get used to it :) but I couldn't let the day go by without giving you this Special Alert:

If you are in or near Nashville and are or will be performing live in your career, you would be nuts to miss next Monday night at Indie Connect. My friend, pro performance coach Diane Kimbrough will speak on live performing- for $5 fee you will get some very expensive information: Here's the Indie Connect Blurb on Diane:

On stage or on camera - making your act as commanding visually as it is musically is what sells.

Think about this. Why is it that people won't spend a dime on an album, download it for free so they can listen to it a thousand times, but be willing to spend $100 to see someone once and then it's over? It's because that live performance is an irreplaceable experience. In a world where instant gratification is at every corner, people are clamoring for something that stirs their feelings. Now, more than ever before, it's all about the live performance.

Live Performance Coach, Diane Kimbrough, currently working with Columbia Records new duo, Caitlin & Will, discusses the artist/audience relationship, how to make it work for you and why it's paramount to success.

When: Monday, April 13th (Next Monday night) 6:00pm

Where: The Closing Bell, 1524 Demonbreun St. Nashville, Tn

******************************************************************************
Also...If you missed Vinny Ribas' speech last month, he'll be giving two next week:
"Making Money Making Music" - How to insure your music career is profitable"-

If you want to have any measure of success in the music business, you need to know both the music and the business side of things. One of the primary reasons that artists fail is because they don't do the math regarding their performing and their recording income and expenses.

Vinny Ribas has been a sought-after business consultant and is the author of "CEO Secrets - What They Know About Business That Every Entrepreneur Should". He has written business plans and financial projections for artists, independent record labels as well as traditional businesses. He will describe in plain English how to plan and analyze the financial side of your career to insure that you really are making money. He'll give this speech at...

MONDAY April 13th.
11:30 AM at Corky's Ribs and BBQ, 100 Franklin Rd. in Brentwood

And "Booking Yourself"- at the new Mt' Juliet Indie Connect location. Here's the info:

In order to get gigs, your act, regardless of its size or nature, must 1) find the appropriate venues, and; 2) be sold to the entertainment buyers. Until you are in demand and commanding enough money to make it worthwhile for a booking agent to represent you, you most likely are going to need to book yourself. This doesn't need to be an intimidating process if you know where to go, what to do, what to say, how to present yourself and have confidence in your ability to deliver. You will learn all of these things in Vinny Ribas' presentation on "Booking Yourself". Besides being the founder of Indie Connect. Vinny has 20 years experience as an artist, artist manager and booking agent!

He will be giving this speech at...

TUESDAY April 14th.
11:30 AM at Logan's Roadhouse in the Providence Mall, 401 S. Mt. Juliet Rd. in Mt. Juliet, Tn.

PS... I'll be doing that second post on production next week.
Oh, and may God bless you and yours with a very Happy Passover and Easter, dear readers... love, JR

Booking Yourself Highlights from Vinny Ribas Speech

I was thrilled to hear veteran booking agent and musician Vinny Ribas speak about booking yourself for live performance gigs. It was filled with practical knowledge, applicable in today's music market. Vinny is founder of "Indie Connect" and truly cares about career success of independent artists and musicians. The good news is, success is more possible now than possibly EVER, with the right tools and information.

Here are some highlights from his information-packed talk (all credit for the following goes to Vinny Ribas, ):

• Know and understand that don't get booked because you are good. You get booked because of the value you can bring to the owner of the venue. This should guide your "selling points. Know your strengths and weaknesses here.

• Like other business people, you should have your 'elevator speech' down... "This is who I am" and "This is what I can do for you".

• Determine what price you need to charge to be able to make a profit! Don't lose money unless the exposure at that particular venue is very important.

• Always confirm your engagement 2 weeks before the gig.
  

Vinny explained that different types of venues obviously require different abilities. Bars would need acts who know how to sell food and drinks... how to get people thirsty & hungry, stay a long time, tip the waiters well. Churches need to be able to minister to congregations. Some venues completely depend on the act drawing the crowd (do you have an email list with people from the area of the venue you're wanting to play? Tell the owner you have this list and can expect 10% or more of them to show up... etc). Headliners for whom you wish to open need you to get the crowd excited. Weddings need you to know the routine...play the music they prefer, get people dancing, generally make the day go smoothly with a minimum of confusion.

• BE PREPARED... a buyer could ask you for such things as:
  

1. Website (Vinny says preferably not just your MySpace site)
2. EPK (Electronic press kit)
3. List of past performances
4. Photos- live performance shots are even better than studio shots
5. CD- live recordings best
6. Live video, online or DVD
7. Bio- several, geared to different kinds of gigs
   
8. Serious press reviews (not just press releases you wrote)
9. References from other venues (A HUGE selling point)
10. Song list (some venues want to know the cover songs you know, and that you are not going to play something offensive, etc).
11. A "one sheet" synopsis [Bio, recent performances, calender, bio, picture, contact info to go along with CD]

• FINDING GIGS:

1. Vinny suggests you identify the kind of gigs for which you are most appropriate. Don't mix messages of who you are, it can be fatal to your "branding".
2. Pick one kind of gig to research... ask your fans at gigs and in your email lists to call the venue and request they hire you.
3. Put surveys on your website and social networks
4. Check out venue websites, see who they've booked that would have an audience similar to yours. Then check the websites of those artists to see where else they have performed.
5. Ask your fans to tell you about bands that are similar to yours. Find them online, check their calendars to see where they perform. Those venues might be a great match for you, too. Use website resources like: Eventful.com, OnlineGigs.com, GigFinder.com, Indie bible, Indie Venue bible, SonicBids.com, ReverbNation.com
   
6. Use organizations and events than can refer venues or showcase you to entertainment buyers such as Naca.org, Fairsandexpos.com, FolkAlliance.com, SXSW (the largest indie artist conference/showcase in the world, held annually in Austin, Tx.) Especially check out the "Red Gorilla Showcase", and other genre specific associations (Bluegrass, Blues, Country, etc.)
7. Trade referrals with like-bands and artists! Offer to introduce them to a venue in exchange for them doing the same. Find out the typical price range they get.
   
8. Find out whether or not the venue expects YOU to draw the crowd. Don't disappoint them by building false expectations.

• CREATE A BUZZ

Develop a local fan base in no more than 4 or 5 regional locations. Start from the center and gradually expand in concentric circles. Try to come back to play again about once a month.

Vinny had a lot more to say, for instance, contact venues where you are getting radio airplay, offer to do radio and TV interviews to promote shows, do your homework before you make your calls, know what to say when you do make the call. Look for a video on his speech to be uploaded soon at IndieConnect.net site. There are many other videos uploaded there now, my speech on the voice should also make its way there soon.

I think from the info in this post, you can tell what a value these Indie Connect meetings are, for $5.00 (more if you order food, of course). The networking is important, the community is quite wonderful. You might want to consider checking it out if you're in or near Nashville.

Anyone else with booking tips to share?

Getting Your Music into Film & TV meeting tomorrow

Hey everyone... this will be short and sweet because I'm a bit slammed. But I wanted to help Vinny Ribas of Indie Connect spread the word about the speaker at both meetings tomorrow. I plan on attending the evening meeting.

Vinny says:

Getting their music into film and TV has launched the careers of quite a few independent artists. Lisa Aschmann, a prolific songwriter with over 600 cuts to her credit, gets 4-8 placements of her songs into these mediums EVERY MONTH! Come find out her secrets!

Monday, March 16 at:

11:30 AM at Corky's Ribs & BBQ, 100 Franklin Rd. in Brentwood, and;

6:00 PM at Pie In The Sky Pizza, 110 Lyle Ave. in Nashville

Cost: $5.00 plus the cost of your meal.

Upcoming Indie Connect meetings... I'm speaking at one

Some time last year, I decided to network not only online but on a more one-on-one level and get to know some people in my local area who are in the music business or are interested in it. I've met some fascinating people at the meetings. At the last one I met, among others,

• Traci Root, founder of Greener Music and R&B fusion recording artist,

• Rand Bishop, songwriter, producer and author of awesome book on songwriting "Makin Stuff Up"

• Lance Hoppen, founding member of rock band "Orleans"

• Michael Moore, veteran music biz guy and author of "Brilliant" , a new book ( I actually bought it at the meeting- fabulous info) on today's new strategies and tactics for successful music marketing.

The agenda:
The speaker speaks and takes questions, then all present take turns- we stand and state who we are and what we need at the moment, then immediately receive suggestions to help. Vinny Ribas, founder, is just wonderful at putting the meetings together in such a mutually beneficial way. I love it.

I've been asked once again to be the featured speaker on February 9th. For those of you who may be interested and in the area, I thought I would let you know about the upcoming meetings, the speakers and their subjects.

Indie Artist Networking Luncheons
are held every Monday at:
Corky's Ribs & BBQ
100 Franklin Rd., Brentwood TN
11:30 AM
Cost: $5.00 - Plus you buy your own meal!

Upcoming meetings:

Monday, January 26
11:30 AM at Corky's Ribs
and BBQ in Brentwood
Speaker: Doak Turner
Topic: Networking In The Music Business

Monday, February 2
11:30 AM at Corky's Ribs
and BBQ in Brentwood
Speaker: Rand Bishop
Topic: Writing Songs from an Artist's Point of View

Monday, February 9
11:30 AM at Corky's Ribs
and BBQ in Brentwood
Speaker: Judy Rodman
Topic: Why Vocal Training? Discovering, Healing, Maximizing and Maintaining Your Voice

To subscribe to the Indie Connect newsletter for future updates, go here.

OK, I'm back! Now, about those resolutions...

Hi everyone;

Please accept my sincere apology for neglecting this blog. I've been quite sick, but am on the mend. The good thing about being sick is how GREAT you feel when you get well!! And, it makes me remember that I am a human being, not a machine. I need to practice what I preach.

So... back to eating well, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, exercising and chilling out time!!

It is my fondest hope that you all had a very merry Christmas! And... may all your New Year's resolutions "take"!

By the way... do make at least one. You are less likely to reach a goal you don't set. What is the most important change you need to make in your life? In your musical endeavors? In matters of your health? In finding time for connecting to family and friends and God? In setting your business and personal priorities? Like I used to tell my son; when looking at what seems an overwhelming task (like cleaning his room!!) then just pick up the sock next to you and go from there. Set that goal, then set some strategies and tactics for accomplishing the goal.

My love goes out to you all... Have a safe, joyful, prosperous Happy New Year!!

Advice from entertainment lawyer Cheryl L. Slay

I had the great pleasure of hearing Cheryl L. Slay, LLC speak on strategies for indie marketing recently. The event was one of the new "Indie Connect" networking meetings for independent music marketing.

Ms. Slay is an entertainment attorney and also a jazz/blues singer/songwriter. She has been very deliberate in charting her own unique course which included moving to Nashville this year and extending the law practice she has enjoyed in Maryland. She markets and books herself, and speaks from first hand experience, both hers and the clients she councils.

One thing I really loved: she suggested that each one of us ask ourselves what success means to us. Do we need a label, a major label, or do we just want to sing out some places? Do we want to do music only part time and somehow make a little money at it? Do we actually WANT to play out or do we want to write songs and let others take them on the road? Success can be a terrific MySpace page if we can make as much money as we put into the site.

Among the high points she covered:

Three strategies for artists-

BUSINESS STRATEGIES:

• Plan for how you will make money.
• 
  
• Most indie artists will need a narrower focus than is presented by the major books on the entertainment industry; business strategies you choose should make sense for your individual situation.
• 
  
• You can make money from performance, recordings, merchandise and sales of other services. Often recordings don't make an indie artist as much as the other things - in fact, these days they often are used more to promote the artist than to be the main source of income.
• 
  
• Indie artists should run lean, try to eliminate the middle man wherever possible, experiment with different progression of business models.
• 
  
• You must stay on top of changes in the industry. Where is the next big thing? Reading such publications as Music Row, Billboard, Variety, Fortune 500, Wall St Journal can help you stay on top of new and emerging business strategies.
• 
  
• Set goals with time tables! For instance, one might set a goal to sign with a music publisher in 1 year, get a major cut within 2 years, then cut a demo and begin seeking a record deal the 3rd year. even if the time line changes, Setting flexible goals will get you much farther than just drifting along day to day with no particular end in sight.
  

ARTISTIC STRATEGIES:

• You must figure out who you are. What is your authentic voice in the world? What do you know that an audience needs to hear?
• 
  
• Create an image for yourself which feels right.
• 
  
• Perfect your voice, musical and writing skills and physical appearance.
  
• 
  
• Create or find a body of song material that can represent you well.
  

LEGAL STRATEGIES:

• Find an entertainment attorney.

Look for these three determining factors:

• They must have expertise in the music and entertainment field.
• Their personalities should click with you.
  
• They should have connections that can move you forward.

If you can't afford an attorney, check out the Tennessee Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.

If you would like to contact Cheryl L. Slay, LLC, visit her website, email her at cls@slaylaw.com or call her at (615) 469-0610.

If you'd like to come to the Indie Connect luncheons hosted by Vinny Ribas, go the the Indie Connect website and figure out what speaker meeting you want to attend. You can contact Vinny at vinny@indieconnect.net. The meetings are held at Corkey's restaurant in Brentwood every Monday at 11:00am - 1:30pm. I'll be at some of them when my schedule permits.

New music business networking meeting in Nashville

For those of you doing music business in Nashville: There is an interesting new music business networking meeting going on that you might like to check out. Vinny Ribas has put it together. He sent out a recent email that says:

"Hi!
Some of you know about my Music Industry Luncheons already, For those of you who don't, here is the scoop. I have just launched a weekly music industry luncheon series to teach independent artists how to be more successful without the help of a major label. The luncheons are every Monday at 11:30 AM at Corky's Ribs and BBQ in Brentwood. We feature a different speaker every week. The cost, including lunch, is $15.00. See http://www.indieconnect.net for info on the weekly speakers and to reserve your seats. Thanks! - Vinny Ribas"

If you are doing indie music, this may be something worth attending. I have been impressed with the "regular business" networking meeting Vinny hosts on Wednesdays at 11:30 (Corky's) ... business people of all kinds get up, say who they are and what they need, then get immediate referrals and responses of help from the others in the room. I'm assuming there will be plenty of this kind of networking at this new music business meeting. There may be some selling, as well (attender beware :).

Also, fyi... I will be the speaker for the meeting on Monday, October 20th.

...and yes, I'm still on vacation. I pre-posted this so you'd think I was working hard.

My voice lesson now on reality show

A video of a voice lesson I gave new student "Drea" has been uploaded on an Internet TV reality show: Part 7 of "Under Development" - IMPROVISATION Series, now playing on Brightcove TV!

Cathy Lemmon from ADN set up the situation. They used two cameras to video her lesson. The camera crew was great at being stealthy... like silent mosquitoes circling around :) We were instructed to just do the voice lesson like I normally would, and if you've taken from me, you know this would be a BRAVE thing to do, because we delve into your weakest spots to correct them. She was awesome.

Please do me a favor: go to the site, view the video and leave a comment. This will help promote and publicize the show. I believe it's the first video lesson of mine that has ever been on the internet. You may have to join "Brightcove" to comment, but that only takes a moment.

Much appreciated!
xoxo

Too Old, Too Young to Sing?

I got an email question from one of my subscribers, Mechele Warren, and with her permission I will share it, and my answer, here. Mechele says:

Judy, I just wanted to say that I truly love the articles that you send out and the advice that you give. I don't get to travel to Nashville for my vocal lessons as much anymore for various reasons so I find other ways to compensate by gaining as much information from professionals in the industry. I would like to ask you a question regarding the industry just for an opinion if nothing else. I have recently been picked up by an Indie label who has asked me to do a project (all at their cost of course) and the decided song will be promoted to radio. I guess my my head and my heart tell me that I DO have the ability to pull this off, however, the emphasis placed on the reality shows like Idol or Nashville Star make it nearly impossible to have success as an artist unless your 17-23 years old and drop dead gorgeous. What happened to the days of people like KT Oslin, who I consider a class act?...Do you think that the industry will ever re-open doors to talent without the airbrushed package and anyone in their 30's??....just if you get a chance, I'd love your feedback.

This is typical of questions I get all the time about age and the music business. It is unfortunate, but true, that age does matter to commercial music business.

If you're too young, some will ignore you because they think you haven't lived enough life to contribute anything meaningful. I did that until LeAnn Rimes cut my song "One Way Ticket"! Actually, I should have known better; some teenagers are wiser than some old people I know :<

Sometimes there is jealousy from people who can no longer get played on the radio because of their ages. (and it's true- I just heard a CMA official state they are purposely courting a younger demographic, while trying not to lose the older one).

If you're too old (and there's a joke that says the next signing to a major label may be a fetus), then you may get ignored because you have a few too many physical signs not conducive to good photo ops or TV. Or that young people don't want to listen to old. (I don't buy that).

But... especially if, as in Mechele's case, someone else is putting their money where their mouth is and is willing to invest in you, hire a good entertainment attorney who will watch your back, but don't let what you perceive is true in the marketplace stop you. As I told Mechele, I read a "tweet" on Twitter that gave this thought:

"The best way to predict the future is to invent it".

It is my opinion that with the bottlenecks being broken by internet marketing, more is possible at this moment, and in the near future, in the music biz than has ever been before. That said, this kind of marketing takes a big learning curve and a lot of work and dedication. Creating, updating, interacting on MySpace and myriads of other social networking sites takes TIME and persistance. You can't just throw up a MySpace page and rake in your cd sales. Most people will not go to the trouble to do it, but it can and is being done.

These days you only get a major label deal when you don't need one. The best thing is more of a joint venture with a major label, which can get you the massive exposure they are best at, but these deals are formed with artists who are already selling and have large fanbases. Think Taylor Swift (love that girl).

Another way to get a major label deal is to place high or win Nashville Star, American Idol, etc. The problem with this is that these careers are usually short-lived. Maybe this is because they tend to choose lesser talents to compete so they can highten the drama. Carrie Underwood is a great exception to the rule.

And about the rules.. the truth is, there aren't any. Every significant artist has "made it" their own unique way. So remember that tweet and ... go make somebody feel something. Then see where it goes.

Good news for recording artists... sales slump may be overrated

Here is a guest post from my friend, veteran engineer/producer Ronny Light. It's a counterpoint look at the question of record sales slump so heavily reported by the media these days. You can email Ronny at ronnylight@earthlink.net.

Are record sales up or down? You may be surprised to find unit sales are at an all time high. See attached RIAA Sales Figures. /RIAA%20Sales%20Figures.pdf

So how could sales revenue be down? If you want your favorite artist's new 10 song CD, you will pay up to the suggested list price of $16, more often
$12 to $14. That will buy you the one song you want and 9 others you don't necessarily want. Or you can download the single you want for 99 cents.
The latest 10 song CD can be downloaded for $9.99.

CD sales are down 19% from 2006 to 2007 but digital downloads are up 49%.
The customer has shifted from buying overpriced CDs to buying just the songs they want for a much lower price.

The major US outlet for CDs, Wal-Mart, recently told labels CD prices are too high, and if they didn't reduce the price, Wal-Mart would reduce their inventory or stop selling CDs altogether. At a time when all the mom and pop record stores are out of business, that is devastating news.

This is no surprise to people who have paid attention. When CDs were introduced they were priced higher than LPs because, the labels told us, there were startup costs involved in building CD manufacturing plants. Like the "temporary" Federal Income Tax, CD prices have never gone down after the CD plant startup costs were recovered.

Something the labels don't tell you is that they make a much higher profit on downloaded songs than they do on physical sales. Think about the cost of manufacturing a CD, shipping across the country, and dealing with returns.
Compare that to having a CD available for download where there are no manufacturing costs, no shipping costs, and no returns.

And here are this week's bad news sales reports for Country music that only includes the top 25 albums.

7 MILLION SALES
Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts
Eagles - Long Road Out Of Eden

5 MILLION SALES
Garth Brooks - The Ultimate Hits

3 MILLION SALES
Taylor Swift - Taylor Swift

2 MILLION SALES
Rascal Flatts - Still Feels Good
Sugarland - Enjoy The Ride
Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride

500,000 SALES (GOLD)
Rodney Atkins - If You're Going Through Hell Reba McEntire - Reba Duets Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex Girlfriend Trace Adkins - American Man: Greatest Hits Vol. II Robert Plant/Alison Krauss - Raising Sand Brad Paisley - 5th Gear George Strait - Troubadour Kenny Chesney - Who I Am: Poets & Pirates

That means 15 of the top 25 Country albums have gone gold or better. That's 60% of the top 25 Country albums that have gone gold or better. These are tough times indeed for the record business and Country music.

Karaoke singing lands a career

Some of you responded to my survey Judy Rodman - All Things Vocal: Pop Quiz... Got vocal issues? with "how can I make money with my voice? Well, Karaoke singing can win you some prize money, and sometimes... can lead to bigger things.

I got an email from my old friend, veteran music reporter Steve Zimmerman. What he told me makes me want to say... don't underestimate karaoke singing! In Steve's words:

I am going to be interviewing Tommy DeCarlo the new lead singer for the rock band Boston. He was discovered singing Boston songs in a Karaoke bar. How cool is that and it just proves that if you have talent, you can be found anywhere. He is in his 40s and has never sung with a band before he did a benefit woth the band a few months back. Great story for your students.

You never know where you get "discovered". I suggest we just do excellent work, wherever we are and whatever the circumstances. I sing just as well for demos as I do for masters, and teach my novices with as much enthusiasm as my recording artists. I think this helps us all develop reputations of integrity, and in the end, we are also much more satisfied with our lives.

So.... sing your hearts out and have some fun and make somebody feel something; you never know who might be listening!

Co-writing: How you figure percentages

One of the most important things I learned about co-writing was when NOT to say anything! Silence is so important to the process of allowing thoughts to form. However, too many times a novice songwriter thinks they need to be sure and throw in everything that goes through their minds so they will "do their part".

The way I, as well as most other professional songwriters, split songs with co-writers is not based on the number of words we divide to get at a percentage. The truth is, I've written songs with people who only added one line, or had the basic story which we wrote a song about, or had a partial title or first phrase of the song, or just helped with the bridge I was stuck on. I've also co-written when I myself only contributed one line!

Who's to say what makes a good song into a great song? Sometimes a very little part of the song is actually the most important part. So I just divide the song equally among co-writers.

However, this is just the writer portion we're talking about. Publishing CAN and DOES get split unequally, for lots of reasons. Sometimes the veteran writer will take the time and professional risk to write with a novice writer if the veteran gets the publishing, or a share of the co-writer's publishing. Sometimes it has to do with who is paying for the demo. Sometimes it has to do with who has a major publishing company and how much share they need to really pitch the song. Sometimes you share your publishing with an artist, label, producer, manager, etc for political reasons... to get the song cut by a major artist. There are many different acceptable business deals with publishing.

But writer's percentage is a sacred cow for professional writers. This percentage is paid by ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, according to each writer's affiliation, when the song gets released and played on public media.

If co-writing with someone leaves you feeling too unsatisfied as to each person's contribution, the answer is to go ahead and split the co-write equally, then decline to write with that person again.

But be careful... sometimes a person can be a worthy co-writer just by their presence in the room, if they tend to make you open up and create. This contribution is priceless.

Charity event for "Melodical Hearts" tonight June 3rd

For those of you interested in the charity I'm playing for today (Tues, June 3rd, 6pm) the website is here:
http://www.myspace.com/melodicalhearts

We're playing from 3pm to 11:30pm... my set is at 6:00.

Venue: Earnest Tubbs Texas Troubadour Theater 2416 Music Valley Drive (near Opryland Hotel)

Tickets: $12 at the door - which will help fund a very worthy charity.

Here's the lineup:

3:00 3:20 Donny Anderson
3:25 3:40 Brenda Mullen
3:45 4:05 Jack McVey
4:10 4:30 Angela Siracusa –
Walter Egan
4:35 4:50 DeeRay Garcia
4:55 5:25 David Church/Terri Lisa
5:30 6:00 Jack Green
6:05 6:25 Judy Rodman
6:30 6:50 Brian Glenn
6:55 7:15 Carolyn Martin
7:20 7:25 Terri Lisa Church
7:30 8:30 David Church-Tribute to Hank Williams

8:35 8:55 Carlton Moody
9:00 9:25 Tracey K Houston/Rollie Stevens
9:30 9: 50 The Roys
9:55 10:15 Emma Mae
10:20 10:35 Jeniffer Windom
10:40 11: 00 Cody McCarver
11:05 11:20 Van Preston
11:25 Zach Hacker - Nashville Star

Hope you can come out and join the party!

Music Going Green

The world is getting to be a dirty place. Too much garbage and pollution. As we make our art, it would do us all well to consider the footprint our actions have on the earth and future generations. Here are some cool links I found...

Music Matters is an organization dedicated to "helping you do good" , i.e... finding environmentally responsible solutions to music matters - so music can matter. http://www.musicmatters.net/

Here is a stunning idea for a radio station, as reported in a cool blog I just discovered. Check out its mission statement goals; then let your favorite radio station know if you'd like to hear them make similar shifts: http://sumigirl.wordpress.com/2007/04/24/new-rock-radio-station-in-dc/#comment-3288 . Power to the people!

Question for you: Has anyone had experience with a good company who sells cardboard cd jackets to replace the hard plastic ones? I see plenty on the internet, including some blank and some companies that print graphics on them, but want to hear from someone's personal experience.

Great guide for using Twitter

Need to learn the best ways to use the quickest networking tool out there?

Click here for an awesome free guide to using Twitter. Written by internet marketing expert Caroline Middlebrook.

I use Twitter for:

1. Getting word out that I've made a blogpost or sent a newsletter
2. Posting special links I find very interesting
3. Asking tech or business questions of the Twittersphere
4. Meeting new people and networking (i.e. I just met a graphic designer that I may use to create my upcoming ebook cover).
   
5. Finding tweets of interest to use and to share with my network
   
6. For fun, a bit of a personal journal that I wouldn't mind anyone on earth seeing.

It's fun... I'm hooked!
You can follow me on twitter here

Auditions for new CBS show "Jingles"

Someone at CBS must have read my post on singing jingles:) Just got this emailed to me... another crazy reality show, but it could be an opportunity you might have some fun auditioning for it if you're into jingles. Here's the blurb they sent me:

CBS and Mark Burnett Productions have teamed up to find the greatest undiscovered marketing genius for a new show, "Jingles"! We are looking for teams of (preferably) 2-4 people to write and perform product jingles. A team could be anything from a brother/sister team to a singing comedy duo or a barbershop quartet!

Do you think you could use your quick mind, great sense of humor, and musical skills to wow Fortune 500 companies with your talent?

We are looking for fun, high energy performances mixed with a competitive spirit. Minimum age 13.

Please email Jonathan at jtanzman@markburnettprod.com for more information.
We will be casting in Nashville late May.

Fans Rule! - the new music business model

If you're not into social networking and you want to sell music, you either need to get into it or get someone who IS into it to become a part of your marketing team. Instead of being depressed, I have to say I'm energized by the way music business's apple cart has been turned over and the bottlenecks are irreparably broken. Now listening and concert-attending FANS are driving the business, instead of the other way around. I say, "long live fan-archy!" hehehe...

There are awesome stories on the net of music marketing successes using this new model. Go here to read about some) .

Don't be fooled...It's HARD WORK doing business this way. To become successful... (and I am borrowing from the writings of Internet marketers such as Mari Smith and Brian Clark) ... you must:

1. Connect with your fans.
2. Interest your fans in staying around.
   
3. Motivate and excite the fans so much that they want to buy from you.
   

Think you'd have to make millions of fans to "make it"? ... Here are two links to a debate going on about the premise that it only takes 1000 "True Fans" to make a living in the music business:

http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2008/03/1000_true_fans.php

http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2008/04/the_case_agains.php

Social networking sites I recommend for you to put up your profile and become active:

1. Myspace.com
Recommended resource: Bob Baker's "My Space Music Marketing" (about $20)

2. Facebook.com
Recommended resource: Mari Smith's "Facebook Fortunes" (free)

3. Twitter.com
Recommended resource: "Why Twitter Isn't A Waste Of Time" (blogpost)

Anybody out there have other suggestions to share? Click "comment" below this post!

What would I do as producer of your project?

I got a new request recently to explain what I do in my role as producer or vocal producer.

If you are a new artist and are contemplating recording a project, the following may help you know what to expect, or what questions to ask of the producer you are working with or considering.

As producer of your project:

• I would hold a face-to-face planning consultation with you
• I would explain the options you have and costs of different kinds of recorded projects (full tracks demo, limited pressing, master OR a smaller project like piano or guitar and vocal, etc.) Once we decided together what kind of project to do and how many songs...
• I would help you find and choose songs that fit you.
• I then suggest taking some voice lessons to get your voice ready and to work on the songs and keys.
• If we are doing full band, I would have a "pre-production" meeting with you, and sometimes with the band leader, going over musician choices and production ideas.
• I would book the band, the recording studio and engineer according to your budget and write the charts.
• Then I would produce the tracking session. You would do "scratch tracks", singing them as the musicians play, but not trying for final vocals.
• At this point, I recommend taking the rough tracks home and working with them for a while (a couple weeks to a couple months), and if possible, work on them at several more voice lessons. When you and I feel you are confident with them...
• I would book the vocal sessions with the studio and any needed background vocals.
• Then I would produce your lead vocals and background vocals.
• Then I would have it mixed, you and I would listen to the mix, do any tweaks and ok the final mix.
  

My production fee would be negotiated according to the type project. Of course, it it's just piano or guitar vocal or pre-existing track, I would charge much less because the time required would also be much less. Vocal lessons would be an extra fee you would need to include in your budget. You would also need to pay separately for any graphics and duplication you want.

As vocal producer of your project:

• I would usually work with your over-all project producer and engineer to get your best vocals. Most often I give a short vocal consultation (lesson) before we begin.
• Sometimes, according to the producer and engineer's wishes, I help "comp" the vocal tracks on the spot.

My vocal production fee is $80 an hour. Typical length of time is one to two hours per song.

I hope this helps you plan your project, whether or not I work on it. I always love working with other producers - on the team as vocal coach, vocal producer or consultant. There are many creative solutions that can help you get the best project for your budget. If you have any questions, please click the comment link and I'll be happy to reply.

Pop Quiz... Got vocal issues?

Time...
It's time for me to do an inventory on my focus in this blog. It takes time to write each post and time for you to read it. To keep it worth our time, I'd like to increase its usefulness to you. And I'd like to ask you to take a few moments of your time to help me get you the information you need and want.

If you could ask your most urgent, puzzling, frustrating or curious question about anything relating to the voice (fitting for a subject to explore on "All Things Vocal") what would it be? Got multiple vocal issues or questions? List as many as you can.

To begin your thinking process, look at these random vocal issues and let me know which one(s) you'd like to see me add to "our" grand list (if you want, tell me what you're NOT interested in as well):

1. You have uncontrolled, excessive or missing vibrato issues.
2. You consistently sing either sharp or flat.
3. You want to know how to make money with your voice.
4. You need info about your speaking voice.
5. Your voice is tired and strained.
6. Your voice is thin, weak, lifeless, nasal or edgy.
7. You want to increase your range.
8. You have some strange, mysterious problem that occurs when you speak or sing.
9. You don't know what style you should sing.
10. You have a frustrating vocal break.
11. You feel numb or fake in performance.
12. You can't get the magic in your studio vocals that you get in live performance.
13. You want to know how to correctly sing and play an instrument simultaneously.
14. You want to know how to choose great vocal training.
15. You want to protect yourself from getting ripped off in the music business.
16. You want to learn and keep up with how the music business news.
17. You'd like to learn how use breath more efficiently when speaking or singing.
18. You want to learn to read music or the Nashville number system.
19. You want to know how to fire up your creativity.
20. You want to know what "Power, Path & Performance" vocal training can do for you.
21. You are interested in ideas to keep the voice healthy.
22. You want to know how to co-write.

OK... your turn... just click the comment link at the bottom of this post and list numbers of issues of interest to you. Then add your own. And thank you for joining the conversation!

5th Christian Independent Alliance Summit this wk

Heads up ... there's a good conference going on this wk if anyone's interested. It's the
5th Christian Independent Alliance Summit near Nashville, TN. The email I received says:

"We have 3 excellent events!"
Wednesday, March 26- Tom Jackson Performance Seminar
Thursday, March 27- Songwriter Bootcamp
Friday-Saturday- CIA Summit Seminars

For more info, please visit:
http://www.ciasummit.com
For an overview of the Summit events, go to:
http://www.ciasummit.com/2008/02/19/recap-of-all-cia-summit-2008-events/
To register, go to:
http://www.ciasummit.com/registration/
The CIA Summit is sponsored by:
Mission of Mercy:
www.missionofmercy.org
Indieheaven:
www.indieheaven.com

How to write your artist bio

I have received a request to write an artist's bio. This is not one of the services I offer, but I know it's important and I do have suggestions for researching the topic.

If you are writing a bio to get the attention of the music business, do remember that you are writing for industry. Don't over-hype... they can smell it a mile away. Just give a well written summary of your best true information, and write it from the viewpoint of "how will this interest a music industry person in getting on board to further my career" instead of "this was fun and interesting to me (the artist)". What's in it for THEM?

Here are some great bio writing suggestions sites:

http://www.taxi.com/members/bios.html


http://www.musicbizacademy.com/knab/articles/artistbio.htm

http://www.arielpublicity.com/sound_advice/professional-musician-bio.html

http://mediawebsource.com/band_bios.htm

btw... hope everyone had a great Easter!

Music Business in the Digital Age

I heard a great broadcast on NPR today. Terry Gross interviewed Eliot Van Buskirk, who covers digital media for Wired.com on the blog, Listening Post.
You can listen to the NPR story "The Music Industry: Adapting to a Digital Future" here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88145070 .

One thing they talked about was a website I've found called "TuneCore". Unlike CD Baby, after you pay a very nominal amount to get your music uploaded and distributed for possible inclusion by such distribution entities as Amazon.com mp3 music downloads, iTunes, etc, you get 100% of the money that comes in for your songs.

There is still a place for the major labels marketing in some scenarios. On the NPR program they discussed the fact that yes, getting "findable" on myspace.com and the other Internet music sites is the hardest part. But people are doing it every day. And the labels kick in best when the artist has already garnered a following. (The contract is also much more artist friendly!)

It is so incredibly economical these days to create, market and distribute music, if you really want to learn the ropes for the Digital Age. Research the web by setting up "Google Alerts" for music business, music industry, digital technology for selling music, etc. Read blogs like the Listening Post. Buy a round of training with Internet music sales gurus like Bob Baker . And comment on this blog when you find something interesting!

David Byrne on evolving music business

In my researching of where the "Music Business" is evolving, I came upon a great article in Wired Magazine that was written by David Byrne (of the band "Talking Heads"):

http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/magazine/16-01/ff_byrne?currentPage=all

In this article, Byrne lists 6 different music distribution possibilities quite nicely. These models go from the do-it-yourself sell-from-myspace-page to the megastar's 360 equity deal.

I find this fascinating. If we really have music inside us, and we really want to get into the business of music to distribute this music and perhaps make some money, there are more ways than ever to do so.

To quote David Byrne:

"For existing and emerging artists — who read about the music business going down the drain — this is actually a great time, full of options and possibilities. The future of music as a career is wide open."

There are and always will be, sc*mers out there who prey on the desires of people to make and distribute their music. That's why it is more important than ever to really do your homework. For instance, as Byrne points out, music sold on iTunes can make the artist with a label deal less money than cds. (Question I have... then artists with their own labels can make more money on iTunes?)

You may have to learn to use software like "Pro Tools" or partner with someone who can. You may have to do some "social networking" on places like MySpace, Facebook, etc. You may have to learn how to do things like license your soundtracks or your songs. You may have to settle, at least at first, on not having a major label attached to your name. But if the music is the reason for your efforts, you'll be able to find a way to make your music and to find your audience in this day and time - because, hallelujah, the bottlenecks are being broken!

How to get work as a background singer

I got another question I thought you readers might be interested in from my website today.

The question:
"How does one go about getting started if they are interested in singing bgv's (background vocals)? Thanks!"

My answer: To sing background vocals you need-

1. vocal training to be able to perform the feats of what I call a "stunt singer". It takes more stamina and control to be a great background singer than to be a lead singer, because you will have to trace and blend with another voice perfectly, taking on the lead voice's tone, personality, rhythm, phrasing and accent, or adding whatever different texture of voice the producer wants to offset the lead singer's voice.
2. to be able to change your voice at the producer's request.
3. to be able to hear and create harmony parts.
4. experience singing background parts with live performers and/or backing vocals in a recording studio. No matter what kind of training you have, there's no substitute for actual experience. It's a catch-22; you need experience to get experience, so take whatever opportunity you can possibly find or afford to get in front of a stage or recording studio mic.
5. a demonstration (demo) recording of your voice. This can be a simple guitar or piano/vocal, a karaoke track with your voice recorded over it, or can be full instrumental tracks created just for you. Just make sure that your vocal performance is the most important thing you record. Don't spend money on tracks without budgeting enough time for great vocals. duh.
6. referrals from people you've sung with and sung for.
7. networking, networking, networking. This takes time and persistance; people skills are very necessary. Go to writers nights and to concerts, hang out with musicians and songwriters you know. If you know any session singers, you might ask them to sing with you and assess how well they think you do.
8. to realize that you may need to keep your day job. Background work is very competitive and usually has a great deal to do with being at the right place at the right time. Sometimes when someone else can't make a session, an untried singer will get a chance. However, it is important to be generous of spirit, to support and recommend other singers trying to get work as well. Undercutting your fellow session singer will come back to bite you. It usually takes years to break in to regular session work. Make sure you build the right reputation.

Background singers tend to be hired for the following qualities:

1. They sound great with the lead singer.
2. They learn their parts fast.
3. They can do "head charts" (just come up with the parts in their heads), read the Nashville number system (if in Nashville), and they can read written music (traditional notes). You can get hired without being able to do all three, but you are considered a much more versitile singer if you can work whatever way the producer, artist or group leader wants.
4. They have positive, professional attitudes and work well with others.
5. They can be depended upon to show up on time, every time.
6. They are nice people. The music business is a small world, and it gets to be community where where you like to work with friends and good hearted people.

Some of my best friends in the world are background singers. Good luck... and let me know about any work you get so I can share it in my newsletter!

Audition Cattle Calls and Vocalist Abuse

OK, I'm back and I'm mad!

Yes, I'm finally moved into my new digs and will now get back to regular posts on this blog. I hope you missed me-

This one is going to be a rant. I have a question for everyone who sets up audition "cattle calls" for these American Idol shows and spin-offs. Why do you have singers standing in the extreme cold from the wee hours of the morning (say 3 or 4 o'clock am) until you finally allow them to sing- cold, tired and numb- sometime in the latter part of the day? Do you know these are human beings? Do you know that their voices, not to mention their bodies, are affected by such abuse? These people are worth more than this. They allow themselves to be treated this way, then usually leave with their hearts broken. Yes, the music business is hard, but does it have to be CRUEL?

Why can't you designate a warm, dry, safe place somewhere for people to wait for their auditions? Maybe have a cutoff after so many show up, then hold auditions for more days? You know, money considerations sometimes have to make room for basic human rights. If you auditioners ran a third world country, we might not be trading with you.

I've heard these horror stories from my clients for a couple weeks in a row, and I'd like to join any other voice teacher who'd like to throw in on this protest. I'd also like to hear from any of you reading this blog who have had similar experience with this kind of auditioning. Maybe we can raise our voices and get these practices changed. Click the comment link and tell us your story.

Overpowering Vocals

Overpowering vocals is bad vocal technique because it communicates a kind of power that is counterproductive on several levels, including:

• Yelling is not persuasive communication that invites listening. So if you want me to listen to you, don't yell at me.
• Screaming your melody to the top of your lungs may make me momentarily go "Wow, the singer is certainly trying to be great", but it won't make me go buy your album.
• Over-blowing your vocal cords hurts them. If you value your instrument, you must take care of it unless you intend it to only work badly for a short season.

Watching the Country Music Awards Show last night (just like every other genre of music award show where energy and emotions are high), I saw overpowering in several performances. If you've never done these kinds of shows, they tend to be events where it's hard to hear well. You have a lot of ambient sound swirling round and it's easy to get disoriented, disconnected to your voice. Then, oh my gosh, you have to make such an impact so you give it all you've got.

Mistake.

Giving it all you've got translates to pushing 100% of the breath pressure you have available through your vocal cords- and 100% is TOO MUCH PRESSURE! Doing this always results in a lack of control. Lack of control makes you pitchy, makes your vibrato flutter irregularly or unnaturally, makes you unable to execute vocal embellishments (licks or ad libs) well. It also causes your tone to be too thin or harsh, because it tightens your throat.

You need to do what great sparring partners do... learn to pull your punches. Control what you are giving out and it will be much more effective (not to mention, it won't hurt them or you!). Back off the forward breath pressure until your power seems to be balanced at your tailbone. Then you can actually give more communicative life to your performance.

Here's the magic equation for best vocal performance:
Back off the pressure and add passion.

Country artists who habitually balance pressure and passion just right include Reba (the queen of balanced vocals), LeAnn Rimes, Faith, Trisha, Jennifer Nettles, Clay Walker, Brad Paisley, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks and sometimes Keith Urban (he began pushing too hard at the end of his performance). Notice again... these all give quite empassioned performances. Martina and Gary of Rascal Flatts can also be great and balanced but were, I thought, pushing just a little too hard last night.

Did you catch the CMA's last night? Do you agree with my assessments? What did I miss?

Remastering Old Records and Tapes

I'd like to alert you to a new service a producer friend of mine named Dick McVey is offering: Digitally remastering old records and cassette tapes. I would think it would make a cool gift idea for someone... I have old cassettes of my son when he was a baby and if the oxide is still viable, I hope Dick can bring them to life and put them on CD. There are many people who can do this, but I'm sure Dick will offer a fair price on this service.

If you're interested in talking to Dick, here's his contact info:

Dick McVey
876 Springfield Hwy
Goodlettsville, TN 37072
Phone 615-264-3637
Cell: 615-714-3637
Website: www.dickmcvey.com
Email: dickmcvey@comcast.net

Bob Baker Workshop review

Bob Baker is an indie marketing guru. He is known for his focus on empowering the indie musician and artist to truly succeed in the marketplace.I attended the "Guerrilla Music Marketing Workshop" Bob held in Nashville last week and thought I'd give you a review.

I don't want to give away intellectual material, so to summarize, Bob gave us a step-by-step understanding of the core of music marketing. I already knew a lot of it, from studying Internet marketing last winter, but he made perfect sense of it, tying it together into lists of things like "7 Secrets to Low-Cost Music Promotion", "3 Steps to Effective Music Marketing", "The 4 D's of Music Promotion". He showed how important it is to be persistent through what Internet marketing master Seth Godin calls the "dip" in your career. A dip is, by definition, right before a climb.

Bob had several special guest speakers join him- and I learned as much from them as from Baker himself.

• Doak Turner of The Nashville Muse ezine talked about everything from having business cards on you to NOT shoving your demo down the throat of music person you meet for the first time!
• Pop artist CC (don't remember last name) of http://www.firepitfriday.com/ podcast talked about this dynamite new Internet talk show opportunity- for artists by artists.
• David Hooper of Music Business Radio (I blogged about this show to you in a previous post) encouraged people to have accountability partners, to support the "scene" and the "scene" will support you, to be yourself when you ply your craft and suggested that all your marketing efforts must get a return worth the effort.
• Keith Mohr of Christian indie distributor IndieHeaven talked about finding a niche, connecting with musicians and artists similar to you, to start local and build regions of fans from there, to remember that bigger is not always better, that procrastination is your enemy, and - important- NOT to put mediocre content online. (uh- some of you may want to check your online audio clips!)

Bob and his special guests discussed ways to reach fans and bypass industry bottlenecks. He very much believes that you must chip away at success a little at time to build a prosperous, lasting career.

I came away feeling better than ever about the real possibilities of building a money-making career without being signed to a major label, IF you want to work hard and smart at it. What's that old saying..."Where there's a will there's a way!" I invite you to share your thoughts and experiences by clicking the comment link below this post.

Music marketing workshop alert, Taylor Horn on Access Hollywood

Attention indie market people:

Bob Baker, of TheBuzzFactor.com and "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook" fame, is coming to Nashville, TN Sept. 6th and to Asheville, NC Sept. 10th to hold a couple of workshops. Check out the info here: http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/music-workshops.html.

I've been reading this guy's blog for a while, I purchased some of his programs and I'm very happy with the ton of information I'm getting from him.

Also, watch for my student and production client Taylor Horn, who was just interviewed for "Access Hollywood". Her interview may air as soon as tomorrow!

Got news? Let me know... I'm compiling stuff for my September newsletter.

Music Business Radio

Got a cool link for those of you songwriters wanting to stay clued in to what's happening on the Row:


Music Business Radio is a blog and podcast. It must be rather new; it has great reviews so far and I find it very interesting.

Recent guests include guitarist John Strohm, publishing mogul Pat Higdon, major video director Chad Denning, songwriter Billy Yates, music publishing consortium "Chicks With Hits". Random songs (I don't know how they are chosen) and reviewed by guests at the end of every show.

This innovative podcast is sponsored by Nashville's radio station "Lightning 100" - WRLT 100.1
If you're listening regular radio (is that even still cool?), the show comes on Sunday nights at 7 pm.

Paul Potts: The impossible vocal success

It never could have happened. Everything was against it. But it did. As his website puts it, "In seven amazing days, Paul Potts went from selling mobile phones in Wales to "Britain's Got Talent" and signing a lucrative record deal with Simon Cowell".

Oh yes- he also has an album which is in it's second week at #1 on the UK charts, has had over 100,000 original visitor hits on his website (only a couple weeks since it went live), and is now scheduled to sing for the Queen.


Why is this man's music business success a miracle?

• He is rather plain-looking
• He has a shy, humble personality
• He sings Opera!

BUT... Here's what the man DID have:

• Passion
• Courage
• Determination to be himself and sing his own style
• Training (He dedicated scarce funds to study classical voice in Italy)

Watch this You Tube video...Simon Cowell LOVED him.

True, there are other examples of artists sticking to their artistic guns and failing. It is important to listen to wise council and to be willing to explore new musical boundaries to see what indeed DOES fit you best. It's also important to know your definition of "artistic failure".

But I believe it is most important to know yourself, and to choose music that your heart can love and communicate. Otherwise it's all "sounding brass and tinkling cymbals"(1 Cor. 13), "sound and fury signifying nothing" (Shakespeare).

Hey... Don't you think it appropriate that this post contains a little Shakespeare?!

"She Thinks That She'll Marry" video found

For a trip down memory lane, check this You Tube video out:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=410850582229581196

It's a song I wrote about a friend of mine who was in a bad relationship. I started writing it in Memphis, then moved to Nashville and finally got the last verse with co-writer Duane Orender about three years later. The song, "She Thinks That She'll Marry", helped land me a production deal with Tommy West (Jim Croce's producer) and became a top 10 Billboard hit in the '80s.

Studio engineer and producer Ronny Light discovered this on YouTube and alerted me.
Just goes to show- you never know where your music may show up- or when! So we best try to make it good :)