BAAM

Blog entry
6/22

Baam

So…….you want to be a musician? Stand on stage and perform? Write music and sell cds? Well, you better bring your “A” game, come early and plan on staying very late.
After teaching and performing music my entire life and three years of working as a singer/songwriter in the music business, I can tell you that it is much like any profession that you enter where success is rewarded by hard work, patience, resolve, confidence and an honest approach to the whole venture. Being honest with yourself is without a doubt the most important attribute that any musician could have.
In my experience, I have found that knowing your goals and where you are interested in going as an artist is absolutely paramount to you not getting sucked in to the hype and smoke that often follows those who choose this Yellow Brick Road. From day one,to keep your sanity as an artist, you have to set measurable and attainable goals for yourself and steer clear of PIPE DREAMS that can set you up for ultimate failure.
On my journey, I have discovered milestones that are defining moments for me to measure my success. One example of this is where recently, I logged on to my Itunes account where my music is sold, while there, I discovered that I had sold a substantial amount of music through ITunesEurope this year. Also, a cd was ordered from my website and delivered to a Japanese Citizen in Tokyo, Japan who discovered me through my website. I have received complimentary emails from across the US where people have discovered my music.
I don’t know how anyone measures success, but for me, the thought of sitting on a lake right here in South Louisiana and writing songs that one day end up across the world is pretty awesome. For me, it feels like success and it fuels me to work even harder each day.
In my opinion, the only way to achieve success in this business is to work tirelessly at every part of it. In my case, it means writing songs, recording and co-producing a new cd, hiring a producer, hiring musicians, hiring a webmaster, promoting the new project, booking gigs, promoting the songs, myself and my band, rehearsing the band, playing gigs and most of all selling music.
So, you ready? Don’t let me scare you away! But, you should know that when you come to play in the music industry, you should bring your lunch pale and plan on staying a while. Posers need not apply and the weak ones just FADE AWAY (NPI) in the music industry’s version of Survival of the Fittest! Emeril calls it “BAAM, Taking it up a notch”. That is exactly what describes the attitude that drives success in the music business. BAAM!!! Bring it, or just stay home!!!
As I prepare to launch my second project, I feel like I have only started to learn about the business, but I can certainly say without a doubt that I now realize that the farther I go in the music business, the harder I have to work to reach my goals and to take it up a notch.....Baam!!!