JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Brian Austin Whitney Blog Friday, June 2nd, 2006

Hi Folks,

I've been asked to write an article for the 2007 Songwriters Market book on what to do as a songwriter in the major music markets (and how one might differ from another). If you have any thoughts on that topic, please post your feedback on the post on the general message board (or here if you want). I have to have it done in about 10 days.

We just finished up with Native American music (lots of Flutes!) and we have 34 more genres to finish out of 72. (But many are nearly done and/or likely in the mail back to us).

This weekend I have 2 guests coming from LA for the brief stay during their tour. Frequent Awards nominees Ali Handal and JPF Female Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year Cindy Alexander. I am looking forward to interviewing both of these talent artists/writers and will let you know how it all goes. If you're in Indianapolis, they'll be doing 2 shows here on Sunday.

We also invested in a new JPF Camera for the Roadtrips and music awards. It's a Canon 30D. If any of you are photographers, and have suggestions for lenses (we're looking at a wide angle and a telephoto) we'd love to hear what model you suggest.

Also, I was speaking with Horizon Award winner Amber Brooke and her Mother recently. Amber just finished a TV Pilot for ABC where she plays a genius college student who along with some other students solve crimes. The descriptions sounds fun, so we'll see if it makes it on the schedule next year. She is also preparing to open for Bruce Springsteen and just finished doing a Disney Movie last month where she has a large role. More updates on that when I have info. We also discussed a long standing desire I have to expand JPF beyond just music into Film/TV, Screenwriting, Acting, Directing and Photography. (I'd also like to add Painting, Sculpting and other artistic disciplines in the future). If anyone else wants to explore those ideas/topics, I'd love to hear from you as well.

So, I am still awake from another 24 hour work day (well.. actually only 23.5 hours.. but I am not quite done yet). I think I will got take a nap before pluging into the next stack of CDs!

Have a great weekend and check here daily for a new Blog. I can't believe I've already made it 20 days!

Brian

Brian,get some sleep,no need to ruin your health,take a day and sleep.During sleep your body restores itself,every person should try to sleep 6-8 hours every 24 hours.Good night.

Everett

Everett,

I'm glad you mentioned that. In a previous post, I told my story of ending up with heart problems from lack of sleep...a few years of regular six plus and they went away. We all need to stay on Brian about this, he can accomplish more in a few years than he can in a few hours.

------------------
You have to practice improvisation. -Art Tatum

Mike Dunbar Music

Ok ... well count me on the bandwagon!!!
Brian ... STOP AND GET SOME SLEEP!!!!
What would we do without you!!!
OK!?!?! Now go.... sleep
take care of you
Joanne

------------------

[*]The Best is Yet to Be,Joanne Lurgio-singer/songwriter www.joannelurgio.com


[*] Joanne's Gig Calendar - http://www.musi-cal.com/search?key=performers&value=Lurgio

[*] http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=100751

[*] www.cdbaby.com/cd/lurgio

[*] MySpace - www.myspace.com/joannelurgio

[*]www.cdbaby.com/group/justplainfolks

I've been working with a friend of mine in Atlanta on some possible film ventures. He currently just does videos for camps and things like that, but we are looking for bigger projects to work on. I think we have decided on a documentary we want to do. I think a lot of the people who post here probably have other artistic interests. I know in addition to songwriting and the film stuff, I'm interested in photography and I paint (or at least I used to...haven't done much lately).

Chuck

Brian, say hi to Ali and Cindy for me; they're two babes who have their $#!+ together.

And GET SOME SLEEP YOU FOOL!
Don'tcha think that burning the candle at both ends is what put you in the hospital in the first place? Huh?

------------------
Later,

Pat

Brian,
I'm sure you've thought of this yourself, but have you ever wondered why a daily blog is needed instead of just weekly, monthly or maybe just on a "as important things come up" basis?

Maybe you're trying to go for a "Guiness Book" world record of daily blogging? Might be cool, and maybe it could be done for a few months or a year or two before getting burned out!

I'm glad I don't have to do a DAILY, but if I was under "the gun", or even if I really enjoyed it, I would consider jotting down my ideas throughout the week and then just posting the most important and relevant highlights about once a week or so. Is that like taking a "short cut" or being too lazy?

It seems like more folks would be curious as to what's been up, whereas with a daily update, it's a lot harder to keep up with you and follow along in detail.

Sure hope you won't "hate" me for trying to suggest you slow down a bit... 'cause I know what you're doing is very important to you and other folks around here... bless you heart!

Anyway, hope all is well & you get yourself plenty of rest too, just like your other JPF friends here have suggested!

Hope you didn't mind me talking "out loud" a bit?!


With a smile & a hug of friendship,
Michael

------------------
The OUTLOOK may often appear bleak, but the UPLOOK is always bright!
Michael Borges
Praiseworthy Productions


[This message has been edited by Michael Borges (edited 06-02-2006).]

I have a monthly blog.. it's called the JPF newsletter! = )

Brian

When you sleep your immune system go to work double time repairing damage to your body.If you don't get enough sleep,your immune system can't do a proper job of fighting off disease,without enough sleep your immune system itself becomes weaker and can't fight off the enemies that invade your body.So sleep is very important,even though some people might feel it is a waste of time.Dreaming is also very important to our well being,so for Pete's sake,get the proper rest and protect your most important thing, your health.

Everett

Nashville songwriting has different aspects.

1. The major release songwriters are, for the most part, either residents here or they visit here so often that they may as well be. Many of them cowrite, often they will cowrite with the artist, and some will write songs specifically for an artist.

I've recently heard from a reliable publisher that rarely are songs cut through the A&R departments. Nor, are songs that get cut often pitched "face to face," but are usually brought in to an office and put in the "right" basket, which only a songwriter with an existing relationship to the office recognizes. Gatekeepers and decision makers seem to prefer listening alone, most often while in their car.

2. The developing songwriters also live or visit here often, and will spend time at writer's nights, hangouts, and offices networking and developing relationships. Again, a lot of cowriting goes on, with developing writers gradually working up to writing with successful songwriters.

There is also an entire industry here that is devoted to developing songwriters, including publishers, demo houses, songwriter organizations, songwriting critics and teachers. Some of these services can be "shady" and some even prey on beginners, flattering them with unwarranted praise of their songs and offering them "access" to which they cannot deliver.

3. A very few songwriters get cuts from long distance, through the mail or acting through a publisher or agent. Again, usually these people will have, at some time, developed a personal relationship with people here.

These who occasionally visit or communicate via the internet and the mail are, perhaps, the most vulnerable to victimization by an unscrupulous service.

I have neither experience nor detailed knowledge as to how the business of songwriting is done anywhere else, so I can't offer a valuable comparison.

Hope this helps.

Mike

------------------
You have to practice improvisation. -Art Tatum

Mike Dunbar Music



[This message has been edited by Mike Dunbar (edited 06-03-2006).]

Mike I think what you are saying, how do I put this, well no easy way, there is a lot of "Brown Noseing" going on in the "Clicks" in Nashville. Well not much of a secret really. I have always wanted my songs to stand on their own and not be influenced by who I may be buddys with. I would not want someone to cut one of my songs just because they knew me. After all, how do I know my song or songs really made the grade if that happens. I will do it the hard way, thank you.

I wouldn't call it "brown nosing" actually, that's frowned upon here. It's too much like "gherming."

It's simply that if people are going to be investing a lot of money into someone's work, they want to know a lot about them. They don't want someone who is "squirrely" or someone who might be plagiarising or just generally difficult to work with. It's much easier and faster to feel trust in someone who's been "vetted" by the business and social scene. Do the people who work together often end up being buddies? Sure, and there are some who don't get along that well at all, but the bottom line is money and squirrels can cost more money in the long run.

By the way, Brian, no offense to your squirrel.

Mike

------------------
You have to practice improvisation. -Art Tatum

Mike Dunbar Music

[This message has been edited by Mike Dunbar (edited 06-03-2006).]

Ok Brian, cool!
So now you have a daily blog and a monthly "blog", in the form of a newsletter, which, by the way, I really enjoy reading!

Have you thought of doing a weekly blog?

Cheers!
Michael

------------------
The OUTLOOK may often appear bleak, but the UPLOOK is always bright!
Michael Borges
Praiseworthy Productions

Michael,

This daily blog is meant to give me a chance to talk about other things other than JUST music stuff. Even though often music stuff still is featured, now and then I can talk about something else, which the monthly newsletter really doesn't allow. I can also use this to test ideas for "My Takes" for the newsletter and hopefully to come up with ideas to improve JPF or other fun things to do.

As for sleep, I actually got nearly 8 hours last night. Of course it took me 12 to get 8 since I couldn't sleep the first 2 hours I was there, and woke up in the middle and took 2 hours to go back to sleep.

And thanks to Mike for info for the article. Getting info on Nashville seems fairly easy since there's an entire industry there to support songwriters which isn't nearly as cohesive elsewhere outside of LA. NYC is the big question mark. I haven't gotten any feedback about that city and over the years, we've never been able to get beyond the artists with JPF. (i.e. our members there are artists and very few are ONLY songwriters). I am hoping to get some interesting feedback from the newsletter this next week.

Brian

Hi Mike
This seems to confirm what I have been told. On my few trips to Nashville for songwriter events, just about every speaker I heard said; if you want to get a cut by a major label or even a not so major label, you have to live here.
It is a closed shop.
There are exceptions but they are rare.
Too bad. There is a lot of talent floating around out here that will never be heard.

But I can understand it. You only have to spend a few days in Nashville to realize how much incredible talent is there trying to break into the business. So, I guess it is only natural that they would get the best chance of success.

------------------
www.soundclick.com/billrobinson

www.dreamqueststudio.com

Bill
Live with a song in your heart

Brian, Brian,
You are feeling very sleepy right now,
You are feeling very tired right now,
Your eyelids are becoming heavy and heavier and heavier,
.....................................
yawn, Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Nite, Nite,
Lynn