Country Voice
People move to Nashville from all over the country...from all over the world to be the next Garth or Dolly…and when they enter the city limits...it’s nothing short of a miracle.…they get a twang in their sangin voice.
Their country voice appears like magic.
And it’s a good thing. A little southern accent goes a long way when you’re making the type of music where people expect that accent.
Now I admit, it can be a little overdone, a little over the top. But there are plenty of things that we weren’t born with that we adopt and bend towards because of where we want to end up. Choose wisely.
»» I think the thing that many of us don’t like is when we are aware of the change…When the famous pop star decides to make a country album and suddenly this voice that we know and love changes dramatically…or when our friend from Pittsburgh moves to town and suddenly sounds like they grew up in Birmingham…it feels like it’s just for show and not real (there’s a ton of irony there :)
A Bad Time For Great Questions
These are important questions and yet it’s not helpful to ask yourself these questions every day…
Am I going to quit pursing this career?
Should I move to a different city?
Should I start a new band?
Questions like this take a huge amount of bandwidth. Way too much for a day to day basis.
When it’s time to ask these questions, dive in. Give them you’re full attention.
But if it’s not time to ask these questions, put them out of your mind completely…keep going, in the city you live in, with the band you’ve got.
Reprise: Things Artists Like
I got a lot of great ones in response to the Things Artists Like from last week.
So here we go…
Monitors and/in-ears that sound great
Stereo in-ear mix, not mono
When your record label actually knows who you are
When you get along with the people at the label
When your A&R doesn’t switch jobs right after you get signed
When the label doesn’t get bought by another label
Playing significant/historic venues
When your next song comes and it’s a good one
Royalty checks
Backstage life at festivals when the weather is good
Clean bathrooms at festivals
Golf carts at festivals
Finding out your song inspired someone else to write a song
A day off
When the manager calls and says, ‘I have good news…’
When the money lands in your personal account
Bandmates who are willing to re-energize
A trusty bus driver
Meeting your heroes even if they’re not that nice
When everything is running on time
Selling out the venue
When you tell the crowd to put their hands in the air and then they put their hands in the air.
If you’re a musician or an artist or on the business side of things, you understand this list. You know the feeling and relief of everything here.
Here’s to recognizing and celebrating the joys of the life we’ve chosen.
Going To The Edge
If you were to stand on the edge of a roof or cliff or balcony, it’s probably not the one time you’re going to randomly lose your balance and fall off and die.
Going to the edge is just scary and it makes you think things that aren’t true.
The metaphor holds up for all of us who are pushing into new and interesting things.
New Louvre Exhibit
When a new exhibit is getting installed at the Louvre it doesn’t matter how good it is, or how well it’s set up, or the lighting, or the placement, how clean the area is or the color of the wood floor in front of it…it’s not going to get more attention than the Mona Lisa.
So if it’s attention you’re looking for, the Louvre might not be a great place for your next painting…no one is going there hoping to see your work.
»» This is partly why it can be so hard to be the opening act for that big artist you’ve always hoped to play with.