Thursday, December 30, 2010

Tips to Market you Music

"Marketing is all the activities and processes of planning, communicating and executing a product, with a price, the promotion and the placement of an item to an end user. Your music is your product which you are then supplying to the end user - the music fan. Between you and the fan is a big space on how to bridge this gap. You may think that if you just get a record deal with some label, your prayers are answered and this instant bridge is built across that space. This is for the most part, not how things work today.

As an aspiring indie or unsigned singer, songwriter, or a musician in a band you can not do just a few things to promote yourself and expect success in your music career. Offline and online music promotion and marketing exposure is an ongoing process in this DIY age. Music companies are looking for artists that already have fan bases, sold CDs, and are proven ready to move up to a higher level." The best thing about Tate Music Group is that we as a label help artist start from the beginning but also have the capabilities to pick up and move from any position an artist is in. The bold statement is so true. If you think you are going to get discovered by a label and they are going to do everything for you from the start you are crazy. If you don't have a large following, play multiple events a week and have a sales history, you are dead in the water. TMG is the only label in the world willing to help an artist at any level of their career as long as they are willing to work. Between Variance Magazine, Radio ads, TV ads, Radio promotion, booking agents, publicists, personal marketing reps, production, design and one of the largest distribution partners in North America TMG has every ability to produce, market, promote and distribute your music.
"Presented here are more than 100 tips and ideas for you to think about and tweak as you will, to get noticed, gain fans, and get heard. You have to find a way to stand above the crowd, for talent alone is not enough."

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

10 Essential Tips for Making a Living with Your Music

By: Christopher Knab

http://ow.ly/3vICE


Everybody loves Top 10 Lists, from David Letterman's countdowns, to the Huffington Post's top 10 this and that. It’s a fun way to maintain the illusion that in a complex world, things can be simpified, or dumbed-down.

So...Let's play along. Why not a Top Ten List on the subject of Making A Living From Your Music?

The following list highlights 10 habits you should develop if you want to make a consistent living from your music. I can honestly say that these habits are the habits of successful musicians I have known and admired:

1) Find ways to get ordinary people who love music, to love your music. We live in a time when everybody and their sister can and does make their own music. That doesn't mean, however, that your music has what it takes for record labels to invest their money and time developing, promoting, and marketing that music.

Try your music out on "music fans" in the same way you would solicit opinions from A&R Rep. Talent scouts in the music industry are always following tips they hear from their street connections. But remember, your music must truly stand out in some significant, original, dynamic, and creative way. 95% of the independently produced CDs out there contain regurgitated ideas that were ripped off from some other more gifted musicians.

So prove to the industry that ordinary music fans in your city love your music.

You can do this by giving away samples of your music and putting some of your songs on the many internet websites that allow people to download or sample new music. If people love something they let other people know about it. So, you can find out quickly if your music has what it takes to please the public by giving away your music, for a while, until there is a real demand for it. Then continue to give away your music, but in a more controlled or limited way.(Perhaps give away a song or two for a limited time on you website, or through MySpace and/or Facebook.) You will sense when the time has come to control this habit and charge a reasonable fee for access to your music.

2) Play live often and don’t worry ( at first) about getting paid for every gig. You can always tell the difference between a musician who is in it for the money, and a musician who is in it for the music. The dedicated musician can’t not play music every chance they get. Money-focused musicians whine about the fact that they can't get club gigs that pay anything. If you really think that you can make your living solely as a musician in the first three to four years of your career, you are headed for a breakdown and disappointment. Think about it.... almost every legendary, gifted musician who has made a mark on our culture has been a musician who struggled long and hard at their craft, and never gave up. Eat determination for breakfast! Go out there and play on the streets if you have to, play at schools, fairs, festivals, do benefits to help other people and organizations. Offer your services to non-profits, charities, church groups, and any other companies or organizations you can think of. Hang out at clubs, look for jamming possibilities, or start your own jam sessions. Look around your city or town, and you will see many places and venues where musicians can play. As you establish yourself and more and more people show up at your shows, the paid gigs will increase. Remember... play live, and then after you play live, play live again, that’s what musicians are supposed to do.

3) Know your instrument inside-out. One of the curious developments of the late 1970’s was the huge increase in garage bands, punk bands, rappers, and "do-it-your-self-ers", who just picked up an instrument, or started to sing with some friends, and 6 months later recorded a record and began to play live. Some great music, and new directions in music, came out of that situation. But now, 30 odd years later, the novelty of hearing amateurish thrashings has gotten a bit dull.

Prior to late 70’s, more often than not, the music that is our heritage was made by musicians who, from the time they took up their instrument, worshiped at the feet of some master bluesman, jazz player, folk legend, songwriter, or whatever. The habit of these inspired musicians was an appetite for perfection. A need to be not just "good enough", but GREAT. Why settle for less? Whatever developing stage you are at, go beyond it, re-commit yourself to your instrument or voice. Take lessons, or better yet, sit yourself down at your CD player and choose a favorite musicians record, and listen closely to what they are playing. then re-play it, and re-play it again. Challenge yourself to go beyond your limitations. Who knows, maybe you will fall into some new territory, wherein you will find yourself, your "sound", and increase your chance to stand out from all the mediocrity that is your competition.

Believe it or not, record labels love to hear innovative, accessible new sounds. Actually in their heart of hearts, that is what they are really hoping to hear on every new demo, and from every new act they go see at a live venue. You see, in the business of music, when we hear something new, original, and accessible to people, we can then invest in you with more security, believing that if we put our "label brand" on you, with our talents of promotion and marketing coming to the front, then we "have something", and your music becomes our music, and we work together to broaden you audience appeal. It’s kinda like a partnership... something about "Art and Commerce"... they can work together you know?!

4) Protect your investment... register your songs for proper copyright protection. I never cease to be amazed how few artists are willing to spend $40 to register their songs with the Copyright office. By the way, these folks are often the same folks who complain about not getting paid to perform their unknown music. All I know is that when an inventor comes up with some new product that they think will appeal to a certain type of customer, the first thing they do is file for a patent on their invention. The same reaction to protecting songs should be there for any serious songwriter. If you really intend to work hard and develop your career as a musician who writes your own songs, don’t wait too long to take care of this simple, but essential task. If you really believe in your unique and original music then take the time to learn the basics of copyright protection. From the Internet to the library, there's an easy way to learn what it takes to file for copyright protection. Do it now! Go to www.copyright.gov

5) Design and write your promotional materials so they stand out. The topic of designing and writing effective promotional materials; bios, fact sheets, cover letters, quote sheets, website and blog pages etc. is a lengthy one to say the least. As far as some tips that can help musicians promote their careers, and contribute to their getting any deal offers, is to make the promo materials as compelling, and informative as possible. Take the time to inventory any accomplishments, positive reviews, training and awards, past sales, and live appearance highlights; and organize them into professional written documents that you have saved for you website, MySpace and/or Facebook accounts. Having done that, time also needs to be taken to research who to send the materials to, and to ask each potential recipient what type of information they would like to have sent to them. No "generic" kits should ever be created. let alone sent to any gatekeepers in the music business.

6) Know the labels and music publishers you hope to be signed to. If you were applying for a job with a certain company of corporation, wouldn’t you take some time to ask questions about their stability as a business, their reputation in the industry, and the executives background and experience? The same is true when you are approached by any reliable music industry company. Some musicians get so excited when a certain label approaches them with a recording contract offer, or a publishing company offers to sign them. Being approached for a deal is a compliment and recognition by a label or publisher that a musician’s music is attractive to them. But, to rush ahead without taking the time to learn a few things about them is foolish indeed. Ask... how have they done with your particular genre of music? What specific "points" are they offering you? Who runs the label or publishing company? What is their reputation in the music business? How do you like them as people? These and other questions can be crucial in making an unemotional decision about an arrangement that could make or break your career.

7) Have your own ‘Entertainment Law Attorney’ to represent you. The business of getting signed to any deal in the music business has always had, has now, and will always have, the involvement of entertainment law attorneys. No jokes will be inserted here, because any relationship between a musician, a record label, a publisher, a merchandiser etc. will come down to two attorneys hashing out the contract for the musician and the respective companies involved. It should be pointed out here that when all is said in done with the "courting" process, the musician is never present during the actual negotiations. The musicians attorney and the music company’s attorney meet, talk over the phone, and fax/email or snail mail their offers and counter-offers amongst themselves. This fact serves to remind you that choosing a reputable, ethical, well respected attorney with lots of deal-making experience within the music industry is an absolute necessity for any serious musician who wishes to fight the good fight in the legal arena.

8) Choose a well-connected and respected personal manager. Great artist managers are becoming a thing of the past. Self-management is always a valid option in the developing stages of establishing your career as a musician. Much can be learned by taking on the jobs of securing gigs, getting some publicity, planning tours, dealing with personal issues that arise within the band, and schmoozing with A&R Reps and various other label and publishing personnel. However, there comes a time, usually when the daily tasks of doing the business of being a band takes up too much time, and it is at this time that the services of a good manager can be very useful. I have always felt that if any musician or band has worked hard to establish their career, and achieved a modicum of success, they will have a better chance to "attract" the services of a professional, well-connected and respected manager.

Managers who do this job for a living can only take on clients that generate income. Making money as a personal manager is no easy task, and many upcoming artists forget that if any monenies are to be generated from their music, it can takes years for the flow of that income to be reliably there. So, as a band develops self-management, or gets help from intern/student manager-wannabees, this can help pave the road for professional management.

Over the years I have heard several horror stories about "managers" that approach upcoming acts and say that for X amount of dollars, they can do such and such for the artist. No... this is not the way legit personal managers work. Well-connected and respected personal managers get paid a negotiated fee for their services (get it in writing) for any and all business transactions they are responsible for (15%-25%) over a particular contract period. No musicians should ever pay a fee to a so-called "manager" who will not do any work UNLESS they are paid up front. Flim-Flam men and women still abound in this business... be forewarned.

One of the most important jobs of a manager is to secure recording and publishing contracts for their clients, this is why it is so essential to choose well connected and well respected managers. The music business is a "relationship" business. Who know who, and who can get to know who, and who did what successfully for who... is what this management game is all about. Choose carefully those people who will be representing you in any business dealings.

9) Don’t take advice from anyone unless you know that they know what they are talking about. At the beginning of this article I stated that these 10 tips were just my comments from years of dealing with the business itself and many musicians. Everybody has their own list of Do's and Don'ts and the only real value they have is that they present you with "opinions" about what to do to get established as a musician.

To be quite candid, the best rules in the music business comes from the experience of building your own career; learning from your own interactions with the gatekeepers at labels, the media, management, and booking companies as to what is right or wrong for you. For every Do or Don’t there is an exception to a so-called "rule". As I reflect on the advice I sought out and listened-to over the years, the most valid tips came from people who walked the walk, and talked the talk. If you feel that the source you have contacted knows what they are talking about, and has had first hand experience doing what you want to learn about, that is the only feedback that might stand up over time. Choose carefully.

10) Musician...Educate Thyself! If you want a record deal, learn what a record deal is, and learn something about the business of music. Naive or mis-informed musicians are a menace to themselves. Enough already!

Over the decades there have been countless stories of musicians who were ripped off by their record labels and music publishing companies. Why? Exploitation was the name of the game for a long time. Keeping musicians in the dark was standard business practice. However, the past has passed, and today any musicians who sign a record contract (and learns later what he or she signed) have only themselves to blame. Even 20 years ago, it wasn’t that easy to gain access to the inner workings of the music business. (There are more letters in the word business than in the word music.)

Today there are dozens of outstanding books available on every conceivable topic related to the business of music. They can be found in bookstores, libraries, and through the Internet. In addition, there are many schools that now offer 2- 4 year programs on the business of music. Seminars, and workshops are available on a year round basis in most major American cities. Consultants, Attorneys, and Business Organizations are all around and so it is only myth, superstition, stubbornness, and immaturity that stand in the way of any musician making a commitment to educating themselves about the business that exists to exploit their music.

I cannot stress how important I feel this issue is. I am here to tell you, one and all, that you have been told many things about music that you did believe. "Spend money on quality instruments and equipment"... you have done that. "Spend time and money on practicing and rehearsing", you have done that, for the most part."Spend time and money finding the best recording studio, producer and engineer you can"... you have done that. "Spend time and money learning all you can about the business of music"... well, no one told you to do that did they?!

It has been said about education that we don’t know anything until someone tells us. If that is true, the fault in "not telling" musicians that they MUST spend some time and money on educating themselves on music business issues is the fault of the businessmen and women who kept their clients uninformed. (Ignorance IS bliss as far as the old guard of music executives are concerned). But,KNOWLEDGE IS BLISS should be the byword for the musician of the new millennium. Please...spend some time and money educating yourselves about the music business, a few hours now, can protect your future forever!

Tate Music Group

Monday, December 27, 2010

ITunes No. 8 Most Popular Web Page on Christmas Day


Billboard.biz
By Glenn People

iTunes Page Sees Christmas Boost

-- The iTunes download page was the eighth most popular web page on Christmas day, as ranked by Alexa.com. That rank is on pace with previous years -- it was No. 7 and No. 8 on Christmas in 2008 and 2009, respectively. The fact that the iTunes download page was trending and in the top ten at Alexa.com that day suggests Apple products and gift cards were popular Christmas items again this year. That download page is not regularly in Alexa's top ten. In fact, it quickly fell to No. 38 the day after Christmas.

On Alexa's "Hot Products" on Christmas was the iPod Touch 8GB (at No. 8) and three music titles: Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" (No. 6), Kings of Leon's "Come Around Sundown" (No. 7), Bruno Mars' "Doo-Waps and Hooligans" (No. 9) and Maroon 5's "Hands All Over" (No. 10).


Tate Music Group has a store site on our website that allows customers to purchase physical CD's as well as digital downloads.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Do Videos Increase SEO

I get this question all of the time at TMG and different search engines calculate SEO differently. But here is a Q&A I found on the web about the subject.

Q: I've been told that Google and the like will rate your website higher if there is some sort of video or audio on it (no matter what kind of quality). Does anyone know if this is true or just some of hype?

A: Many times people will increase traffic to their site through the use of videos, because it is the video itself that gets ranked highly. Simply create a video, do the appropriate keyword research/incorporate that in the title, etc -- submit it to various video websites -- and then include a link to your website within the video. When someone does a search, they may see your video, then visit your website.

For a video itself, yes, it can help make your site rank higher. But it is only part of the equation. Google uses a mathematical algorithm in determining how important a site is, and video/audio, etc is only one small portion, i.e., +/- 0.5%.

A: In my opinion it is one of the best things you could do to make your site pop in ranking.

A: I don't think it would be unreasonable to assume that google judges the quality of a site partially based on the variety of media on the site. The more diversified the content on a site, generally the the more informative and accessible it is.

And for a case of example: I have a site that outranks several others in my niche and those sites have more backlinks and more domain age. I attribute this success partially to the video I've posted on my site.(The other sites don't have any video)

Whether or not that is misplaced faith will be tested as I've got another site that I recently added a video to in a different niche. I'll be tracking its success after this minor change.

For other industry info take a look at Music Man's Blog.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Muve Service From Cricket Wireless Could Have Big Impact on Mobile Music


December 20, 2010 12:00 EST – Record Labels | Global | Digital & Mobile | Retail
By Antony Bruno

Mobile companies have not fared particularly well offering their own music services. But prepaid operator Cricket Wireless hopes to buck this trend with the introduction of a new branded mobile music service called Muve, set to go live sometime in January.

Who? Cricket may only have about five million customers nationwide, but this is still an interesting launch to follow that could have significant implications on mobile music strategy if successful.

Let's start with the service itself. For a fixed monthly fee, users can download an unlimited number of songs and albums to a specially branded Muve music phone. The phone is a customized version of the Samsung Suede that prominently features a dedicated Muve button on the face, which launches the music service. It has licensing deals with all the major labels that include the right to create custom ringtones from every song in the catalog, as well as ringback tones from many as well.

It includes a version of the Shazam music ID service that links tagged songs directly to the Muve music database for downloading. A My DJ feature offers a cached automated playlist curated by the Muve staff and refreshed daily. The Get Social feature lets users share songs and playlists with other Muve users. And a cool Shout feature lets users embed music in text messages via a link that will stream the whole song when sent to other Muve users but only a 30-second sample to others.

Downloads are lightning fast -- less than 10 seconds -- and all the services are governed by a slick, easy-to-understand user interface. Unlike other mobile music services that slap mobile access to an existing online service, Muve was built from the ground up specifically for mobile by the Wilshire Media Group, led by former Virgin Digital president Zack Zalon.

Here's the kicker though: it's a mobile-only service. There's no Web version or dual downloads, or any of those hybrid mobile/online capabilities that other mobile music services have. Stop paying and you lose your music. But rather than treating this like a fault, Cricket touts it as a badge.


For more on the article go to Billboard.biz.


Tate Music Group, Variance Magazine, Chris Rutherford

Friday, December 17, 2010

Why Social Media Matters to Artists: Part Two

Why Social Media Matters to Artists: Part Two

by Jonathan Robles, Exclusive to TMG

(Note: The preceding article is a follow-up piece to last month's TMG feature Why Social Media Matters to Artists.)

The music business today isn't what it was 20 years ago. It's not even what it was ten years ago. To some that's a bad thing and to other's it's pretty good. When the 2011 Grammy nominations were announced this month, 50% of the nods went to independent artists. While some might say it's only half, in comparison to a decade ago it's a dramatic jump forward.

There are two things that stand out about the growing presence of independent music in mainstream (besides the blurring definition of "indie"): First, more musicians are choosing non-traditional alternatives to the powerhouse labels. And artists who have previously gone the traditional routes are turning their backs on those methods. Another fact is that the means by which we share music and connect with musicians have changed.

As mentioned in the first part of this feature, your music career is your business. A recent study revealed that 94% of companies do not use social media channels to gather customer feedback. Instead they rely on email and phone surveys. (When is the last time you participated in an email or phone survey?) Meanwhile, as Billboard has proven to be true, there is a noticeable correlation between the top artists in sales and the top artists on social media.

Pat Monahan, the frontman of Train, says that "if you don't have a Twitter account, you're not going to do as well as you think." And for the most part, he's right.. Minus a few accomplished bands, the biggest touring acts and chart-toppers have constantly been churning out tweets and online "exclusives."

So, what does that mean to everyone else?

  1. You have to start somewhere. Pick three social media channels. (Or start with one!) Don't just create the account. Complete the profile (and put yourself in the position of a fan--or potential fan!--when they view your page). If it's a Facebook or Myspace page, make sure you have music samples. Do you read ten paragraphs of bio information? They won't either. You can even sync your pages so that you only have to update one of them. Start a blog, like Posterous.
  2. Connect with people. Do you have an email list or 50 contacts in your personal Gmail? Search Twitter or Facebook to find out how many of them are on those sites and follow them. Once you follow people, talk to them. Both Twitter and Facebook suggest other friends based on your current connections. Use these tools. If you're a jazz artist in upstate New York or a country singer from Tampa, connect with people in your area first. Then build on those connections.
  3. Listen. The Facebook generation is very familiar with updating their status every hour. While this might also come naturally to entertainers, don't forget to observe. If you're a musician just starting out or trying to build your fan base, it is especially important for you to have two-way conversations online. If a new fan follows you on Twitter, follow them back.
  4. Don't start, and then stop. It's very easy to give in to hype, create a Facebook page, update excitedly for a few weeks, then phase out because you get bored. Adam Smith, whose following is the envy of many in Twitter Nation, recently acknowledged that tweeting often helped him obtain and retain followers.
  5. Be authentic. "Transparency" isn’t just a buzz word; it’s a strategic imperative, which should apply to your social media participation as well as all other aspects of your career or business. You might be your grandmother's favorite rapper, but there are many folks trying to be Jay-Z. Be you. Follow back. "Re-tweet" others. And follow the Pareto principle (the 80-20 rule): Spend 80% of your time in social media activities that are not self-promotional and 20% or less on activities that are self-promotional.
  6. Contribute something. A quick online search will tell you that there are millions of music artists in the pool today. If you're trying to make even a splash in the industry, you have to set yourself apart. When it comes to new media, think about your fans. If your content doesn’t add value to your audience’s lives, they won’t talk about it and share it with their own audiences.
  7. Establish goals. Determine to update your Facebook and/or Twitter three times a week and blog twice a month. Don't commit to more than you can handle, but challenge yourself. Reach out to a set number of people online each day or week. Define your "niche" and focus your efforts accordingly.
  8. Be realistic. A common thought on Twitter is, "if I only had more followers..." If more people thought of Twitter followers kind of like money, they'd realize they wouldn't know what to do with 1 million. Even the Bible says that whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with very much. Remember, the people that follow you on Twitter are still people. Don't think of them as numbers. And keep in mind that most Twitter users with large followings probably have accomplishments outside of Twitterland. Many folks see 1,000 or 100,000 followers and they want to duplicate that, just like many folks see a millionaire or billionaire and they wish they could just snag a quick million or billion. Building a social media base is not easy. Don't ever let someone convince you that it is. It's not just a matter following a bunch of people and hoping they follow you back. Honestly, when you see someone with a "successful" social media presence, that person has probably done a whole lot more offline than online.
  9. Network, build relationships, network, build relationships. Connect with like-minded people. Join communities. Go to other shows. Talk to others with similar interests who are in a similar phase of life. Life still requires that you reap what you sow. Sow good seeds offline. When others in the industry ask for favors, oblige them. (Favors usually have a nice way of being returned.) Perform live every chance you get...live events are still the cash cow. Remember, if no one knows who you are, they can't search for you online, they can't follow you on Twitter, and they can't find your music.

Ultimately, social media efforts reflect what we probably already know.. Lady Gaga may be the "queen of Twitter", but she's also topping charts, selling millions of albums, and winning Grammys. If a business has a problem online, chances are the problem didn't start there. If an artist a dozen "likes" on Facebook, there's probably more than can be done offline. But for the time being, treat those 12 people like they are the world...Don't discount a small online network. I'll be the first one to tell you, you'd be surprised how powerful that small, well-preserved network can be. Thanks to new media like Variance Magazine and an evolving industry, it's really anybody's game. And it's not too late to start...

Also check out Music Man's blog.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Importance of Blogging to Increase SEO

When I talk to artist at TMG about marketing I first and foremost tell them that this is their business. If you don't think it is or treat it that way you will not be successful. One of the aspects small business face all of the time is how to expose their business to the masses. One way is by increasing your SEO. Meaning when someone searches for keywords in Google you want to be on that first page that pops up. One way is by blogging. Think of it in terms of having a street team of bloggers. The more information and content that is on the web about an artist the higher their rank appears. Be sure to add key words, link backs and connect to as many people as possible.


Blog Well, Blog Often, Make Friends

All other SEO tricks and tips aside, the best way to increase traffic is to have a continuous stream of compelling and well written content. Stay true to this, and you will not only earn new readers, you will keep the ones you already have. You should also make friends to increase the likelihood of people linking to your site. Search engines keep track of how many times your page is linked to, so as a general rule, the more links to your blog, the better.


For other great blog entries check out Music Man's Blog.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Regie Hamm Guests on Trinity Broadcasting Networks


Regie Hamm (far right) onset for TBN's "Praise The Lord" with Clay Crosse, and guest host, Russ Taff.

REGIE HAMM GUESTS TONIGHT

ON TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK’S “PRAISE THE LORD”

December Caps Meaningful Year of Books, Music, & New Vision For Special Needs Children

(Nashville, Tennessee) –December 10, 2010 – Regie Hamm will guest tonight on the Trinity Broadcasting Network’s flagship “Praise The Lord,” for a special Christmas segment spotlighting his ongoing media connectivity with his first major book release, Angels & Idols (Tate Publishing.).

In an extended segment hosted by Russ Taff, Hamm, a multi-platinum songwriter/producer/artist who has four times been honored as “SESAC Songwriter of the Year,” re-tells the remarkable journey that led to his decision to write the book.

In the midst of a successful chain in music that included 20 #1 hits to his credit, the 2003 adoption of the Hamm’s baby daughter, Bella, from a Chinese orphanage was the beginning of a dramatic story that could only be torn from the pages of real life. Discovering their baby suffered from a rare genetic disorder known as Angelman Syndrome, the book recounts the family’s struggles to overcome enormous emotional and financial obstacles to ultimately gain a miracle.

Angels & Idols is available nationally at bookstores everywhere from the Tate Publishing and Tate Music Group.


Regie, writer of the 2008 American Idol winning song, The Time of My Life, recorded by David Cook, is himself now back at radio.

"Orphan's Lullaby" is connecting with listeners this Christmas with a poignant message Regie penned in hopes of encouraging a world of listeners to turn their hearts toward the real meaning of Christmas through the awareness of the needs of children globally.

In the midst of a busy 2010, Regie’s “3rd Annual Bella Bash”—a yearly event he has founded to benefit children with special needs—was an October sell-out in Nashville that brought an array of industry, sponsors, artists and even the attention of America’s leading radio voice, Delilah, in support of Regie’s mission.

His message with media has in recent months reached a broad sweep of national audiences from CBN’s “700 Club,” to Fox New Channel’s “Red Eye.”

Ahead in 2011, Regie will continue the development of The Angel Wings Foundation, an organization he has founded this year as a joint venture with Nashville’s Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. The Foundation plans to establish an Angel Center in Nashville where children battling profound mental and/or genetic disabilities can find comprehensive medical therapies, diagnosis and support. The center will be the first of its kind in the U.S.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Ashley Windham

Acoustic pop vocalist Ashley Windham landed a record deal in a most unconventional manner: by not even expecting one

Stephen Carradini
December 08, 2010


It’s every artist’s dream: Finish a set, and an impressed stranger walks up and offers a record deal. Any number of bands will tell you it doesn’t happen that way, but Oklahoma City singer/songwriter Ashley Windham won’t. That’s how she ended up signed to Tate Music Group.

“I was playing a gig at The Mantel,” she said. “There was a party going on.”

That party was attended by Brianne Webb, A&R director for Tate.

“I’m always listening to music while I’m out,” said Webb, whose ears perked up at Windham’s acoustic guitar and dusky alto pipes. Webb struck up a conversation with Windham between sets, and kept the conversation going with Windham’s father, who was acting as her manager.

Two weeks later, Windham was officially signed to the Mustang-based, national record label.

“It all happened quickly,” Webb said.

The speed is not the only rare element of Windham’s signing, as Tate rarely scouts for new talent. Many artists submit their work to the label for distribution, but only 8 percent are accepted.

Windham’s sound clarifies some of the mystery behind her quick turn of events. Her adult contemporary pop style includes several influences that strike a chord in modern listeners’ ears.

“Her originals would appeal to pop fans and country fans. She would appeal to wide audiences,” said Webb. “She has good lyrics about relationships — and a girl’s take on them — that girls would relate to.”

The new material Windham is working on with guitarist John Cross incorporates even more sounds.

“We want it to sound more folky and funky,” Windham said. “We’ll have some calmer songs, but we want people to get up and dance.”

That work ethic is another piece of the puzzle in her overnight success. For the first thing, “overnight” is a relative term; she’s been playing for eight years in both Texas and Oklahoma.

“She works hard,” Webb said. “She knows that it’s hard work, playing small venues on weeknights. But she was playing out, and it got her a record deal.”

That deal led her not only to April’s release of “Hand Picked,” but CD signings, placement in national book and music retailers like Barnes & Noble, and even a nationally televised commercial which played on MTV, Fuse and Spike TV.

“Coming from nowhere, and not winning a contest or anything, it’s all about marketing,” Windham said.

But she hasn’t let all the exposure go to her head.

“She knows she’s talented, but she’s not this diva artist,” Webb said. “She’s passionate. She believes in her music.”

Keeping her tempered is the knowledge that she’s not where she wants to be yet. Windham, a music and social studies teacher by day, hasn’t made the jump to full-time artist, but is working on it. She hopes to release a new EP in late spring 2011, as well as keep playing shows as a duo, trio or full band, depending on the event.

“That’s what I’ve been working with Tate on: getting my name out so my music can grow and grow and grow,” Windham said.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Variance Issue 3 - VersaEmerge


VersaEmerge lands the cover of Variance Magazines third issue due out Jan 1 at www.variancemagazine.com.

Variance Magazine is a Tate Music Group Publication for the people by the people. Variance wants and publishes articles from the fans because we care about what you have to say. Unlike every other magazine out there we rely on our readers to tell us whats cool, whats going on and whats important to them.

Keep up to date with Variance by following us on twitter.

Voices Of Glory excel at TM


Tate Music Group artists Voices Of Glory have set a precedence by selling more than 4,500 CDs in record time. Slated for release on January 4, 2011, the rapid advance sales of their self-titled debut have already authorized the return of their artist investment - meaning their project was recorded and is being marketed and distributed for free.

The inspirational and international recording artists are actually the Cole family trio of siblings known individually as Nadia, 10, Avery 14, and Michael, 18. The group came to fame as a result of a string of acclaimed performances on the smash NBC TV show America’s Got Talent. The start of their remarkable journey was inspired by love in the face of tragedy transcended into miracle when their mother Felicia Cole fell into a coma for 8 months. In 2007, when on her way home from class to achieve a fourth advanced degree, she was hit head-on by a drunk driver and severely injured. In response to the devastating news, the children decided they would sing at their mother's bedside in the hope that she would recognize their voices.

“People love these kids wherever they go. They work hard, they are respectful and honest and they have a team behind them that works even harder. I haven’t talked to one person that has had an unpleasant experience with VOG. From the kids, parents to the management team they are a first class operation all the way”, said Chris Rutherford Director of Music Marketing at TMG.

More than an idea for a hit song, belief is an omnipresent theme for the Cole family.

VOG manager and uncle, Gerard Cole said about their ascending success, “You have to be committed to your project and believe in it and what TMG can do for you … to get the job done. TMG can only do what you allow them to do. I was consistently involved with Tate and Tate has consistently been involved with us. If you follow the steps of their program, it will come together. Bottom line, it’s about believing … it’s important to concentrate on what you can do through press, marketing and social networking, Gerard Cole said.

At times, Cole said there were anxieties with TMG’s unique though undeniably successful process.

“The recording part was uncertain,” said Gerard Cole. “I wanted to move faster but Tate had a system,” Cole continued chuckling, “I didn’t have as much patience as the people in the Midwest. They are very laid back.”

The investment was another consideration, Cole added. Many outsiders openly scoffed at the idea of paying to record and release their own music versus the more traditional record label system, he said. Undeterred, Cole was already familiar having employed the same tactic of personal investment with his own daughter when it came time for college. According to Cole, your actions illustrate your commitment to the task.

As for VOG, the Tate offer has been strictly beneficial, Cole said.

“Each and every dept has been very supportive. When it was done absolutely everyone told me this is a very professional package,” Cole said. “I pressed harder but if you have money invested, make calls and get it right. Don’t complain if you don’t reach out. You have to be on top of own game. Strive for perfection; be patient but strive for perfection. Make sure each stage is at its best and correct for every level. When you get to the end, you will see it all come together and you will be satisfied.

“We haven’t even scratched the surface,” Cole said.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

VOG sell 2500 CD's in three weeks


Another TMG artist hits the 2500 units sold mark.

Voices of Glory were a top 5 finalist on the hit TV show Americas Got Talent two seasons ago. They signed a record deal with TMG in 2009 and are due to release their debut album Jan 4th through nationwide distribution and have already moved through 2500 CD's within three weeks of the product being complete.

VOG are currently performing two nights a week in Branson MO and have stayed busy booking events around the nation.

They truly understand the value that TMG provides. Since Tate's Music contract allows the artist to gain 70% - 85% profit on physical sales it is beneficial to the artist to move units at live performances.

Billboard Reports on Black Friday Music Sales




















The Early Look: Black Friday Music Sales Recap November 27, 2010
Billboard.biz


Tate Music Group was hopeful for robust shopping on Black Friday, and why not? Overall consumer interest was up from last year, indie retail rolled out special exclusives from artists like U2, Metallica, and the Gaslight Anthem, and a full roster of new superstar releases just hit the shelves - Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday" and Ke$ha's "Cannibal," to name a few. What are the early results? Until the hard sales data is in, here's a look at how select stores performed and insight into some of the top sellers from a sampling of markets on Friday.

BARNES & NOBLE The Shops at Riverside, 187 Riverside Square, Hackensack, N.J.
Foot traffic (1 - 5 scale, 5 the highest): 1.5 Featured specials: Susan Boyle, "The Gift," $12.99; Jackie Evancho, "O Holy Night," $8.99; Josh Groban, "Illuminations," $16.99 The scene: By providing only modest discounts on new releases, Barnes & Noble didn't offer much to draw music shoppers to the store. Not surprisingly, the Hackensack, N.J., store's second-floor music section was nearly deserted at midday. In a 15-minute span, we saw only three customers perusing music titles. Biggest sellers: Susan Boyle, "The Gift"; Rod Stewart, "Fly Me To The Moon: The Great American Songbook Volume V"; Josh Groban, "Illuminations."

BEST BUY 1100 N Galleria Drive, Middletown, N.Y. Foot traffic: Store 4, music department 2 Featured specials: Carole King & James Taylor "Live At The Troubadour;" Rihanna "Loud;" Keith Urban "Get Closer;" Katy Perry "Teenage Dream;" Bon Jovi "Greatest Hits;" Maroon 5 "Hands All Over;" each 6.99 each. The scene: It was clear that this store was well shopped during the day: the music section was sparsely stocked and many titles were out of place. Best sellers: No word from the clerks on the best selling titles of the day, though many titles appeared to be sold out, including new albums and/or the latest by Usher, Drake, Big Boi, Avenge Sevenfold, Tom Petty, Rick Ross, Eminem, Justin Bieber, Dierks Bently, Tech N9ne, Lee Dwyze and Ozzy Osbourne.

BORDERS 281 Daniel Webster Hwy, Nashua, N.H.
Foot traffic: 4 compared to a normal day, 3 compared to other Black Fridays, according to Borders clerk Eric Valentine. Featured specials: $6.99-$9.99 pricing on hit releases. The scene: Clerks reported high sales on Friday, though there were just a few customers in the music section during midday when Billboard was there. The store's music section - which is on the second floor and in the mix with DVDs, Blu rays and books – had two racks of specially priced titles close to the stairs (pictured) and in plain sight. Biggest sellers: “I just had to re-stock Taylor Swift, and we’re Borders, so we’ve sold a lot of Susan Boyle and Michael Buble’ today,” said Valentine.

F.Y.E. Galleria at Crystal Run, Middletown, N.Y. Foot traffic: 3.5 Featured specials: The chain was featuring the new and/or latest albums by Lady Antebellum, Darious Rucker, Katy Perry, Mumford & Sons, Waka Flocka Flame, Selena Gomes, Kid Cudi, Godsmack, Taio Cruz, Rick Ross, Jason Derulo and Hollywood Undead, all at $7.99. The scene: This is one of the chain's superstores, measuring about 15,000 square feet. Music is deeply stocked throughout the store, but it had very little of the front space by the cash registers. At 2:45 pm, there were about 85 customers in the store and by 3:00 there were about 115 customers browsing. There were small but consistent lines of about 10 customers at the registers that moved briskly during that time. The store opened at 5 am and about 20 customers were waiting in line at that time, one clerk said. Most of the doorbusters were in the portable electronics. Most of the music end-caps seemed to be well stocked, probably due to the plentiful store staff, some of whom were seen replenishing items around the store and returning stock to its proper place (That was something not seen in any of the other N.Y. stores visited that day). Biggest sellers: A store clerk reported that the new Nicki Minaj was the best selling title for the day, but said that movies were the big movers, due to the bargains.

F.Y.E. The Mall at Whitney Field, Leominster, Mass.
Foot traffic: 5 compared to a normal day (“one of the busiest of the year, easily, so far,” according to a clerk) and on par with last year’s Black Friday. Featured specials: Pricing specials were at $6.99 for CDs from artists like Justin Bieber, Melissa Ethridge, Hole and Johnny Cash, and $9.99 for titles by Ne-Yo, Jay-Z, Dane Cook and others. The scene: Set inside a popular area mall, the store was jammed with customers browsing music, DVDs and merchandise. Though a major portion of floor space is devoted to music in this F.Y.E., the front of the store was clearly pushing DVDs and other items. Customers needed to walk past six other racks or bins of goods to see the discounted music specials after walking in the store (pictured). Biggest sellers: Titles by Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj were “going like gangbusters,” according to one clerk.

F.Y.E. 91 Route 4 East, Paramus, N.J.
Foot traffic: 3.5 Featured specials: $7.99 sale price for: Katy Perry "Teenage Dream," Darius Rucker "Charleston SC 1966," Lady Antebellum "Need You Know," Mumford & Sons "Sigh No More," Taio Cruz, "Rokstarr" and others. The scene: This store was attracting a steady, but not overwhelming, number of customers in the early afternoon -- still a pretty impressive feat given that it's a standalone store that isn't located inside or adjacent to any of Bergen County's many shopping malls. Customers here tend to linger and browse more than they would at a big box store. Biggest sellers: Jay-Z, "The Hits Collection, Vol. 1"; Kanye West, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"; Ne-Yo, "Libra Scale."

GRIMEY'S 1604 8th Ave. South, Nashville
Foot traffic: A long line had formed before the store opened and Grimey’s was jam packed when it opened at 10am. After a frantic hour, traffic had died down but there were still 15-20 people browsing around the store. Featured specials: The Black Friday exclusives at indie retail which, as reported last month, would include special products from U2, Metallica, the Black Keys, Gaslight Anthem and many more. The stores wanted to underscore the day without trying to replicate April's annual Record Store Day event, explained Michael Kurtz, president of Music Monitor Network, last month. "We limited this to less than 30 pieces because we don't want this to be seen as 'Son of Record Store Day.'" He says Record Store Day can have upward of 300 exclusive pieces. The scene: Grimey’s had sales of over $5,000 the first hour it was open, according to co-owner Doyle Davis. The store quickly sold out of its allotments of exclusive vinyl releases by Dr. Dog, Jimi Hendrix, Sharon Jones, Frank Sinata, Gaslight Anthem and the Doors. Customers returned in strong numbers at 4pm for a free performance of Metallica’s “Live at Grimey’s” in its entirety by a cover band called Fade to Black Friday on the same stage Metallica played when the album was recorded. Biggest sellers: Metallica’s “Live at Grimey’s,” U2’s “Wide Awake in Europe,” Jimi Hendrix “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” the Black Keys’ “Brothers Double,” George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” 3 LP reissue, and MGMT’s “Congratulations.”

RASPUTIN MUSIC & DVDs 5611 Blackstone Ave., Fresno, Calif.
oot traffic: 2.5
Featured specials: The Black Friday exclusives at indie retail and 50% off music posters. Vinyl exclusives on display included: -- U2, "Wide Awake In America," $9.99 (sold out) -- The Black Keys, "Brothers," $35.99 -- George Harrison, "All Things Must Pass," $53.99 -- Metallica, "Live at Grimey's," $27.99 -- Rod Stewart, "The Lost Album: Once In a Blue Moon," $15.99 -- Iggy Pop & the Stooges, "The Stooges," $42.99 -- Job For A Cowboy, "Ruination," $79.99 -- Parlophone, "Record Store Day," $19.99 -- and 50% of all music posters The scene: At 1:30, the store manager expected things to pick up later, but suspected that shoppers who had started in the early hours of the morning were exhausted by this time. The store was stocked nicely and the Black Friday vinyl table was off to the side of the store near the checkout lines. The 50% off music posters were also situated near the checkout lines. All the hot sellers (Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Jimi Hendrix) were placed on the end-caps in the front of the store. So, shoppers could see them upon walking into the store. There was a mix of young and older shoppers looking through the various music genres in the CD area, and quite a few shoppers lingering in the vinyl section near the back of the store. Biggest sellers: Rihanna, "Loud," $15.99; Nicki Minaj, "Pink Friday," $12.99; Kanye West, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,"; Jimi Hendrix, "West Coast Seattle Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Anthology," $60.99.

TARGET Galleria at Crystal Run, Middletown, N.Y. Foot traffic: Store: 5, Music department: 2 Featured specials: Lady Antebellum "Lady Antebellum," Guns & Roses "Greatest Hits," and Eminem's "Curtain Call;" each for $6.50. The scene: The store was packed and had a long checkout line. All the aisles were crowded, making it difficult to browse the store. If you wanted to get away from the crowds, the music department was the place to be. In the back of the store, most of the aisles there were empty, but it was clear that it had traffic earlier in the day as the end-caps were half-picked clean. Biggest sellers: Of the featured titles, Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday" and Josh Groban's "My World" and "2.0" appeared to be sold out. The clerks in the department said they didn't know if there were more of those titles in stock. One clerk said that Nicki Minaj was sold out before Black Friday and Miranda Lambert's "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" sold out as well. Of the catalog titles, Rascal Flatts "Greatest Hits," "Me And My Gang" and "Unstoppable" were sold out. Also not in stock on the end-caps, according to place cards, Simon & Garfunkel's "Greatest Hits," and Journey's "Greatest Hits," both of which were priced at $6.50. Clerks said the DVD section of the store, right next to the music department, was where the crowd was doing most of the shopping. One clerk pointed to the DVD and Blu-Ray sales as the big draw of the day.

WALMART 66 Parkhurst Rd, Chelmsford, Mass.
Foot traffic: Store: 5, Music department: 1 Featured specials: Certain albums, like Justin Bieber’s “My Worlds Acoustic,” priced at $10. The scene: The $10 specials were given end-cap placement in the music section. This store's music floor space is toward the back and small compared to overall floor space. Two clerks couldn’t give an opinion on how the overall foot traffic in the music department had been that day, nor could they comment on any of the day's best sellers. -- Reporting by Ed Christman, Louis Hau, Glenn Peoples, Mitchell Peters and Chris M. Walsh.