Welcome to Just Plain Notes
Just Plain Notes: Volume 2.013, January 31st, 2014
Written by Brian Austin Whitney
Visit the Website:
www.jpfolks.com Mail CD's @ 5327 Kit Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46237
Copyright 2014 Just Plain Folks Productions.
Just Plain Folks Member Population: 51,477
Just Plain Folks on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/JustPlainFolksBrian on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Brian.Austin.WhitneyBrian on Skype: Brian Austin Whitney
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Would you like to join the JPF Networking Message Boards?
It's quick and easy. Just click the link and choose a password and user name and you'll be posting in no time! We'd love to hear from and about you. You can get peer feedback on your music or lyrics, find people to co-write with, get answers to just about any music related question and promote yourself and your gigs on the appropriate boards. It's a very friendly place where over 20,000 of your peers hang out!
To register: (It's a separate registration from JPF membership):
http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?action=agree***************************************************
Just Plain Quotes:
"If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything." -Bill Lyon
"The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want." -Ben Stein
"Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." -Chinese Proverb
"'Perfect' is not all it's cracked up to be; not even close." -Brian Austin Whitney
"Life is only short if we fail to live the time we have fully, because the length is generally out of our hands but the depth of experiences while we're here is up to us." -Brian Austin Whitney
My Take:
Perfect is not all it's cracked up to be; not even close.
I've been thinking about quantity versus quality, production versus perfection. One of my personal failings is that I try so hard to ensure the latter that I probably don't spend enough time doing the quantity of stuff I need and want to. When we combine the desire for perfection with the busy schedules many of us face, it exacerbates the problem greatly. Life is just too short. Or is it?
Life is only short if we fail to live the time we have fully, because the length is generally out of our hands, but the depth while we're here is fully up to us. We just need to stop worrying about perfection and instead worry about doing the best work we can at the time we're doing it and then getting on to the next project. Finish and let it go!
To that means, I have been fretting for a few years about setting up a new website that is equal to or better than the idea of the one we weren't able to finish (which sits, dead in the water, like an abandoned ghost ship at our domain). I have finally realized that all the time I have been searching for someone to do exactly what I wanted, I have lost out on doing so many meaningful things with something much less intricate and much less 'perfect.'
Perfect is not all it's cracked up to be... not even close! The pursuit of perfection (which is impossible to achieve anyway) is likely the cause of more creative elimination than rejection, humiliation, being outcast or castigated all rolled into one. And no one else is forcing us to do it, only the (wo)man in the mirror!
So for myself, I am going to try to do more by worrying less about doing it just right. I bet the end results will be so much more satisfying than say looking at a 4 year old home page on a broken website. I bet you have something in your life which has held you like a boat anchor, pulling you down, down, down. Get over it and move along!
So, I am trying to figure out if Joomla is the way to go or the old fall back Word Press. Since I want to feature your music and videos and performances and post helpful material, I've been told Joomla is the way to go. (Anyone care to chime in?)
It may not be perfect, but to paraphrase a great film: it'll do pig... it'll do.
Learn, Succeed and Thrive. We're all in this together!
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Table of Contents:
01. 2014 Just Plain Folks Video Spotlight & Awards Entry Information
02. Success Stories: Send us yours for a chance to be featured.
03. 2014 Just Plain Folks Music Awards Entry Information
04. Singing/Acting Film & Documentary Opportunity for JPF Members!
05. Just Plain Folks finally has a Facebook Page! Like Us and Join In!
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2014 Just Plain Folks Community Partner Sponsors!
TAXI: The world's leading independent A&R company, has been successfully helping Songwriters, Artists and Composers get their music heard and signed by top Publishers, Major & Indie Labels, and Film & TV music supervisors since 1992. TAXI, is your best bet! See them at
www.TAXI.com.CDBaby: The best place to sell your CD's or music files on line. They also have the best on-line hosting service called Hostbaby. Nobody else even comes close. See them at
www.CDBaby.com and
www.Hostbaby.com.SongU: Want to learn the craft of songwriting with the online atmosphere of a university community? Check SongU out, they're great people who are great at what they do! Sign up for a free trial today!
www.songu.comMuses Muse: This is the brainchild of our longtime friend Jodi Krangle, a sort of sister site to JPF focused on Songwriters. It is a great community and like JPF it is free!
www.musesmuse.comFuture Of Music Coalition: The FOMC is our political action partner in all things involving legislative and technological issues important to our community. They are free to join and all the work they do gives you a voice, through us and them to those in power in the USA. Find them at
www.futureofmusic.orgIf your company would like to become a Just Plain Folks Community Partner Sponsor please contact Brian directly at jpfolkspro@aol.com or send me a note on Facebook!
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Just Plain Folks Video Spotlight and now accepting Video Submissions from YOU!
We're now accepting video submissions for the 2014 Just Plain Folks Music Awards. Before we could even announce it today we got this email with the following video. Here's what it said in fairly typical promotional release language:
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We're happy to say we just released our new album "Pleasure Island" by The Mast today!! We will be celebrating the release at in NYC at MERCURY LOUNGE on SATURDAY, FEB 8th.
Here's the latest video from the album if you didn't catch it yet. It features a 22-month old baby DJ who tricks his baby cam, escapes from his crib, and throws a party for his pals.
Video: So Right
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsAoQfvV0Fo-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But once I watched the video, I realized it was far from typical. The song is outstanding (good enough to score a nomination in most years on its own), and the video is charming and makes me love this band even more. Check it out above, you'll like it!
So I decided it would work perfectly as a way to launch our 2014 JPF Video Awards entry process. First, you need a good blurb about the video which tells the story behind it (or some other compelling introduction). See their example below:
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The Making of "So Right" by The Mast:
We made the video ourselves. I directed and edited it and Matt filmed it. The 22-month old DJ is our nephew. He always likes to play with our gear, with the keyboard and the iPad. One day I was watching him playing around with it all and thought it would be great to make a video. After I had storyboarded it, I showed a friend and thought, am I nuts to think a 22 month old can, or at least look like he can, escape from his crib, get dressed, call his friends, and throw a party? We realized the only way it would work was if we could turn the filming of each shot into a game so he was entertained. Also we had to keep each shooting session very short. We filmed for probably about 7 minutes a day, literally in 1-3 minute intervals over the course of 5 days, except for the day with all the kids. That was a full-blown party and we filmed for about an hour. It was a lot of fun for the kids and the parents. I'd do something like that again ;-)
It did by the way premiere in Interview Magazine, and was posted in USA Today and Huffington Post, but in very hard to find places! ;-) Enjoy and thank again, Haleh & Matt from The Mast
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Next, include all your contact information, name, address, phone, website, preferred email, Facebook and other social media you're on and anything else you want us to know along with the video name and direct link, preferably on YouTube .
IMPORTANT: In the subject line of the email, please place
"2014 Video Submission (Band/Artist Name and Song Name)"
Example: (in the subject field of the email entry)
"2014 Video Submission" "The Mast: So Right"
(if you don't do this, it will get lost never to be found or included!!!!)
Email this entry to: justplainfolks@aol.com
We'll send out updates on final deadlines for both music and videos (and lyrics which we'll cover in the future)
We will also feature some of our initial favorites on our website and other social media. Yup... free promotion!
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Share your Success Stories!
We plan to feature other members success stories in future newsletters. If you'd like to share your own success story with the rest of us, please post all about it on our special SUCCESS STORIES message board on our website. Here is a direct link:
http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/postlist/Board/53/page/1You can also email them to me at jpfolkspro@aol.com with "Success Story" in the subject. Make sure you include your contact info if your email. It is not needed if you post it on line however. IF you are not already registered to post on the message boards, you must register separately of just being a member. The link to join is at the top of this newsletter.
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2014 Just Plain Folks Music Awards
We are still on hold concerning digital entries. While we wait, you can enter your music right now for free by following the instructions below.
We are now officially accepting entries via CD directly to JPF. Send us any CD's released AFTER 2009. (i.e, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014). We expect to continue accepting entries through much of 2014 directly and will give you plenty of warning before we cut off entries. Much of it depends on our Digital Entry process. If you already have music ready to go, please go ahead and send us a CD copy. We accept ALL genres of music and last time around we had 100 different genres of music from 168 different countries submitted for the awards. The bar is set pretty high, but if you have what it takes, let's hear what you have!
IMPORTANT!
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Inside your package, please include ALL contact info including full name and position (singer, artist, drummer, manager, publisher, attorney, whatever), your full mailing address, your phone number and cell number, and if your CD case does not include a listing of all song titles and songwriters, including whether or not the song is a cover or public domain, you MUST include a listing of this information for your music to be considered in the awards process. In addition, please include your contact info on the physical CD's itself (meaning unwrap it and write it with a sharpie or in some other clearly readable way) because CD's are quickly separated from their cases in our screening process and if your CD has no contact info, band name, album name and song listing, we may not know who you are and would have no way to find you.
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Once you've met those requirements, you may also include band bios or whatever else you want. (Press kits, T-shirts (3X is the size), Hats etc. as we collect them and if they fit, I wear them while attending events, showcases, tours, conferences etc. If we get enough cool shirts and hats this year, we may even have a category for best Promotional Item).
Send the package to Just Plain Folks, 5327 Kit Dr., Indianapolis, IN 46237.
We do NOT return CD's and we cannot offer direct feedback or critiques simply because we receive thousands of CD's a year and during the awards the numbers are much higher. But we do listen to all the CD's we receive in the order we receive them.
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JPF Founder Brian Austin Whitney is working on a music/film/documentary project:
We have had some truly AMAZING people express interest in this project. We still need to fill some roles however as the project is still in development and is ever changing. If you have previously submitted, don't worry if we haven't contacted you yet. Several of you will likely make it into the final project, but we're still developing the characters and some plot changes, so please be patient! This film screenplay won't be finalized until the end of this year (2014)!
Remember, we need males and females of all ages, shapes and types. You must be able to sing and/or play an instrument! Please include links to headshots we can download or copy and links to your music and any video clips as well as your resumes etc. See below!
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New Girl Group forming for possible indie film/TV series and live performances:
Female Vocalists of all styles: We need POWERFUL vocalists in all genres of music who can demonstrate the ability to harmonize with others across multiple genres of music. Preferred Age: 20-50. Acting experience a huge plus, acting talent required because you will be on film playing a musician. Size and looks less important but vocal ability is a must. You must have live performance experience.
Please email the following:
Contact Info, Links to: (no files please) Electronic Press Kit (if available), Performance Resume (including age and general music performance & acting experience), YouTube clip of at least one live solo/featured and group harmony performance, Links to 3 music tracks featuring your voice as well as at least one example of you harmonizing with others. We also need to see what you look like in at least 2 different looks as well as full body shots in everyday street clothes and make up so we can see how tall and heavy/thin you are. We need diverse body types and looks, so please show us who you really are so we can cast appropriately from among those who qualify vocally. Please DO NOT spend ANY money putting this together. This is simply a project in development. If you are missing any of the above, tell us about your interest and experience and we'll let you know what else we need if we're interested.
Place: Singing Project (along with your name) in the subject line and email it to jpfolkspro@aol.com.
This is NOT a reality show format. This is an album, film/TV and online project.
Note: We are now also looking for 2 male vocalists/actors and cast additional cast members to add to this project. One must be able to perform on an instrument, act and sing, the other must be able to perform on an instrument and act and can be older in the 35-70 age range.
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Just Plain Folks (Finally) Has a Facebook Page:
Okay, so I avoided it for a long long time. But I finally gave in and dipped my toe into the Facebook world. I barely have my own page and the JPF page is mostly a stub so far but I'd love to have you join us. And, anyone who considers themselves a Facebook expert, please help us out to build a nice community page there! Like the page or better yet, join us there! Here's the link:
Official JPF Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/JustPlainFolks ***************************************************
Copyright 2014 Just Plain Folks Productions