The work that matters is the work you do that isn’t posted to Instragram
What’s the best advice for getting the best vocal take, guitar performance, or mix in the studio?
Practice.
It’s 90% pre-production, 10% the final takes. Meaning, you have to put the work in before you get in the vocal booth.
The work that matters is the work you do that no one posts a photo to Instagram. The work that isn’t sexy is the work that leads to greatness…
Not voting is voting; and music cities need your vote
One comedic bit from George Carlin that makes me laugh is about voting; but I don’t agree with him one bit.
“I don’t vote. Two reasons. First of all it’s meaningless; this country was bought and sold a long time ago.” – George Carlin
Sorry George, but not voting allows for the other votes to count more, which in turn, is voting.
That lack of organization as a collective force is one reason songwriters’ interests are being ignored in the changing paradigm of streaming and technology.
It happens with housing, too: Music and art become staples in revitalizing an area; then the developers come in and the artists are economically pushed out of the very hometowns that music put on the map.
Like Austin.
Read Tish Hinojosa’s piece about being a full-time musician in what we assume is a music friendly town: “Hinojosa: Austin venues can do more to pay musicians fairly” – The Statesman.
The list of cities becoming too expensive for many musicians continues:
- Seattle – “Too expensive for the musicians who made it boom” – article here
- New York City – “the 1% stifles creative talent” – Byrne’s article here
- Ann Arbor – “the housing gap” – my wife wrote this article
Even that tourist trap on Broadway Street in Nashville is an interesting discussion concerning fair pay: Those stellar musicians survive on tips! (article here)
Bar owner Ruble Sanderson disputed this idea (his response), and I take him on his word that musicians get paid a small guarantee at his venues; however the musicians commenting on the article say the pay rate for one musician might be $30-40 for a four hour bar gig.
No one can argue that it’s the tip jar that makes the gig lucrative.
But East Nashville is where we should really direct our focus; a neighborhood that musicians called home is now becoming a housing bubble pushing them out: Priced out of Nashville article here.
National elections are important, but it’s our local elections that are even more within our power of creating change.
Try getting the President of the United State to answer your letter.
However, my guess is the Michigan governor’s top aides are finally feeling the heat of the public’s outcry in Flint. And a school board or city council member is going to hear your thoughts.
We vote everyday, with our time and our money.
George Carlin chose to ignore the polls; as artists and musicians, I urge you to do the opposite.
Brad Cole warned, “When you leave Folk Alliance, you will feel the emotional hangover on Monday!”
Racing through a fast-paced schedule; seeing friends; meeting new people; performing music at 2 AM–once the event ends, a musician must acclimate to the normal routine again, which is followed by a decrease in endorphins, a dip in mood.
Yep, finishing a project is often followed by an emotional hangover. Even returning from that family vacation is subject to it. (How often do we say, “I need a vacation from my vacation?”)
The best way to beat the hangover is stay hydrated, with a return to your daily work. That creative headache will pass.
Tribute to Kevin Tyler, aka Conor Savage
I wrote a blog yesterday called “Ships That Pass in the Night,” reminiscing about all of the musicians with whom I have shared shows.
While making the list, I stumbled upon an obit from November 25, 2015, for my friend Kevin Tyler, making the theme more poignant.
I’m crushed.
Kevin Tyler is a beloved Flint musician, known for his stage name Conor Savage. He ran an open mic in Fenton at the Coffee Beanery where many of us got our start.
(Here’s Hannah Fralick playing in 2007!)
Kevin also was a regular performer at the Michigan Renaissance Festival in Holly, a master at performing Celtic music.
Kevin was an early adopter to technology for music, one of the first musicians I knew with a Myspace account, a Youtube channel, and a uStream channel.
He filmed folks playing his open mic and posting them regularly. He was playing online concerts before that was a thing, using uStream.
Here’s a clip Kevin posted of me doing a poor rendition of Radiohead, experimenting with a key too high for my voice. Here’s another moment of Kevin being too kind and letting me play electric guitar (probably too loudly) at his open mic.
I was hanging out with Kevin the week he retired (from Flint GM, if I remember correctly. He was a UAW member). Kevin had just bought a new Taylor guitar, a new video camera, and a new computer. We were sitting at BW3 in Fenton after the open mic, passing our Taylor Guitars back and forth, and he was sharing his excitement about the renewed time he was going to have to dedicate to music now that he was retired.
And Kevin never retired. He just pursued music with a passion and fervor that most of us inspire to maintain.
This made a deep impression on me, as a 20-something-year-old teaching English, barely finding enough time to do music myself…Kevin seem to breath, bleed, and exhale music where ever he went, even before “retirement.” How does one do that?
I’m not sure if he ever sounded better then when he sang with his daughter, Jamie.
He lived a full life, and Kevin is going to be missed at the upcoming Renaissance Festival, St Patrick’s Day pubs in Flint, and the musical corners of the world that he touched. He influenced a lot of us Michigan musicians in the Flint area. He taught me the chords to “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”; and my guitar sheds some tears with this late news.
I’m playing my 1000th gig in March, and I was thinking about everyone who’s shared the stage with me over the years.
I’ve joined some friends on multiple projects since high school; others I’ve met only once. Some are family members who joined me at gigs, like my cousins Andrew and Sarah. (Andrew, I still owe your a beer for sitting in on that Woodruff’s gig!)
I have music to thank for meeting my wife. I got booked to play a festival in Owosso in 2009, and Natalie was running the event as the DDA director.
Music is a powerful experience, where lives intersect over melodies and chords. It can be years before our paths cross again; but it often only takes one musical moment to bond a friendship.
Here’s a list of everyone I’ve shared a show with so far. (I apologize if I missed you! I compiled this list for memory; email me if I’m missing a gig. I only listed official gigs here, not open mics. I also didn’t list festival lineups or Folk Alliance showcases; however, I did count a few songwriter-in-the-round sets.)
UPDATE: As I compiled this list, I stumbled upon an obit for Kevin Tyler (known as his musical name, Conor Savage). I’m crushed; I wrote a tribute to Kevin here.
I’ve shared shows, gigs & appearances with:
- Aaron Noone (AJ Noon)
- Accidentials, the
- (They joined me on “Made a Mess” on Matthew Altruda’s show for 107.1 FM, 2015)
- Alejandra O’ Leary
- Allen Cruz (with Josh Huddleston)
- Annie & Rod Capps (with Jason Dennie)
- Bello Spark
- Beth Stalker
- Bob Marshall
- Bobby Murray
- Bobby Standal
- Boudoir Noir (as Maria Rose & the Swiss Kicks)
- Brian Pobocik
- Brooks Williams
- Carrie McFerrin
- Cetan Clawson
- Chris Brantley
- Chris Buhalis
- Chris DuPont (with Luke Jackson & Betsy King)
- Cory Glover
- Cory Kapanka & Stephen Wozniak
- Dan Mazur
- Dave Boutette
- David Mosher
- David Stanley
- Darren Brown
- Dena Dena Dena (Dena Woods)
- Diana Birch
- Diana Jones
- Don Middlebrook
- I owe a big thanks to Don over theses years for the musical support.
- Ellis Paul
- Emilio Bonto
- Erik Brandt & the Urban Hillbillies
- Frances Luke Accord
- (with Samuel Lane Tuthill)
- Gifts or Creatures (Midwest fest)
- Grievous Angel (& Billy Brandt)
- Gun Lake
- Hannah Fralick
- Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas
- Jeff Pianki <— Video of Jeff with us on “Made a Mess” at the Trinity House!)
- John D Lamb
- Josh Rose
- Jory Stultz
- Julianne Ankley
- Luke Brindley
- Kelsey Rottiers
- Ken Gaines (& Wayne Wilkerson)
- Kevin Tyler (Known as Conor Savage)
- Kylee Philips
- Knee Deep Shag
- Laura K Balke
- Leah Taylor
- Liz McDaniel & Nathan Alan
- Matt Glista
- Matthew Borr
- Mark Sobczak
- Megan Flechaus
- Michelle Held
- Mikal
- Mike Burris
- Mike Gentry
- Mike Maines (before The Branches!)
- Mighty Medicine
- Molly Hunt
- Nathan Bell (Noreastr Songwriters-in-the-Round)
- Nervous But Excited
- Paul Federici
- Painted White (Garret Schmittling & Holly Frances)
- Peyton Tochterman
- Pilot Rogue
- Pottersfield, the
- Off the Ledge
- Owen Stevenson
- Ricci Family Band
- Ronny Cox (with T Bruce Bowers on fiddle)
- Ron Moore
- Sarah Sherrard Band
- Sedgewick
- Sean J Moylan
- Seth Bernard & May (co-taught Noreastr workshop)
- Spencer Michaud
- Stacia Robitaille
- Straightbacks, the
- Steafan Hanvey
- Teddy Davenport & Julia McConahay
- Troy Petty
- Todd Hoke
- Vince Smith
- Wavvy Hands
- West Philadelphia Orchestra
- 92s, the
Friends who have been session musicians, bandmates, c0-writers, or guest singers
- Aaron Noone (AJ Noon) (My first time playing music professionally; we played quite a few gigs as a duo, and Aaron is currently on a gigging contract for cruise ships!)
- Adam Warner (drums, “Love Birds” session)
- Alan Black <— first band, first co-writing sessions, first radio interview!
- Adam Kronk <— first band & college band (and best man in wedding!)
- Andrew Vial (bass for select shows)
- Ashley Jo Farmer (vocals, “Love Birds” session)
- Dan Achen (producer & some percussion on Burning the Boats)
- David Mosher (multiple sessions & shows on mandolin, fiddle, guitar)
- Ken Gruel (bass in college band, Sidestream; bass for Burning the Boats release show)
- Kevin Vines (bass for shows in 2012-2013)
- Kevin Lambert (We’ve shared shows, and Kevin sat in on harmonica 2007-2008)
- Kirk Starkey (cello for “I Will” session)
- Garret Schmittling & Holly Frances (St Patrick’s Day duo partner)
- Graham Lapp (bass for gig August 2013)
- Hannah Fralick (duo, vocal sessions for Where the Sand Meets the Tide)
- Leah Taylor (vocals for band 2012-2013)
- Mike Mies (played piano in our high school band!)
- moon:and:6 (Michael Chambers/Leon Furs – producer, for many sessions)
- Natalie Burg (My wife plays a mean trumpet! REM tribute show 2013.)
- Nate Mazur <— first band
- Nick Skalkos (session drummer for Burning the Boats)
- Marcone (organ/keys/engineer on Burning the Boats; producer & organ/piano on “Reaching Back”
- Paul Federici (“Love Birds” vocal session; Paul’s second album)
- Richard Wilberg (I did the guitar/vocal session for his song Meta)
- Sandra Thompson (backing vocals at Acorn Theater 2015 & 2016 – video here)
- Steven Zeigler (drummer for Burning the Boats release show)
- Stuart Tucker (session drummer, bandmate, overall great guy!)
Playing my first show in NYC with Leah Taylor!
with Cory and Kelsey at Burning the Boats release show
playing some of my first gigs with Aaron Noon
FLA’s first tour! Brian and Nick from FLA and I enjoying lunch and spring’s weather before our Ann Arbor show.
Photo credit: Natalie Burg
Stuart, Kevin and David waiting to take the stage at the Trinity House
Dan Achen and Michael Chambers working on a bass lines for Burning the Boats sessions
Hey! Look at us cheering our nuptials with jars of McClures!
The Next Best Thing, our first band – Alan Black on bass, Adam Kronk on drums
