Success In The Music Business... What IS It?

SUCCESS….. think about what that means to you. Is it a ton of money? Fame? Peace of mind? One-ness with the Universe? All of the above?

We should assess what this means often in our life, because as our life goes on, success takes on different meanings.  In my early 20’s success was trying to climb to the top of the radio industry. I remember interviewing for a radio job when I was 20 and the station manager asked me what my long- term goal was. I quickly answered, “to buy this radio station”. What the heck? Why did I say that? It just blurted out.  I had NO intention of buying that radio station, but somewhere in my psyche, success meant “owning something”. It did get me the job. Probably because the manager thought I was upwardly mobile and a contentious young man that would do a good job.  I was and I did. Alas, as with all jobs in radio, I was fired about 10 months later. So the “inner dream” of owning KHEN radio died a gory death as I sped out of the station driveway in my ’67 firebird, the only thing I actually owned at the time.

The music business is a bitter mistress. It will allure you with glitter and tour buses, videos on CMT and visions of starring in arena concerts. It will make you go in debt and spend money like a drunk politician, on music gear, head shots, recording projects and Chevy vans. Then, spit you out like a shot of cheap tequila.  Then, after you’ve wiped your mouth and re-gained some self-respect. You’ll do it all over again. Chasing the elusive “success”.

Over the years my idea of success in the music industry has certainly changed. It is evolving at this moment and will continue. I chased a “record deal” for quite some time, thinking THAT was the “be all end all” of music success. Then I realized that nothing could be further from the truth. I became acquainted with many folks that had “record deals” and for the vast majority of them it did more harm than good.  In the words of the late great drummer “Buddy Harman”: “There’s one thing worse than not having a record deal, it’s having a BAD one”.  So true.

As the years passed, and my idea of success has evolved even more, I have come to realize that for me, just being able to stay in the business I love, live my passion, write songs, play shows and occasionally produce a project IS my success.  Over the past couple of years, our record label, a  small outfit with one artist was able to record 2 great records using the finest studio musicians in the world. Find some success on radio, and video.  Shawna Russell (my niece) and business partner played 115 shows all over the 

U. S.  last year. We are able to travel in a  tour bus and take our music to people on a level that’s personal and intimate.  Although we are still chasing that CMT video, arena shows and the like (and who wouldn’t?) we are content with the fact that most artists that have big record label deals weren’t able to accomplish what we have over the past few years.

My point in all of this “blog ramble” is: Success is different for every one. Success is  how you view yourself not how others view you. Many artists young and old make the mistake of believing that if they aren’t a “star” then they aren’t anything. When the reality is, very few people ever make it to “star” status and even when they do they sometimes don’t see themselves as “successful”.

 My advice to young artists would be.. don’t get in to the music business to be a “star”. Be in the business because you love it. Be in the business because writing, or performing or producing music is all that’s in your heart and all that’s in your head.

Be in the music business with spirit and passion and not with ego.  Do these things and you won’t have to chase “success”, you will have already achieved it!

Cloudwatcher… signing off…..

Music Biz 101 and American Idol

Since my name showed up on the web a few years ago as "President" of Way Out West Records.. I have been inundated with calls and inquiries about "what it takes" to make it in the music business. I have spent countless hours on the phone and talking in bars and casinos with folks that are at the very least intrigued and at the very most HUNGRY to know more about the "biz".
They all want to know the secret.. the secret is there is no secret. Everyone finds their success in this or any other business in their own way. Some have to work harder than others. Some make it big. Some make it small and some bail out at various junctures along the way.
What most fail to realize is it's called the music BUSINESS for a reason. I once had a guy come up to me and say.. "man I'd love to be you.. playing music.. laying out drunk all night.. sleeping all day.. must be the life".. Life of who? Otis Campbell!!! (For those under 40.. that's the town drunk on Andy Griffith).. It's called the business because it is a business. It is a tough, competitive, cut throat business dominated by huge egos, ruthless predators, and crooks.... and that just takes care of who rides on OUR bus!.. no seriously folks.. it ain't easy.. if it were everyone would do it.. because as you read earlier.. "play music, lay out drunk and sleep" is all it takes!
Nothing could be further from the truth. You can take that angle, but you'll probably end up in pretty bad shape and not enjoy much success.

Over the next few "blogs" I'll be discussing some of the things that you'll need to know if you are interested in this crazy life. I'll weave some funny stories in with some horrific details and advice.

Let's go ahead and get started with something today. A subject that is ALWAYS on everyone's lips and an idea that EVERYONE seems to think is the secret: AMERICAN IDOL

I should just close this out now because my momma always told me not to say anything.. if I couldn't say anything good.  I'll go on because that's not entirely true. There are some redeeming qualities of the show at least for those that have "won" or garnered the exposure to BILLIONS of people.

First of all the "Show" is not about creating good music, creating great artists, or developing anyone's skills or craft. The show is about selling advertising. They sell millions and millions of dollars of advertising during the season. The producers have a target demographic that they are going after and during the "auditions" they skew the people picked to satisfy that demographic. So, what this means is.. if the producers decide that in 2011 they need to satisfy advertisers of American made pickup trucks, then the "contestants" will be picked with that advertiser in mind. (Probably heavy in the white male category)
Now that's good if you are a "country" singer but if you're a hip hopper or Susan Boyle odds are already against you. If you are a REALLY GOOD singer, a real pro, you probably won't be picked either. Because part of the drama of the show is watching these young songsters grow and flourish. That's how they get folks to tune back in every week. I feel you're "smelling what I'm standing in" so I'll now skip to the next part.

Having one of these "Idol-ers" be successful in the music business is just icing on the cake. Carrie Underwood and a couple of others were very talented, got hooked up with the right songs and have made the show and producers and managers EXTRA millions, and that's great but the business model is still not sound. My reasoning is.. if you took most anyone and exposed them to MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of television viewers WEEK AFTER WEEK and had publicists publicizing and managers managing,  televisions televising, and radios radioing you SHOULD be able to be successful. If you're not.. then something went seriously afoul.

How has this hurt the music business you ask? I'll give you something you probably haven't thought about. It has created what I like to call "Idol-itis".  Young folks that might have talent, might have desire, might have support, yet they don't want to develop their skills and create their dream because they see instant success from these talent shows on steroids.
This is a typical conversation with someone inquiring about the music biz: THEM: "How long do you think it will take for me to be a star?" ME: probably a long time, maybe never but if this is your passion then roll up your sleeves and get to work THEM: I might be able to give it 6 months or maybe a year. ME: Then you just need to go do something else. THEM: Oh no this is my calling. ME: OK. Where have you played or performed in the last year? THEM: No where. It's really hard to get a band together. ME: Do you write your own music. THEM: No I don't really know anything about music. I'm a singer, besides Carrie Underwood didn't write her own music. You get the idea. No one wants to hear that you need to know something about music or that you need to get a band together and learn some skills. Ply your craft. Get GOOD at it. Have some FUN. Be creative and write some songs. Play EVERYWHERE you can... and THERE is the secret. Do it like the Beatles did it. Do it like Trace Adkins and Toby Keith did it. Do it like "The Jackson Five" did it and the Doobie Brothers. They played till their fingers were sore. They learned the business from the inside out. When the time came they were smart, they were good and they were ready, and most of all they are STILL around.

So here's what I ask of you. Watch American Idol. Root for your person. Vote for your person. Have fun doing it. BUT ALSO.. find a good young hungry artist in your area that has put a band together, gone in debt, bought a van and a PA rig, works all day, sings all night, writes songs and is doing it the "old fashioned" way. Through hard work, guts and determination. Then.. talk about that artist on face book, encourage others to go to their performances, buy their merchandise, buy them a beer, get on their street team and help create a "buzz" about them. If EVERYONE that watched Idol would adopt an artist that is truly committed to music and is busting his or her hump to be successful then the future of the music business would certainly be brighter.

Cloudwatcher.. signing off...

Welcome To The Show

After a couple of years of contemplating, and saying.. maybe some day.. I've finally decided  to delve in to the world of "Blogging".. for whatever it's worth..
I plan to update a few times a week and inform the "blogosphere" whatever that is.. about what is going on in and around my business (The Music Business).. primarily my indie record label "Way Out West Records", my career in the the "bidness".. but I also would like to comment on current affairs, give advice and well.. just gab if you will.. I'd like this to be interactive so that we can converse about YOUR insights about life, spiritual growth, music and good old story telling..
Hopefully this will be fun, informative and thought provoking. I am a very opinionated person and I'm sure will get disagreements from all sides.. but that's what it's all about..

A little personal information: I was born in Okfuskee County Oklahoma (already fun to say) and was raised 5 miles passed the sticks on a dead end road in a place called "Horseshoe Bend" in Northern Seminole County. My folks operated a Quarter Horse ranch, a small cattle operation and sold Alfalfa hay. My mother worked for the "Dept. of Public Welfare" (now the DHS). We didn't have much.. but what we had we earned and from that a lot of life's lessons were learned. (Already sounds like a country song)..

I went to school at a small rural school and most if not all of the kids there came from about the same economic boat so there wasn't a lot of "have and have not's" of society. We all pretty much had just enough to get by, and that was enough.

I got "into music" at a very early age. My dad was a world class tenor that sang at weddings, funerals and around the house all of the time. He had studied voice and was headed to college on a vocal scholarship when WWII broke out.. and that changed EVERYONE'S plans.

My brother got a guitar for his 12th birthday and began to learn a few chords and he and a neighbor kid would get together and learn together. I wanted to be a part of it all but at 6 years old there wasn't much I could do to contribute. I asked Santa for a set of drums for Christmas.. and sure enough.. here they came and my music career was launched and little did I know that event would set the stage for my entire life.
45 years later I make my living (such as it is) in the music business. Ain't life funny?

At 42 I got married for the first time to a beautiful young woman that I met by reading her palm in a bar in Amarillo, TX. We've been hitched for going on 10 years. We have a "Foster" daughter and a Corgi dog. Who'd have thought it? We try to live life one day at a time.. but sometimes that gets broken down to one minute at time and occasionally one second at a time. What I've learned from this so far is.. keep everything in to perspective.. If the Universe is THAT big.. then how big are MY problems?

That'll be all of the gory personal details.. just wanted you to have a "feel" for who I am and where I come from. I'm a graduate of "The School of Hard Knocks" in the "State of Confusion".. but still trying to learn a little every day.

SO, saddle up folks.. let's take this ride together... hopefully we'll all learn a little about each other and have some fun along the way..