Ode To Independent Musicians
I guess you could say that I have had a love of music all of my life.
From the time I could remember, the sounds of Motown were playing in our family car; especially on vacations. My uncle is 13 years older than me and I can remember him driving my sister, my cousins and me to my grandparents' lake house for the weekend. As we made our way, CCR was always playing in the 8-track player bolted to the dash of his car. You remember 8-tracks don't you? I also took dancing lessons beginning at the age of 3 and music of course was part of those lessons. Oh and what really sent me over the top with music was the movie Grease, everyone who was anyone wanted to sing like Olivia Newton John.
The lyrics do it for me. There is a lot of life lived and talked about in the lyrics of a song. There can be so much creativity in the lyrics. Expressions, emotions and images.
I have tried my hand at singing and performing, but I guess where I really feel that I fit in is in the promotional aspect of the industry. If I had to do my career over again, I would either be a Dixie Chick or a music promoter. The promoter probably is the best choice out of those two choices.
I've learned a lot about the industry in the last 14 years. I owe all that I have learned to independent musician, producer and manger, Eddie Martin. I first met Eddie at a conference in Gulf Shores, Ala. I was speaking on PR and he introduced me and the session. From the moment I saw Eddie, I knew that he definitely did not belong in the job that he was doing and definitely did not fit the mold so to speak of the people associated with the conference. After my presentation and everyone was out of the room, I said to Eddie Ok, so what is it that you really do? I sensed that he really was not into the job he was representing. Later that evening I found out. He was a singer, songwriter and producer. The very first album of Eddie's that I listened to was one of lovely ballads. I also learned that he had written music for Brian McKnight. Another thing that I learn was that he was an incredible songwriter.
Through the years Eddie and I have worked together off and on. In 1999 after the Columbine tragedy, I worked with Eddie and his co-writer Susan Welborne on promotion of their song Listen to the Wings. A song they co-wrote about school violence. The song was not an attempt to capitalize on a tragedy, but it was Eddie and Susan's emotional response to a tragedy that was so violent and senseless at the time. And a response that we needed to do something about it. The Alabama State Legislature even passed a Joint House Resolution making the song the Official Gift of Hope from the People of Alabama to the People of Colorado. It also is permanently ingrained in the Congressional Record in Washington. All three of us traveled to Colorado to personally deliver the gift to the Governor, School Board and Mayor of Littleton.
When I moved to DC in 2001, Eddie and I really didn't work together much for the next 6 years. In the fall of 2004, however, Eddie sent me a packet on a young musician, Malcolm Singleton. Eddie co-wrote the songs with Malcolm as well as produced Malcolm's debut EP, which was in the packet I received. When I moved back to Birmingham, I began working with Eddie, Malcolm and Daniel Beard (Eddie's partner at Crestwood Flash Entertainment/independent label) to promote Malcolm and his music after I saw him perform live at a fundraiser in Muscle Shoals, Ala. last April. Malcolm is a talented and sharp performer that has been compared to a young Paul McCartney. Eddie has been busy working on Malcolm's second CD, which will be released before the end of the year. At the same time, he has been working on Malcolm's music, Eddie was working on his own EP of folk music. Eddie has never been one to hold back on the way he feels about any given issue and this new EP When We Were Brave, reflects his feelings about our times. The EP is quintessential Eddie. Incredible, compassionate and entertaining. This EP also reflects a different side of Eddie and shows his love of folk music, a genre he was exposed to by his father. His father's photo serves as the artwork cover for the EP.
Thank God for Independent musicians. They are what makes music worth listening to.
I have my thoughts about today's music industry and the trouble labels are having. But my focus for this article is the Independent musician. The Independent is the one who struggles, works hard and keeps doing what he does best. The Independent is the one who performs live, almost every night of the week. The Independent is the one who is in the studio 24 hours a day, making sure he gets it right. The Independent is the one who grieves, only for a moment, when a label turns him down. The Independent is the one who wins an Oscar for Best Song as they did this year. Best song: Falling Slowly from the film Once.
Thank God for Eddie Martin, an incredible Independent master songwriter and musician. Eddie, my colleague, my friend, keep doing what you do best! You've taught me to love the lyrics and the industry even more! (Independent industry that is).
Eddie's EP When We Were Brave is available for purchase at CD Babyand iTunes as well as throughout stores in Muscle Shoals, Ala. Read more about the EP in the Times Daily, It's All About the Lyrics, Melody and the Recording.
From the time I could remember, the sounds of Motown were playing in our family car; especially on vacations. My uncle is 13 years older than me and I can remember him driving my sister, my cousins and me to my grandparents' lake house for the weekend. As we made our way, CCR was always playing in the 8-track player bolted to the dash of his car. You remember 8-tracks don't you? I also took dancing lessons beginning at the age of 3 and music of course was part of those lessons. Oh and what really sent me over the top with music was the movie Grease, everyone who was anyone wanted to sing like Olivia Newton John.
The lyrics do it for me. There is a lot of life lived and talked about in the lyrics of a song. There can be so much creativity in the lyrics. Expressions, emotions and images.
I have tried my hand at singing and performing, but I guess where I really feel that I fit in is in the promotional aspect of the industry. If I had to do my career over again, I would either be a Dixie Chick or a music promoter. The promoter probably is the best choice out of those two choices.
I've learned a lot about the industry in the last 14 years. I owe all that I have learned to independent musician, producer and manger, Eddie Martin. I first met Eddie at a conference in Gulf Shores, Ala. I was speaking on PR and he introduced me and the session. From the moment I saw Eddie, I knew that he definitely did not belong in the job that he was doing and definitely did not fit the mold so to speak of the people associated with the conference. After my presentation and everyone was out of the room, I said to Eddie Ok, so what is it that you really do? I sensed that he really was not into the job he was representing. Later that evening I found out. He was a singer, songwriter and producer. The very first album of Eddie's that I listened to was one of lovely ballads. I also learned that he had written music for Brian McKnight. Another thing that I learn was that he was an incredible songwriter.
Through the years Eddie and I have worked together off and on. In 1999 after the Columbine tragedy, I worked with Eddie and his co-writer Susan Welborne on promotion of their song Listen to the Wings. A song they co-wrote about school violence. The song was not an attempt to capitalize on a tragedy, but it was Eddie and Susan's emotional response to a tragedy that was so violent and senseless at the time. And a response that we needed to do something about it. The Alabama State Legislature even passed a Joint House Resolution making the song the Official Gift of Hope from the People of Alabama to the People of Colorado. It also is permanently ingrained in the Congressional Record in Washington. All three of us traveled to Colorado to personally deliver the gift to the Governor, School Board and Mayor of Littleton.
When I moved to DC in 2001, Eddie and I really didn't work together much for the next 6 years. In the fall of 2004, however, Eddie sent me a packet on a young musician, Malcolm Singleton. Eddie co-wrote the songs with Malcolm as well as produced Malcolm's debut EP, which was in the packet I received. When I moved back to Birmingham, I began working with Eddie, Malcolm and Daniel Beard (Eddie's partner at Crestwood Flash Entertainment/independent label) to promote Malcolm and his music after I saw him perform live at a fundraiser in Muscle Shoals, Ala. last April. Malcolm is a talented and sharp performer that has been compared to a young Paul McCartney. Eddie has been busy working on Malcolm's second CD, which will be released before the end of the year. At the same time, he has been working on Malcolm's music, Eddie was working on his own EP of folk music. Eddie has never been one to hold back on the way he feels about any given issue and this new EP When We Were Brave, reflects his feelings about our times. The EP is quintessential Eddie. Incredible, compassionate and entertaining. This EP also reflects a different side of Eddie and shows his love of folk music, a genre he was exposed to by his father. His father's photo serves as the artwork cover for the EP.
Thank God for Independent musicians. They are what makes music worth listening to.
I have my thoughts about today's music industry and the trouble labels are having. But my focus for this article is the Independent musician. The Independent is the one who struggles, works hard and keeps doing what he does best. The Independent is the one who performs live, almost every night of the week. The Independent is the one who is in the studio 24 hours a day, making sure he gets it right. The Independent is the one who grieves, only for a moment, when a label turns him down. The Independent is the one who wins an Oscar for Best Song as they did this year. Best song: Falling Slowly from the film Once.
Thank God for Eddie Martin, an incredible Independent master songwriter and musician. Eddie, my colleague, my friend, keep doing what you do best! You've taught me to love the lyrics and the industry even more! (Independent industry that is).
Eddie's EP When We Were Brave is available for purchase at CD Babyand iTunes as well as throughout stores in Muscle Shoals, Ala. Read more about the EP in the Times Daily, It's All About the Lyrics, Melody and the Recording.
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