My Guess is "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" and "God is Great, Beer Is Good, & People Are Crazy" didn't NEED a Thousand-Buck Demo


Stan, actually what you heard on those WERE the original demos. They started out just like that, then built to what you heard. John Rich was the producer on Cowboy. They were putting demos together and not expecting to be an act.They had both been around for a long time and John was producing acts for Sony. most notably Gretchen Wilson and James Otto. Most of what you would hear from them later were the demos they were doing in the studio at that time.

They were spending thousands and thouands of dollars on their demos because they expected them to be turned into artist's tracks. The same with "People are crazy."

Everyone are now producing potential artists in the demos.That is why it is so essential to write with the artists BEFORE they are signed. Those demos are what are turning into the major records.

That is what the whole "You Tube"phenomenon is about. People are doing videos in conjunctions with the audio demos, to create demand for their product through their product.The recordings are now used to build their "Live" viablity.

The demo is kind of going the way of the dodo switching to creating artists out of the music instead of pitching the songs to the artists. They are part of the process now going in.

That is what has changed most in the past ten years of the industry. People are no longer pitching songs "AT" the artists.
They are involving the artists in their music from the beginning.Gets a closer pitch and is one of the only ways to get music in the pipeline anymore.

On this last tour of Nashville we met with hit writer Danny Wells. He just got back from Congress where he presented the fact that there are 30 BILLION illegal downloads a MONTH. That means music is going to FREE whether we like it or not.

So getting in on the ground floor is essential no matter what.Danny has been on about 20 million in sales over the past ten years. Even he is having a hard time. So we are all writing with artists, their friends or producers inner circle. That is becoming the only way in.

The whole thing is about getting in better and better circles.And making people a part of your music. That is the music business of today like it or not.

MAB