My musical friends… this is where we need to head back to if our real desire is to make music. I’d love to be able to honestly tell you that the machinery of the corporate music industry could make mega star careers for all of you. I know better. That will only happen for a select few. There are simply too many musicians, singers and talented folks all clamoring for their shot at the big time. But think for a second… is this the only option on your dream? Does it begin and end with making a great demo, shopping it to the labels and then calling it quits when you don’t get a big recording contract? I sure hope not. Besides, you might not fit the usual superstar mold. If you still want to sing… I believe you have an audience out there.

Today, we need to forge our own careers. We need to think small, mobile, and no further than the next couple of house concerts. You’ve heard of house concerts, right? With facebook, Youtube and Myspace, your fans can be geared up for house concerts on a moment’s notice. Find your die‐hard fans in the next city; simply ping them and let them know you’re coming to town. Put them in charge of making sure friends come to see and hear you play in their family rooms or back yards. It works. People come WITH MONEY! This is especially true in the smaller towns.

So how do you make this happen for you? I would say you need great songs to begin with.  Artist Development Network can help you with co‐writing and recording if you want a professional touch. Then you need to learn to play and sing those songs on a single guitar. This is not difficult if the songs are great in the first place. Next, you’ll have to make some fans. Go to the social networks. It helps to have some great photography and great demos up too.

Again, A.D.N. can help you there as well. Next, you just announce that you’re coming to town and you want to do a house concert. I would work outward in a radius, branching further and further from home over time. And for those of you that don’t have relationships and commitments…put your stuff in storage and tool around the United States for a few years doing this. You will have a huge fan base if you stay with it. All you need to do is make enough money to get to the next gig. Not too hard. You’ll get fed at the houses where you play. Your fans will probably be eager to let you spend the night too. You get to meet people. You get to listen to your fans tell you stories, you get to be a full time performing artist. Praise the Lord. Can I get an Amen? Pass the peas. 

At first when I started wondering if a person in their 30s, 40s or 50s could do this, I was taken back by the idea. Since then it’s really grown on me. Why not? I don’t think you’ll be any worse off if you take a few years off and go for it. If you’ve got kids you’ll need to limit this work, of course. But if you’re free, really free… why not go for it!

I talk with artists all day long who really want a career in music. They don’t necessarily want to be rich; they just want to make a living doing their music. House concerts are a realistic way of doing this. You don’t need a band. You don’t need anything but great songs, some CDs, a car, a portable laptop, a guitar (or keyboard) your sweet voice and a cell phone. 

Artist Development Network can be a big help in getting your singing career together quickly. Come to Nashville and co‐write some amazing songs. We’ll get you recorded just right and give you the tools you’ll need to start this ball rolling. From that point on, it’s up to you and your adoring fans. I’m betting you can do this. ☺

If you feel lost in a world of changing technologies and changing plans in the music industry, and you feel you need some guidance, do not hesitate to contact us here at Artist Development Network. Whether it is answering your questions about what to expect from record labels, what your demo should sound like, or even song critiques, we are here for you. Don’t get swept away in the changing world, step up and be a landmark!

http://mashable.com/2009/12/25/music-industry-predictions-2010/

Many of you know that Taylor Swift won the night’s most coveted prize, Album Of The Year. Her sophomore release, “Fearless”, took the nation by storm and catapulted her into superstardom. The Zac Brown Band won the award for Best New Artist, beating out several pop acts. Lady Antebellum took home an award for Best Vocal Group in the Country category, and they offered a thrilling performance of their newest smash hit, “Need You Now”.

So what is it that these three big winners have in common? They are ALL songwriters! Taylor Swift, the Zac Brown Band, and Lady Antebellum either wrote or co-wrote almost every song on their respective albums! This is a growing trend in the Country genre and I believe that it is a step in the right direction for music. The most important thing I learned while watching the Grammy Awards is that it takes AMAZING songs to win the hearts of millions. If you’re discouraged that you have the vocal talent and the drive to succeed, but have yet to take a dive into songwriting, don’t lose hope.

Here at Artist Development Network, you are able to co-write with wonderful songwriters on staff, as they take your ideas and work with you to mold your perfect masterpiece. So what are you waiting for? Come write a song with us!

My mother wore the same outfit, so often, that it eventually became known as her uniform. She drove an ugly, white Rambler station wagon with no power steering, no power breaks, no air conditioning, a one speaker AM radio and crank down windows. Oh… yes, she drove that car for almost two decades too, in an area of town where the average car was a fully loaded Chevrolet, not more than two years old.

I would put together a Christmas list every year, and no matter how much I wanted to believe in Santa Claus, only necessities would arrive on Christmas morning. Privately I suspected that my father had gotten to Santa and somehow corrupted his generous and giving nature. Are you starting to get the picture here? My father was so tight… that he squeaked while walking.

Was this really a bad thing? In hindsight, I’d have to say no. I did feel a bit like an unwanted stepchild when all the other kids had way better stuff than I did. And this was especially true regarding musical instruments. I started playing drums on the plastic lids of empty coffee cans while most of my young friends had brand new, champagne sparkle Ludwigs drum sets. But as I’ve learned, thanks to facebook, I’m also the only one of the batch that went pro. Maybe fighting and scraping and clawing my way up through the ranks was in fact, a good thing for me. Lord knows, I couldn’t wow anybody with a homemade, make shift drum set. I was pretty much forced into a competitive position where I had to look, play and perform better than the guys that had all the cool new toys.

Today, I am very aware of my blessings. Seeing doctors and lawyers and professional guys at the local Guitar Center does make me chuckle sometimes. Life is not without a sense of irony. Here these guys are, finally in a position where they can afford anything their hearts desire. Some of them have basements full of Gibson guitars and pricey boutique amps. But here’s the ironic part… the thing they don’t have is the time or the days left it will take to learn to play those beautiful guitars well.

So what’s the lesson here guys? I don’t really know… I’m just rambling. Certainly I’m not pointing fingers or making jokes at anyone’s expense. But I do recall my father’s words from years past as I write this today. I was in grammar school at the time. I think I was griping to him about the fact that Larry DeNino (a fellow 4th grader and drummer) had a beautiful new set of drums to play the local talent contest with, while I had some ratty, duct-taped thing made my Mattel. And I remember my father’s rebuttal to my passionate pleas for immediate musical sponsorship. He said: “there are two types of musicians, David… those that polish their instruments and those that practice their instruments. Be the later, my son.”

And by the way, in case you were wondering… I did win that talent show, which left Larry DeNino more than just a little pissed off.

So practice your instruments, young’ns. Your songs deserve that much.

Contact David Harper at:

musicbydavid@gmail.com

Drea was the star of a television series in Pittsburgh last October. The producer would like her to make another episode with the show sometime next month.

Secondly, she won a beauty pageant and is going to the Ms. Pennsylvania contest next June. It is a precursor to the Ms. America Pageant.

Third, she is auditioning for the Wilhelmina Modeling Agency, New York this Saturday for a chance to be represented in films, tv, print etc.

She is still singing and is performing next month for her community’s “Light up Night.” Plus she just signed up with Mike Weiber on New Groove Music last month.

It started out as a stage for a few of his friends to play, and 25 years later, it has blossomed into a hugely successful showcase of songwriters from all over the country. Although Mr. Brown passed away in 1996, his legacy has lived on and is now eternal within the community of writers at the festival.

The lineup was full of Nashville hit songwriters from today and years past, including some of ADN previous writers. It’s a community that embraces all the visitors for the 10 days in late November, and an awesome place to learn about songwriting. Every writer is accessible before and after his or her performances, so it would be a perfect learning experience for any writer looking to pick up tips straight from the source themselves. 

This festival is one of the many reasons that Artist Development Network expresses the importance of songwriting. It was a wonderful opportunity and I would go back again in a heartbeat, and encourage any writer, young or old, to make the trip for next year’s Frank Brown International Songwriting Festival! 

Please visit their website for complete information!

 http://fbisf.com

Without a great image, it would be like going into the recording studio with the most talented and amazing musicians, and then recording terrible, boring songs that have absolutely no commercial appeal. The word “artist” gives us the visual of something extra ordinary, a beautiful painting, something fresh and breath taking, a work of art. You are an artist.

Think about some of your favorite artists. What kind of image comes to mind? Garth Brooks, for example, a great entertainer who took the world by storm, bringing a rock edge to Country. He was always the well-dressed artist in his pressed jeans, cowboy shirts, and cowboy hats.

How about Reba McEntire? Born in Oklahoma, then living on a horse ranch in Tennessee, Reba is the artist with the down to earth personality, western clothes and boots, and natural Southern draw, which made her instantly famous, with her one of a kind country voice. She’s the real deal, and now almost 20 years later, she is still remembered as the queen of Country music. Equally remembered is George Strait, who we could call the king of Country. Like Reba, George Strait lives on a ranch, (in Texas), rides horses, and lives the real cowboy life, and his music reflects his values and style.

When I think of Miley Cyrus, I see a confident, very talented bubbly young star with a unique deep voice. She’s an artist who is full of energy and personality.  Now this teen has a fashionable image, young and spirited, fun and expressive. Miley even has her own line of clothing at Wal-Mart!  They have done well with her image! An actress on Disney television, now a star on the big screen and selling records and sold out concerts all over the world. Many young girls wear Miley’s style of clothes because she set a new trend that is classy and cute, and very popular.

Some of us older folks remember Boy George. Now he had a unique image. Strange, yes, unusual, but that’s what he was trying to portray, and we were all curious about the man. There’s no question who he was as an artist. Alice Cooper was another artist with a strange image. It kept us interested to see what weird thing they would do next.

Look at Taylor Swift, the teen sensation who took everyone by surprise. Young girls love her. They feel and relate to the songs she writes and sings about. Like her songs, her image is sweet, and simple, and she’s beautiful, fun, and stylish!

Brittney Spears was the all American, multi-talented singer/dancer, entertainer. Unfortunately, a few poor choices took away her squeaky- clean image.  Nevertheless, for a while, she was on top of the world, and every girl wanted to be Brittney Spears.  One thing we can learn from this artist is that it can be difficult to win your fans over and regain their trust once you’ve let them down. Therefore, what an artist says and does in public, and can help or hinder their reputation. The cameras are always rolling when you are a celebrity, and you have a responsibility to the media and to your fans. It comes with the territory.

I have a picture that was taken of Tim McGraw and me around 1994 when his first single came out, “Indian Outlaw“. He stopped at Printer’s Alley here in Nashville, TN, at a club that was called “Barbara’s”, and most people do not recognize Tim McGraw in that photo. He was thin, probably not working out regularly, nothing really special to look at.  But he morphed into a sexy, well-oiled machine, with a unique image everyone today recognizes. What a difference! Tim is always sharply dressed, w/cowboy hat, nicely trimmed goatee and long side burns, an image that really works for him.  He’s the singer with family values, heart-felt songs we all relate to. His wife, Faith Hill, is the beautiful blonde by his side, natural, wholesome, earthy, and amazingly stunning. They both have done well off and on stage, and have been successful on the big screen.

Take the Nashville Palace, for example… here’s a Country bar/ restaurant where country legend Randy Travis once worked as a dishwasher! The servers who worked there were always invited to get up and sing with the house band, and Randy Travis frequently performed with the band. This is how he got discovered.

Now here’s YOUR chance to be seen and heard at the Nashville Palace! You can be a part of the scene by performing a couple of your songs in a local song writer’s showcase. Songwriter James Breedwell hosts 2 shows a week for both internet radio and cable television and you can be the next star on his show!

Here are two Artist Development Network clients, Jett Mason and Stephanie DeWolfe, performing at the Nashville Palace:

Contact James Breedwell to reserve your spot to perform live and get some exposure for your originals songs. He can be reached at nashvillemusicgroup@yahoo.com
Be sure to tell him Cathy Lemmon sent you.