YOU CAN Make a Living In The Music Industry Podcast

This week we are wrapping up season 5 with two amazing guests! I’m talking with Eric Knight & Ritch Esra of MUBUTV (Music Business Television) in Los Angeles, CA. These guys have a combined goldmine of knowledge and advice that covers the whole gambit of the music industry. Ritch worked at two record labels; A&M in radio promotion and Arista in A&R where he had the privilege of working with the legendary Clive Davis who has signed some of the biggest artists in the world including Whitney Houston and Kelly Clarkson. Eric has opened for such acts as KISS, Dave Matthews Band, Aerosmith and Kid Rock. He started his own artist management company Persistent Management™ not only for his own career as an artist but also to create a vehicle for other artists to achieve their artistic vision and integrity. Their MUBUTV Insider Series and Insider podcast is similar to my YOU CAN Make A Living In The Music Industry podcast as they have guests from all over the industry sharing knowledge that will help you make a living in music no matter what area you are pursuing. We are a companion series to each other and I can’t recommend them enough to check out (after you listen to this episode of course!) We are discussing the importance of being educated about your chosen career path. Why you no longer need a record deal to be successful. Why you have to be a jack of all trades AND a master of all. Plus, learning who your audience is, finding where they are, then going after them. And we discuss how MUBUTV’s goal is to educate, empower and engage your music career. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *The importance of internships. *The Music Business Registry. *Become educated about your chosen career path. *MUBUTV (Music Business Television) is a companion type podcast to YOU CAN Make A Living In The Music Industry. *How to listen to songs for A&R. *The criteria of the kind of artists today has changed because of a copy model (CDs, tapes, etc.) to an access model (streaming for free). *Artists signings today are not just about who is successful or about their music. Today its about who they are, where are they from, what do they represent? What are their values?  *You no longer need a record deal to be successful. *The real challenge today is the ability to get someone’s attention. *You must find an audience for your music before A&R or labels will put time, energy and effort   into you. *We are no longer just artists. We are business leaders. *A&R was a faith based business. That model changed with technology. *Today technology allows us to ask if there is a market for my music without A&R. *Who is my audience? *If you don’t know who your audience is at the beginning of your career, start making a serious commitment to learning who they are. *Being an artist who has been signed to a label and also an indie. *Find where your niche is, that narrow world where you can build your career. *Major labels are amplifiers to a career. *Adapting is the key. *A booking agent won’t sign you as an indie unless you can sell at least 300-500 seats on your own. *You have to be a jack of all trades and a master of all. *Learning who your audience is, finding where they are and going after them. *The more you know, the more valuable you become to companies. *MUBUTV’s goal is to educate, empower and engage your music career. *Study the lives of other successful people in the industry. *www.mubutv.com *www.youtube.com/mubutv   BIO: Ritch Esra | Co-Founder I started my career in 1978 at Record World, a leading trade magazine and have spent my entire career in this industry.  From 1980 - 1987 I worked at two record labels; A&M in radio promotion and Arista in A&R where I had the privilege of working with the legendary Clive Davis. In 1986, I began teaching several music business courses at various schools including Trebas Institute of Recording Arts, UCLA Extension, SAE (School for Audio Engineering) and Musicians Institute where I continue to teach today. In 1992 I formed the Music Business Registry with my business partner Stephen Trumbull. For the last twenty years, we have published the music industries leading contact directories for personnel in A&R, Music Publishing, Film/Television Music, Music Law and Artist Management. MUBUTV™is a blend of my passion for music as well as educating artists and others who have a strong curiosity about music, technology and the new emerging models within the business. Eric Knight | Co-Founder As an independent recording artist, I have taken the contemporarily appropriate “do-it-yourself” attitude to a whole new level; Having opened for such acts as KISS, Dave Matthews Band, Aerosmith and Kid Rock, I have worked tirelessly to introduce my original music to the masses. Throughout my career, I have worked on both the performing and business sides of the music industry. Besides being an accomplished musician with a strong D.I.Y. work ethic, I started my own artist management company Persistent Management™ not only for my own career as an artist but also to create a vehicle for other artists to achieve their artistic vision and integrity. My band Rock act Disciples of Babylon has put everything I've learned throughout my career to the test in order to build a self sustaining career that is totally autonomous and completely independent.   My current and most ambitious project, Symbiotic Nation™ is a new entertainment company startup with a mission to reinvent the entertainment industry completely. “Think Google of the new entertainment industry.” I am a voting member to the National Academy of Recording Arts & Science [NARAS] and The Latin Recording Academy [LARAS] Grammy Awards. I’ve always had a strong passion for teaching and sharing my experience with other aspiring artists, musicians and industry professionals. As a result, I have lectured and conducted several workshops over the years with students at the Berklee School of Music in Boston as well as my alma mater Musicians Institute [MI] in Los Angeles. MUBUTV™ is the ultimate vehicle where I feel there is a genuine opportunity for artists and musicians like myself to empower themselves in order to survive as well as thrive in this new era.

This week I’m talking with Julie Klinger who is the executive director of the Christian Festival Association. Julie oversees 25 festivals around the country. We are discussing what the CFA does, the importance of volunteers to make music festivals of any genre successful, how to start your own local festival and what artists who want to perform at music festivals need to do to make sure they are invited back. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Honoring volunteers. *Volunteers make festivals happen. *What an executive director does for a festival association. *Maintain and support the efforts of all the festivals. *Putting showcases together to listen to new talent for the festivals. *Networking and education. *Working with national sponsors to bring into different festivals. *Every festival needs to engage in the community. *Getting the local community involved to make your festival successful. *Festivals should find partners to have mission trips through the year or local shows to keep people engaged and serving. *How to get involved working as a volunteer at a festival. *How to work your way up in a festival. *How artists and speakers get booked at festivals. *Have a servant heart. *Give a festival 3 years to even get noticed. *How to start a local festival. *As an artist, don’t ignore your promoter.  *Engage with the festival fans and promote the festival to your fans. *Bad attitude artists usually won’t get invited back. *Honor who has brought you there. *www.christianfestivalassociation.com BIO: Julie began her career in Christian music as a volunteer for a small start-up free festival called LifeLight in Sioux Falls, SD.  While volunteering, she worked full-time as an adoption social worker receiving her Master's Degree in Social Work in 2005.  She then became the Adoption Program and Grants Director.  Over her nine years as a volunteer, the festival grew from a small one-day festival on a church lawn to the largest free outdoor Christian Music Festival in the nation.  Julie left her career in social work in 2007 and joined the LifeLight staff full-time as the Festival Director.  Eventually, Julie was promoted to the Vice President of Events and Operations at LifeLight.   During her time at LifeLight she became an at-large board member for the Christian Festival Association (CFA) and eventually became the Vice President of the CFA Board. After leaving LifeLight in 2016, Julie returned to nonprofit management work.  Julie was offered and accepted the position as Executive Director of the CFA in January of 2019, while also continuing her nonprofit work.  Julie started her own consulting firm, The Tricycle Group, in August of 2021 and currently works full-time for various organizations helping them accelerate their momentum in the areas of program development, grant management and strategic planning.  Julie's vision for the CFA is to see the love of God spread across the country and globe through Christian music festivals and to inspire festival attendees to get involved in serving others in their communities. The Christian Festival Association was formed in 2006 and is comprised of North America’s largest Christian music festivals united by a common goal: to bring glory to God.  We meet regularly via conference calls and at an annual meeting in Nashville to discuss matters such as talent development, spiritual content, event production and marketing, national sponsorship acquisition and much more. The mission of the Christian Festival Association is to promote positive communication and synergies between the nation's top Christian festivals. Our goal is to see these member organizations grow both spiritually and fiscally so that more lives can be changed for glory of God. Our vision is to provide and facilitate an open communications environment to link Christian festival organizers together for: encouragement, shared information and resources, and addressing common business circumstances and goals, all for the purpose of increasing the success and professionalism of participating festivals so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ may be advanced and glory brought to Jesus Christ, our Lord.

This week I’m talking with writer, producer and composer Brian Steckler in CA. Brian has made a successful career for himself producing albums, composing for sync and library production music with NBC, CBS, Netflix and more. Brian has won a Clio award for helping create the audio and star in one of the most famous Super Bowl ads of all time as a certain frog who liked to say “er!” We are discussing working for a jingle company and creating world famous ads, writing production library music used on countless shows, finding your niche to work in a field of music that only you can provide and how you need to decide what success looks like for you. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Working for Hummingbird Productions in Nashville. *What a jingle company does. *Creating the voices of the Budweiser Frogs commercial soundtrack. *The difference in studio budgets from the 1980s and today. *Working in sync music. *Writing library production music. *Writing to briefs on a deadline. *Writing for a children’s preschool curriculum program. *Making the right connections. *Having a breadth of knowledge to do many things. *Writing custom cues for Netflix. *Putting favorite sounds into a template for speed. *Align yourself with people who are good at things you aren’t. *It’s a long term numbers game. *Send it, forget it. *Tear tracks apart to learn how to create them. *Making your first instinct sound good. *https://www.briansteckler.com/ *@briansteckler on IG. BIO: I have made a career of creating music in a wide variety of forms and genres. The scope of my experience includes collaborations with directors, editors, and ad agencies for commercial musical purposes as well as working with individual artists, and bands to create and hone unique musical styles.This range of experience has given me a broad musical basis to draw from. I enjoy learning what people want and need musically, and then bringing even more than they expect to both the process and the result. After receiving my BFA (piano performance) from Western Michigan University in 1993, I moved to Nashville and began my career at Hummingbird Productions, one of the leading jingle houses on Music Row at the time. It was there I co-produced the audio and lent my voice to one of the most recognized, Clio-winning Super Bowl commercials of all time: Budweiser “Frogs.” I wrote and produced national, regional, and local spots during my years at Hummingbird and it was there that I learned how to deliver great sounding audio on very tight deadlines. I moved to Los Angeles in 1997 in order to pursue songwriting and production and began working with artists and bands crafting songs, producing tracks, and mixing my own work, as well as other producer’s songs. I wrote songs for Sony ATV Music Publishing, including co-writing with Billy Porter, Gary Barlow (Take That), Paul Stanley (KISS), 2Gether (an MTV boy band spoof series), and many others. With artist Angela Via, I co-wrote and produced a song that landed in Pokemon: The Movie and on the multi-platinum selling soundtrack album. It was also during this time I had my first taste of film scoring, working closely with Keith Forsey (Billy Idol’s long-time record producer) to create the score for Wisegirls, a film starring Mira Sorvino and Mariah Carey.  As the record industry underwent significant changes during the Napster era, my wife and I chose to move our young family to Northern California. While maintaining my relationships in LA, I was able to work with independent artists and bands, as well as grow my skills and experience scoring, working for Universal Pictures on trailers and promos, as well as regularly placing cues in TV shows.  Recently, I’ve written the score for the Netflix series The Day I Met El Chapo, provided the bulk of the music, including the Main Title theme for a number of other series: Hunted (CBS), S.T.R.O.N.G. (NBC), Ultimate Beastmaster, Awake, Cooked with Cannabis (Netflix). I also had the opportunity to score the award winning documentary Hand Rolled: A Film About Cigars, as well as Sun, Soil & Water, which is currently being screened at a number of film festivals.   My wife and I live in Granite Bay, CA  which is situated between Folsom and Roseville, about 30 minutes from downtown Sacramento, and 90 minutes from Lake Tahoe. Living somewhere beautiful, outside the “rat race,” certainly helps my creative flow. I work in my well sound-proofed custom recording studio called “The Stickhouse,” which is an ideal place for creating and mixing music. My studio is built around the Slate Digital VRS8 system, running Pro Tools Ultimate and Logic Pro, depending on the functionality I need for each project. I have a substantial library of Virtual Instruments and samples which cover any genre, from orchestral to hip-hop.

This week I am talking with Richard Casper of CreatiVets in Nashville, TN. Richard is a military veteran that suffered a brain injury in the war and has since found healing through music. He co-founded the non-profit CreatiVets to help other veterans write songs with hit songwriters that help them communicate their thoughts and feelings to start the healing process. Richard also co-founded the songwriting app We Should Write Sometime that allows writers from all over to connect with other songwriters.  We are discussing learning to write music to cope with trauma, starting multiple music related companies, changing the way music is accessible and how your anxieties and depression have to be outweighed by your excitement when writing. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Being in the military and guarding the President. *Losing friends in combat and suffering a brain injury. *Taking art and creative writing in college to help with the brain injury. *Learning to write music to cope. *Connecting with Nashville writers at a songwriter’s round in Chicago. *Meeting and writing with songwriter Mark Irwin and how that began the healing process. *Bringing vets to Nashville to write with pro writers who can help them communicate their thoughts and feelings to help the start healing. *Bring in people around you to be successful. *Starting the non-profit CreatiVets. *CreatiVets helps wounded veterans heal through arts and music. *The importance of networking with people in the industry. *Creating a partnership with Big Machine Records to release music. *Starting We Should Write Sometime app. *Changing the way music is accessible. *We Should Write Your Song - custom songs for people. *weshouldwritesometime.com *How writers can write for We Should Write Sometime or We Should Write Your Song. *CreatiVets’ goal is trying to end veteran suicide. *Your anxieties and depression have to be outweighed by your excitement. *www.creativets.org *You need to be in a music town to do this professionally. *Have one person who will champion you. *https://creativets.org/ BIO: RICHARD CASPER | Co-Founder & Executive Director Richard co-founded CreatiVets and currently serves as the CreatiVets organization’s executive director.  Richard served four years as an infantryman in the United States Marine Corps, with a combat deployment in Fallujah, Iraq.  During his deployment, he was hit by four IEDs in just four short months, causing him to suffer from a traumatic brain injury.  Upon returning home, Richard found it hard to adjust and suffered from PTS until he discovered the healing power of music and art.  After experiencing firsthand the impact music and art had on his own recovery, Richard co-founded CreatiVets to help other veterans who are suffering. CreatiVets’ goal is to offer opportunities for relief and healing for the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country.  Our purpose is to use various forms of art, including songwriting, visual arts, music, and creative writing, to help disabled veterans cope with service-related trauma (i.e., post-traumatic stress, or PTS) by fostering self-expression in a way that allows them to transform their stories of trauma and struggle into an art form that can inspire and motivate continued healing. Through compassion, we are helping veterans live again. Veterans suffering from PTS re-experience traumatic events years and even decades later, reliving the helplessness, fear, and horror associated with their traumatic event. Such strong, negative reactions often lead to anxiety, sadness, anger, depression, guilt, shame, irritability, behavior changes, and thoughts of suicide. These feelings can cause the individual to avoid environments that trigger reminders of the trauma, resulting in isolation and withdrawal from society and often leading to marital problems, difficulty in parenting, job instability, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, and even suicide. CreatiVets has served veterans from 49 states!   According to the Department of Defense, one in five veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are diagnosed with PTS – over 300,000 veterans by the end of 2012. The social and economic costs of PTS are immense, and a study posted by the Military Times in 2015 found that the veteran suicide rate in the United States is 20 suicides per day and 14 of those don’t seek help from the VA. Veterans now account for 20% of suicides in the United States. Creative art forms like those offered by the CreatiVets’ programs have shown tremendous effectiveness in reducing PTS symptoms, reducing the severity of depression that often accompanies PTS, and improving the quality of life for veterans and their family members. Over the last two decades, researchers and clinicians have found the relief and healing provided by expressive writing, music and art is possible because these forms of expression do not necessitate exposure to the facts of the trauma, and also allow the individual to avoid the stigma of receiving mental health treatment. In modeling the CreatiVets programming, we have structured our sessions in a way that allows the participating veterans to express their thoughts and feelings without having to verbalize or directly confront the trauma. Our artistic outlets focus on creating an environment in which the veteran feels safe, providing an expressive medium that does not threaten that feeling of safety and helping veterans live again in turn.

This week I’m talking with Adam Taylor, president of APM Music. APM is the world's leading creative music house and production music library. With placements in network tv, Netflix and Disney +  to tons of blockbuster films, it’s no wonder APM is at the forefront of the sync and music production library world. Crazy thing about Adam, he has no musical bones in his body, yet he runs the largest music production library in the world! We are discussing how someone with no musical background can become the leader of music related company, the key to the music library business and what APM looks for when hiring new staff members. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Leading a music company with no music background. *Going beyond the job description. *The mission of APM. *Understanding what people are looking for. *wanting artists and composers who have their own style. *Having your own voice. *What APM looks for in new writers and producers. *Representing 3rd party libraries. *Success is based on the quality of music. *Indie artist centric. *Genres that are not used often in sync. *The more popular the music style, the shorter the shelf life may be. *Exclusive vs. non-exclusive representation. *The key to the music library business. *How APM pays artists and songwriters. *Come prepared. *Understand how you might want to fit into a company. *What APM looks for when hiring new staff members. *Be open to new ideas and ways of thinking. *www.apmmusic.com *https://form.apmmusic.com/composer-submission/   BIO: For over two decades, Adam Taylor has been helping intellectual property companies, organizations and individuals manage and extract value from their copyrights, trademarks and patents. As president of APM, Adam continues to reinforce the company's standing as an innovative creative house and production music library with one of the most diverse collections of original music for every type of media.  Prior to taking the helm at APM, Adam was president of Taylor/Fox Enterprises, where he partnered with doctors, scientists and inventors to direct market and deliver their unique, patent-protected inventions to consumers. Before that, as founding partner of Goldman/Taylor Entertainment, he developed numerous properties including the television series "Confessions of Crime" for Lifetime Network, and the PBS series "Joseph Campbell - Mythos" hosted by Academy Award® winner Susan Sarandon in partnership with the Joseph Campbell Foundation.  Adam began his career at Caswell-Massey, the oldest chemists and perfumers in the U.S. established in 1752, where he served a ten-year post as president and CEO.  Adam currently serves on the Board of Advisors for the Santa Monica College Academy of Entertainment and Technology, the Board of Directors for CreatiVets, a not-for-profit that uses music and the arts to help veterans heal, the advisory board of the Zelikow School of Jewish Non-Profit Management and the advisory board of Creative Community for Peace.

This week I’m talking with Rehya Stevens. Rehya is a very successful indie pop artist who also makes a great living in the sync world. She’s had placements on Lifetime, Peacock, Disney +, ABC, Hallmark and more, plus, multiple commercial ads. We are discussing filling a hole needed in the sync industry with Christmas music, how to reach out to outlets who review music and how to take the next best step when things don’t work out the way you hope. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Making Christmas music for sync. *Learn what you need to learn, then throw it away. *Find a way to marry your artist self with your crafting self. *Keep making music you believe in. *Being a priority on someones list. *How to be your own PR agent as an artist. *Bloom where you are planted. *https://www.submithub.com/ *How to reach out to outlets who review music. *What’s the next best step when things don’t work out? *Be genuine and do your research in sync. *Not hearing anything, doesn’t mean something’s not happening. *Show appreciation for your team. *Don’t abandon your authenticity. *https://rehyastevens.com/ BIO: Rehya Stevens is not only a gifted and highly praised singer-songwriter, she's also an insightful observer when it comes to a vast spectrum of human emotions. Granted, it’s a rare artist who can fully plough through the tangled web of feelings and experiences encountered during the often confounding journey that encompasses life’s entirety, but Rehya has been given the gift of not only perception, but also sensitivity, and with that - the ability to make music that is readily relatable to everyone fortunate enough to find it.  Rehya is especially adept at writing music that enhances the joys of the holiday season - and in so doing, rekindles the sentiment and kinship that’s so integral to that precious time of year. It’s especially important now, given the distancing, distrust and trepidation that have become so commonplace of late. Thankfully, Rehya’s music provides a formidable space to reinforce the bonds of brotherhood and fellowship that are so essential, not only at Christmas, but every day of the year.

This week I am talking with Benjamin and Kassie Wilson of the Americana duo Goldpine. Formerly called My One and Only, Goldpine is cathartic, moody, raucous, and relevant all wrapped into one package as they tour the U.S. playing for audiences large and small. We are discussing changing band names and how it affects you, starting over from an audience perspective and The process of booking shows as an indie artist. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Changing band names and how it affects you. *Starting over from an audience perspective. *Starting from zero. *The benefits of going to school for audio engineering. *The process of booking shows as an indie artist. *How to create a great booking email. *Being persistent in booking. *Make an excel spreadsheet to keep track of booking. *How far out to book a tour. *Getting into the house concert circuit. *How to play downtown Broadway in Nashville and use it to your advantage. *Don’t let “NO” control you. *www.goldpinemusic.com BIO: Americana act Goldpine was built by married couple Benjamin and Kassie Wilson (formerly called “My One and Only”).  From festivals like 30A Songwriting Festival and Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion to listening rooms throughout the United States, Goldpine has been offering their own brand of raw Americana to audiences large and small.  Finalists in the Kerrville Folk Fest 2021 New Folk Competition, the duo’s bold harmonies are clearly a channel for their highly charged songwriting.  Exposing the pains of severed relationships and unearthing the pursuits of love and purpose, Goldpine is cathartic, moody, raucous, and relevant all wrapped into one. Touring since 2015, they have been lessening the gap between music and the audience by disclosing their stories behind the lyrics at every venue along the way. 

This week I am talking with Doug Gould of Worship MD. Doug is tech consultant who works with venues all over the country, helping train them in running their sound equipment and getting the best sound out of their gear and room. He specializes in working with houses of worship and getting sound teams and worship teams to work together and create the best environment for people coming to worship services. Doug is also the artist relations rep for different musical companies. We are discussing training volunteers to run sound in churches, what a Worship MD weekend training event looks like and the difference in communicating with people in various types of venues. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  Show Notes: In this episode we discuss: *Training volunteers to run sound in churches. *Being the artist relations rep for different musical companies. *Supply products to award shows. *The difference in communicating with people in various types of venues. *Moving from teaching for other companies to becoming an independent marketing specialist. *Worship MD refers to. *Logos and branding. *Consulting for retail music stores. *What a Worship MD weekend training event looks like. *Live mix vs broadcast streaming mix. *The cost for Worship MD to do a training event. *www.worshipmd.com *Artist and musician endorsement deals. *Get networked. *Be a servant.   BIO: Doug has been a veteran of the Pro Audio and Music Technology Industry for nearly 30 years, serving in management roles at Shure, Tascam and E-Mu Systems and also serves as a worship leader, musician and tech at various churches throughout his esteemed career.

Over the last twelve years Doug has been a very effective presenter at hundreds of worship conferences all over North America and beyond, focusing his experience to consult and teach others.

This week I am talking with recording artist Mac Powell live from Lifest Music City just outside of Nashville, TN. Mac is best known as the frontman for the Christian rock band Third Day who released 13 albums in 21 years and received 4 Grammy Awards and 25 Dove Awards. He has been building his solo career over the past few years and is not shy to talk about starting over as a solo artist after being in a successful band for many years. We are discussing being stuck in a contract you want out of, the difference in being on an indie label vs. major label and not being afraid to play in front of smaller audiences.   Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Being stuck in a contract you want out of. *Major labels buying out an indie label contract. *The difference in being on an indie label vs. major label. *More doors open up when being on a major label. *Starting over as a solo artist after being in a successful band. *Don’t be afraid to play in front of small audiences. *Enjoy where you are but have this dissatisfied contentment. *www.macpowell.com   BIO: Mac Powell grew up in a small town in Alabama. His love for music began at an early age as both of his parents would sing and play guitar around the house. Mac soon began to sing in the local country church by day, and listen to his Dad's record collection by night. When Mac was a sophomore in high school, he moved to Atlanta, GA where his passion for music and faith found an outlet in the band THIRD DAY. Over the past 25 years THIRD DAY has helped transform Christian music and built a devoted fan base while traveling the world many times over, selling 10 million albums, earning 4 Grammy awards, 1 American Music Award, 24 Dove Awards, and by being inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Since Third Day’s farewell tour in 2018 Mac released a country album “Back Again” under the banner “Mac Powell And The Family Reunion” and he has just released his debut solo Christian album “New Creation.” Mac is on staff at Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, GA where he lives with his wife Aimee and their five children.

This week I’m talking with Chris Bragg and Travis Michaud of Ghostwriter Music here in Nashville and in L.A. Ghostwriter is one of the most sought after companies that creates exciting and emotional music put to the trailers we love to watch when anticipating the release of a new tv show or movie coming to theaters. Their music has been used in trailers for Thor: Love and Thunder, Sonic The Hedgehog, She-Hulk, Star Wars: Andor and so much more! We are discussing when Ghostwriter gets involved to write music for a trailer, how you get paid when creating music for trailers and the number 1 rule of writing music for trailers. These guys should know, they are some of the best in the business! Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Prepping audio for trailer mixes. *What kinds of sounds to stay away from when adding sound design. *Practical effects vs. sound design. *When Ghostwriter gets involved to write music for a movie trailer. *Trailerizing Music. *Trailers get cut to the music, not the music to the trailer. *The Three act progression. *How many versions of songs can be used in a series of movie trailers. *Levels of approval needed. *When you get paid for making music for trailer. *You’re competing against multiple vendors for the same project. *How long it takes to complete a track for trailer. *Have pre-made templates ready in your DAW. *Save versions every time you make changes. *Print stems for every version to be safe. *Be consistent and organized. *The dark side of the trailer industry. *You’re on call 24/7. *Matching projects to composers. *How you get paid when creating music for trailers. *What Ghostwriter is looking for in composers. *Why you can’t always talk about the trailers you make music for. *The number 1 rule of writing music for trailers. *Never end a cue feeling satisfaction. *www.ghostwritermusic.com BIO: Ghostwriter, since its inception has been an industry innovator and to some of our fiercest competitors, a disruptor. We strive to bring audio excellence to all our clients, big and small. The music we make is what separates us from our competition and the music you choose is what will make your project stick out from the rest. Whether you’re working on one of the most anticipated film campaigns, advertisements, video games, and TV promos, we are ready to work with you, so let’s make something special. Ghostwriter is, as the name suggests, the ones working behind the scenes to elevate a project to the next level.

This week we end season 4 with recording artist, producer, and songwriter Galen Crew in Nashville, TN. Galen’s music is known for its dream-like quality which often features deep yet whimsical themes and seems to emanate from a different world. He is a huge fan of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and other fantasy writers and if you imagine the mysterious Grimm Brothers fairy tale collections being somehow transformed into modern pop songs - you’ll start to get idea of the imagery, depth and layers within Galen’s music. Although an American artist, Galen’s music went viral in China and he has become a major pop star in that country. We are discussing writing music more like fairytales than mainstream music, working with legendary songwriter Roger Cook and building a huge fanbase and touring in China as an independent artist. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Working with legendary songwriter Roger Cook. *Writing music more like fairytales than mainstream music. *Going viral in China. *Building a fanbase and being able to tour exclusively in China. *Touring with and producing music for Phil Joel from Newsboys. *Authenticity. *Value relationships.
 *Having integrity as a producer. *Demo and master recording rates. *Have identity and security in yourself, not the industry. *Diversification of skillset. *www.galencrew.com *www.music.163.com in China. BIO: Galen Crew is an American recording artist, producer, and songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. His music is known for its dream-like quality which often features deep yet whimsical themes and seems to emanate from a different world. At his core, Galen is a storyteller. He crafts stories that pull from various art forms….citing fantasy authors such as Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Herman Hesse as having inspired him just as much as the Beatles, Coldplay, and John Mayer. Imagine if the mysterious Grimm Brothers fairy tale collections were somehow transformed into modern pop songs – and you’ll start to get idea of the imagery, depth, and layers within Galen’s music. Having played in various bands throughout his life, Galen had always been primarily the songwriter and guitarist. But at age 19, he began writing unique material that didn’t fit with any of the bands he was playing with, and he tentatively stepped out as a vocalist himself. The first few demos he recorded as a solo artist immediately caught the attention of Roger Cook, legendary British songwriter (“I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”; “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress”). Galen and Roger have now written over 100 songs together. One of them, titled “Sleepyhead” – a unique story song that is something of a medieval myth or fairy tale – organically went viral in China. Upon discovering that his music was gaining millions upon millions of streams on Chinese music platforms, Galen toured the country twice – and found that although he had never been to Asia before, his fans knew the words to his songs in every city he performed in. Galen describes the experience as being simultaneously surreal and inspiring. In fall 2016 he teamed up with Hover Coalition Music.

This week I’m talking with Peder Eide from Lifest 2022. Peder has been the main stage host at Lifest for over 20 years as well as a successful independent artist. We are discussing what it takes to be a host/emcee for music festivals, how to interact with an audience and having venues to trust you to bring what they need.    Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Opportunities come because of relationships. *Having a successful career as an indie artist. *Being a product of great people. *Venues trusting you to bring what they need. *Be willing to do whatever the venue needs you to do. *Serving the event. *Being a host/emcee for music festivals. *Getting into the festival circuit as a host/emcee. *What it takes to be a host/emcee for music festivals. *Let people know you’re paying attention to them. *Be available. *Surround yourself with great people. BIO: Peder Eide - Peder has spent the last 25 plus years as a singer/songwriter, speaker, worship leader, trainer and an advocate for orphans and children in poverty. His deep passion for the life-changing power of The Father’s love can be heard throughout the music of the songs and records he has written and recorded. Peder also has heart for helping youth and families draw closer to God and closer together through music and experiential worship. Peder’s critically acclaimed music has been described as playful yet spiritually challenging and it puts the fun back into contemporary Christian music…straightforward and relevant…, The creator of Taste Worship, a family connection event, Peder’s music and ministry has been highlighted by such groups as USA TODAY, Focus on the Family, Christianity Today and Worship Leader Magazine.  Peder was selected as a “Top Ten Young Minnesotan” by the MN Jaycees and in 2013 was honored by his high school, Oak Grove Lutheran High School with its most prestigious award, Living The Mission award. More recently Peder has been using his years of experience to serve churches and ministries as a consultant for their Sunday worship experience. He helps worship leaders and their teams to connect and engage their congregation by equipping them with some unique creative skills that go beyond just the music. Peder and his wife Sherri live in Farmington MN.  They have 5 children, Taylor, Allison, Ethan, Makenzie and Teshome.  

This week I’m talking with five-time GRAMMY Nominated and platinum-selling songwriter and recording artist Dante Bowe at Lifest 2022. Dante made history as the first artist to have the greatest number of simultaneous GRAMMY nominations in both Gospel & Christian genres with 3 solo and 2 group award nominations for the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards. We are discussing why hearing “no” repeatedly helps to perfect your songwriting, the process of putting a live show together and that if you don’t have a vision for yourself as an artist, your label will give you one. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Getting “no” helps to perfect songwriting. *What it’s like to co-write. *The process of putting a live show together. *Pros and cons of being a solo artist vs. being part of a group. *How to keep a label happy. *Know who you are. *If you don’t have a vision, they will give you one. *Know your core values. *https://www.dantebowe.com/   BIO: Dante Bowe is a five-time GRAMMY Nominated and platinum-selling songwriter and recording artist from Rockingham, NC, now based in Nashville, TN.  Known for his distinctive raspy vocals, Dante made history as the first artist to have the greatest number of simultaneous GRAMMY nominations in both Gospel & Christian genres with 3 solo and 2 group award nominations for the 64th GRAMMY Awards including Best Gospel Performance/Song twice for “Voice of God” and "joyful,” Best Gospel Performance/Song for “Wait on You” with Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music; Best 5 Gospel Album with Maverick City Music for Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition, and Best Contemporary Christian Music Album with Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music. Dante's independent debut Son of a Father (2017), rose to No. 21 on the Billboard Charts establishing a sound that was uniquely Dante - an infectious mix of soul, gospel, and R&B. In 2018, after spending time on the road as a backing vocalist, Dante left the security of steady employment to take center stage--His star was on the rise. He was a co-writer on the platinum-selling track “In Spite of Me [feat. Ciara]” for Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and Maverick City Music’s biggest hit to date, “Promises."   With his familial roots in his heart, and an optimistic future in his sights, Dante released his sophomore album and Bethel Music label debut circles earlier last year. circles debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart, and the chart-topping GRAMMY Nominated single, ‘joyful,' debuted No. 1 on the Billboard’s Gospel Chart, and No. 3 on Hot Gospel Songs. The introspective album which reflects on the death of his grandfather and the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart, making it the highest solo charting position of Bowe's career. He closed out the season with top ten placements on three different Billboard Year End Charts, hailed as the Top New Gospel Artist of 2021--No. 9 overall for Top Gospel Artist, No. 4 for Top Male Gospel Artist, and No. 4 on Top New Christian Artists. Last year, Bowe won his first Dove Award at the 52nd GMA Dove Awards for Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year for “joyful." The award-winning songwriter made history with “joyful” again and became the first artist to have his song chart on both the Billboard's Gospel Airplay and Christian Song charts, bridging the gap between Gospel and CCM formats.  In June 2019, Bowe joined the Bethel Music Collective as a worship leader and songwriter, and also appears on Maverick City Music Volumes I & II as a songwriter. Dante believes that raising the level of authenticity in worship will cause cultures, generations, and denominations to unite in a worship movement by merging gaps and removing all boundaries. The chart-topping artist has been featured on the Tamron Hall Show, Variety, Billboard, Entertainment Tonight, Vogue.com, and BET. Bowe is set to embark on his first Spring 2022 tour, ‘What Are We Waiting For? – The Tour," as a solo artist with four-time Grammy award winners & Pop Sensations, For King + Country. Dante Bowe's dominance in both the fashion and music industry is just beginning, and he is unstoppable.

This week I’m talking with Rebecca St. James at Lifest 2022. Rebecca is a GRAMMY®-winning singer/songwriter, best-selling author, speaker and among the most defining artists in Christian music history. She also comes from a family that is firmly rooted in the music business, with a father who is a successful manager and brothers who make up the duo for KING & COUNTRY. We are discussing being part of musical family that works together in the industry, the role of a producer and a label and not letting yourself buy into what people say about you. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Mentoring artists. *The co-writing process. *The role of a producer and a label. *Structuring songs. *Don’t buy into what people say about you. *Being part of musical family that works together in the industry. *Bloom where God plants you. *Be faithful with the little things. *Practice your art. *Rebecca St. James: Friends and Family Podcast. *https://www.accessmore.com/pd/Rebecca-St-James-Friends-and-Family *www.rebeccastjames.com   BIO: Among the most defining artists in Christian music history, GRAMMY®-winning singer/songwriter, best-selling author, speaker and actress Rebecca St. James rocketed into the global spotlight following the release of her self-titled ForeFront Records debut in 1994. The Australian native’s modern pop sensibilities and uncompromising lyrics set a benchmark in Christian music, leading a new generation of artistry in the genre.     St. James has earned multiple Dove Awards, nine #1 Christian radio singles and two GOLD®-certified recordings, and her discography includes such iconic albums as Pray, God and Transform. Author of the best-selling titles Wait For Me (Thomas Nelson) and Pure (Hachette/Faithwords), among others, she starred in the 2009 film Sarah’s Choice; portrayed Mary Magdalene in the groundbreaking rock opera !Hero; and voiced "Hope, The Angel" in VeggieTales’ best-selling DVD The Easter Carol, in addition to other diverse roles. An award-winning songwriter, St. James co-penned multiple selections on for KING & COUNTRY’s blockbuster 2019 recording, Burn the Ships, and she is also the host of Rebecca St. James Friends & Family, a new weekly podcast on marriage and parenting available on K-LOVE Radio’s Accessmore platform.

This week I’m talk with Matt Roberts and Joe Piver from Jeff Roberts & Associates in Nashville, TN. JRA is a booking agency that works with some of the biggest names in Christian music including We The Kingdom, For King and Country and Skillet as well as breakout artists Anne Wilson, Katy Nicole, CAIN and many more. We are discussing the process of booking an artist into different types of venues, the cost of touring and the differences in booking new artists vs. established artists. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *What a booking agency does. *The process of booking an artist for a venue. *What the vision of the artist is for the year. *The process for booking new artists vs. established artists. *The long range goals for touring artists. *Investing in people. *The cost of touring and taking care of your team in the road. *The price range of bringing artists into venues. *Every artist is a small business owner. *The benefits of internships with different music business companies. *https://jeffroberts.com/   BIO: Matt Roberts - General Manager Originally born in Lansing, MI, Matt has lived in Nashville since Jeff moved the family in 1983. While pursuing a childhood passion to compete in stock car racing, Matt was afforded a unique experience to learn about corporate sponsorship acquisition. This interest evolved into a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from Western Kentucky University. After graduating, Matt felt called to be involved more deeply with the family business and transition his passion for business to JRA. He has now been involved with JRA for over 20 years, representing the rock bands of the early 2000’s, to the artists of today. He finds one of the most rewarding experiences to be the relationships created through the support of so many artists touring careers. Matt enjoys spending time with his wife Heather, their two French Bulldogs, mountain biking, and what little time is remaining, dabbling in automotive projects in his shop. Joe Piver - Senior Agent Originally from Southeast North Carolina, Joe has spent over 25 years in the music business. He has toured as an artist, worked as an agent and manager, promoted dozens of shows and artists, and even started a festival. He has a degree in percussion performance from Wingate University and a Masters in Religion from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston. For the past 10 years, he’s served as an adjunct professor at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville. He is currently in his 16th year at JRA. Joe has been married for 16 years to his wife Amanda and they have one son named August. They currently reside in Hendersonville Tennessee. In the spare time he has, he loves to travel and spend time with his family. You will almost never see Joe not wearing his Red Sox cap.

This week I’m talking with Mike Gowen, president of Milestone Publicity in Nashville. Milestone teams with clients to generate awareness in the media to effectively promote their brands, singles, albums, tours and much more. We are discussing educating potential customers, how to deal with nightmare situations with clients and the difference in repping an emerging artist vs. an icon.   Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Scouting for talent. *A scout for PR is similar as A&R for a label.  *Finding what type of artists are getting coverage and how we can fill those slots for our company. *You are educating potential customers. *PR assistant is watches PR campaigns. You are supporting the publicist.  *Working with Kiefer Sutherland, Billy Idol, Tommy Emmanuel, Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics and more. *The difference in repping an emerging artist vs. an Icon. *Working with emerging artists you are trying to get them more exposure. You’re a cheerleader. *Working with Icons you are trying to manage exposure. You’re a security guard. *How to deal with nightmare situations with clients. *You pitch interviews for magazines 4-5 months before. *PR introduces new potential fans to emerging artists. *Booking late night tv is similar to pitching for a magazine article. *Say “yes” to every opportunity. *https://www.milestonepublicity.com Milestone Publicity—founded by industry professional Mike Gowen and now headquartered in Nashville—is a full-service public relations firm built to represent the needs of our music and lifestyle clients in the modern age of media. We team with clients to generate awareness in the media to effectively promote their brands, singles, albums, tours and much more. With a combined 25 years of experience, Milestone Publicity delivers well-executed campaigns in the current media landscape for its eclectic roster of clients. Every campaign is built around client goals and Milestone has the experience, relationships and tools to attain those goals.  BIO: Already possessing a prior decade of earned experience in the music industry, with a bulk of that time specializing in public relations and identifying the key elements to successful promotion, Mike founded Milestone Publicity in 2019. Specifically, he has worked with icons such as: Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, Andy Grammer, Billy Idol, Brian Setzer, Dada Life, Dream Theater, Dwight Yoakam, Godsmack, Heart, Jerry Douglas, John Fogerty, Kiefer Sutherland, LIVE, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones, System of a Down’s John Dolmayan, The Smashing Pumpkins, Tommy Emmanuel and Wynonna Judd, to name a few. Utilizing his close relationships with the full-spectrum of media, Mike strategically designs campaigns to deliver results and meet client goals. Whether he’s consulting or spearheading a national press campaign on behalf of a client, Mike’s vision at Milestone is to ensure that every client feels a wealth of value is being provided.

This week I am talking with music industry icon Jason Davis. Jason is an entertainment industry executive with a broad range of titles including award winning songwriter and author, independent record label president, executive TV producer, entertainment consultant, former Senior VP of A&R for Dolly Parton's CTK management company and more. We are discussing when and why to hire an entertainment lawyer, the difference in managing a producer vs. an artist and what happens when you reach the top of the music industry and are still empty.    Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *Once you make a human connection, if you keep the bar high, that relationship is always there. *When and why to hire an entertainment lawyer. *The amount it costs to hire an entertainment lawyer. *Learning how to develop an artist. *Learning how to coach artists well. *Find the treasure in an artist. *Finding an artist’s sound. *the difference in managing a producer vs. an artist. *How to get people’s attention as a writer. *Listening for tone of voice. *Having shared vision with an artist. *Have real love and care for people. *What can I bring to someone to help them along. *Honor your agreements. *Sandcastle empires. *What happens when you reach the top and are still empty. Websites:  - http://www.noble-management.com/  - https://oneone7.com/  - https://www.higherlevelagency.org/jasondavismasterclass.html BIO Jason Davis has spent his entire two decade career in the music industry and worked with many worldwide stars, including Boyz ll Men, Sugar Ray, P. Diddy, Alabama, Lonestar, Dolly Parton, among many others before working in Christian music.  Davis is an entertainment industry executive with a broad range of titles including award winning songwriter, award winning author, independent record label president, executive TV producer, entertainment consultant, former Senior VP of A&R for Dolly Parton's management company CTK management and a serial entrepreneur.  He has also secured record deal offers with CEO's from the largest music companies in the world, including Capitol Records, Sony, Interscope, Island / Def Jam, Epic, Atlantic, RCA, and J Records.  Traveling between New York, London, Los Angeles, Miami and Nashville, he built a reputation working with the top songwriters, producers, and recording artists in the entertainment industry on a global level.  Over the span of his career, he has not only pioneered new approaches to the signing and development of some of the world most successful recording artists and songwriters such as Anne Wilson who recently was nominated for Christian song of the year in the 2022 Billboard Awards. He has consistently championed innovative business models and partnerships with a wide range of companies around the world.  His career began as a songwriter when he was discovered by Grant Cunningham, the former VP of A&R for Sparrow Records. Davis went on to write a #1 Billboard hit, received several ASCAP songwriting and publishing awards, and was nominated for a Latin music award.  Davis has also co-founded other cutting edge entertainment companies such as: One One 7, Noble Management, and Awaken Records. He is also co-president and partner of Christian booking agency Higher Level Agency.

This week I’m talking with Korey Hicks from Visible Music College. Korey Hicks is the Head of both the Music Theory and Guitar Divisions globally at Visible Music College, one of the premier Christian institutions of higher learning in the country. In addition to being a professor and guitar teacher, Korey spent years playing in the House Band at Billy Bob's Texas (aka, the World's Largest Honkytonk) and has opened for Willie Nelson, REO Speedwagon, Dwight Yoakam, John Fogerty and dozens of other big artists. We are discussing what it’s like to teach 70 guitar students a week, the difficulty of auditioning for large scale music venues as a house band musician and learning to love the process of practicing on a regular basis. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *What it’s like to teach 70 guitar students a week. *Journaling your practicing regiment. *Cycle 4 ( the Circle of Fifths backwards). *How to learn 600 songs in a month. *Using the mind, the ear and the hand. *A musician is only as good as the number of songs they can play. *The difficulty of auditioning for large scale music venues as a house band musician. *Think like an arranger, not a guitar player. *If you want to make music for a living, you have to work at like a full time job. *Working for Visible Music College. *Be efficient. *Perfect pitch vs. relative pitch. *The Performance Gap. *What students learn from Korey at Visible College. *Be fearless, say yes to as many gigs as possible. *Play music you don’t particularly like. *Work on your ear training. *Learn to love the process of practice. *Use a practicing journal. *Cover bands make more money that artists who write original music as a whole. *https://visible.edu/ BIO: Korey Hicks is the Head of both the Music Theory and Guitar Divisions globally at Visible Music College, one of the premier Christian institutions of higher learning in the country. On his way to creating a sustainable career in the music industry, Korey has played over 4000 live performances in the last 25 years and has been blessed to share the stage with some of the biggest names in contemporary music. A stylistic chameleon, he has played in a wide variety of genres, including Country, Worship, Pop, Rock, Jazz and Blues on some of the most iconic stages in the country. Venues include playing for years in the House Band at Billy Bob's Texas (aka, the World's Largest Honkytonk), and opening for Willie Nelson, REO Speedwagon, Dwight Yoakam, John Fogerty and dozens of other big artists. He is an Alumnus of Berklee College of Music, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from McNally Smith College of Music with a Bachelor's Degree in Guitar Performance. 

  This week I’m talking with Pam Lewis of PLA Media in Nashville. PLA is a Public Relations company that gets their clients in front of audiences and consumers through public appearances on tv and in print.  Pam has an amazing history of being one of the people who launched MTV in the early 80s and also helped launch the careers of Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood. We are discussing the abilities you need to have to work for a PR firm as well as what it takes to start your own PR company.  Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *A publicist (Public Relations) is the glue that holds it all together. *Helping launch MTV. *A publicist’s job is to listen to the artist, hear your dreams and take them to the next level and make you a household name. *Publicists do press releases, promote concerts, booking events, finding endorsements, etc. *Publicists have to go through more levels of bureaucracy with major label artists. *Helping launch Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood’s careers. *Starting an independent PR company called PLA Media.
*A good publicist helps connect the dots. *Looking for unique opportunities for clients, not the obvious ones. *Be Tenacious. *First thing to ask a publication is if they’re on deadline. If they are don’t bother them. *Find common ground with whoever is on the phone with you. *Our job is to create a buzz. *Rates to hire PLA Media start at $2000-2500 a month and go up from there. *It’s best to do at least 3 months with PR to do as much as possible. *What it takes to start your own PR company. *Can you provide a valuable service to clients? *You have to have boundaries. *Learn how to work a room. *Be a good listener. *Learn how to talk on the phone. *www.plamedia.com   BIO: Pamela Lewis, a native of upstate New York, is an entrepreneur, preservationist, philanthropist and author. A graduate of Wells College with a B.A. in Economics/Marketing and a minor in French and Communications. Lewis spent a year in Paris studying at COUP (Center of Overseas Undergraduate Program) affiliated with The Sorbonne University. In New York City, she did additional graduate course work at Fordham University, The New York School for Social Research, The Publicity Club of New York and Scarritt Bennett. Lewis is also a graduate of University of Tennessee’s Institute of Public Service Local Government Leadership Program (third level), of the Belmont University College of Business Administration’s Scarlett Leadership Institute Mini Executive MBA program, of Leadership Music, of the Citizen’s Police Academy and of the Leadership Middle Tennessee 2020 program. From 1980 to 1984, Lewis was part of the original publicity/marketing team of WASEC (Warner Amex Satellite Entertainment Company), a joint venture of Warner Communications and American Express, that launched MTV to the world. She also worked with MTV’s sister cable channels Nickelodeon, The Movie Channel, and the Arts & Entertainment Network (A&E). Lewis was relocated to Nashville from New York City to accept the position of National Media Director at RCA Records helping to shape the careers of top country stars such as Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, The Judds, and Alabama. In 1985, Lewis opened her own PR firm, Pam Lewis and Associates (which later became PLA Media). In 1987, she formed award-winning Doyle/Lewis Management with partner Bob Doyle. The first client Lewis agreed to represent was an unknown Oklahoma crooner named Garth Brooks, who she worked with until 1994. Lewis also managed Trisha Yearwood‘s early career, landing her a record deal at MCA Records. Under Lewis’ guidance, Yearwood released her debut self-titled album in 1991, becoming the first female country musician to sell one million records off her first single “She’s In Love With The Boy.” The album went on to be certified double platinum, and Yearwood went on to win the Academy of Country Music award for Top Female Vocalist later that year. The two enjoyed a successful partnership which broke new ground in music winning all of the following: Performance Magazine’s “Country Music Managers of the Year” two consecutive years ’92 and ’93, Pollstar Award “Personal Manager of the Year ’92, Country Music Association’s “Artist Manager of the Year”, SRO Award ’01 (The first female executive to win this award), Nashville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 listing in ’95 & ’96, Who’s Who in Executives, International Society of Poets Distinguished Member, Franklin Police Department Order of Excellence ’15 & Tennessee Association of Museums Award in recognition of superlative achievement for publications PR kit. Eventually, Doyle and Lewis parted ways, and Pam turned her focus solely to PLA Media. In 2003, Lewis made her first foray into the world of politics running for office of alderman-at-large in Franklin, Tennessee. She won a four-year term, and was the only female on the board for two years. She also served as Vice Mayor for one year, and was elected to the Franklin Planning Commission and Historic Zoning Commission. In 2016, she was voted as a one of the top Female Entrepreneur by Your Williamson Magazine, and was invited to be part of the 2017-2018 class of Leadership Franklin. Lewis has served on or chaired multiple committees, including: The Tennessee State Museum, Tennessee First Lady Andrea Conte’s You Have The Power, BRIDGES Domestic Violence Center, Sister Cities of Franklin, Battlefield Commission, mayor-appointed Franklin Housing Commission, Nashville Historic Commission, Historic Cemetery Commission, ARC Board and the Tennessee Preservation Trust. Her other community outreach efforts include historic preservation and green space causes, women and children’s advocacy, educational scholarships, fair housing and environmental and animal rights protection. Since its inception, the Pam Lewis Foundation has given away a million dollars to numerous charities. She has been recognized for her business success/entrepreneurship, community outreach and preservation efforts by the Metro Nashville Historic Commission, Franklin Tennessee Heritage Foundation, African American Heritage Foundation, Tennessee State Museum and Tennessee Preservation Trust. In 2017, she produced a documentary of African American remembrances and contributions and was honored to give the commencement address at her alma mater Wells College, Aurora, New York in May 2017. She is a 2020 graduate of Leadership Middle Tennessee.

  This week I am kicking off season 4 talking with my hero, mentor and dear friend Steve Curtis Chapman. Steven is celebrating 35 years in the music industry this year and is celebrating by releasing a brand new album called “Still.” He is the most awarded artist in Christian music history with 49 No. 1 singles, 59 GMA Dove Awards, multiple GRAMMYs and much more. He’s also one of the most down-to-earth people you will ever meet. We are discussing our history together, both being from Paducah, KY and his dad Herb Chapman being our guitar teacher and the impact he’s had on our lives, following where the music takes you in the songwriting process and struggling to put out new music and feeling relevant in today’s culture and his new album “Still” being the result of that struggle. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Productions - We offer consulting services and are offering listeners a 1-hour introductory special. To request more info on consulting services, email Marty at contact@johnmartinkeith.com.  In this episode we discuss: *SCC’s autobiography “Between Heaven and the Real World." *The impact that Herb Chapman had on Steven’s career as a guitar teacher. *Teaching his son’s how to navigate into the music industry. *Follow where the music takes you in the songwriting process. *Deciding which songs will end up on an album. *SCC’s brand new album “STILL.” *Struggling to put out new music and feeling relevant in today’s culture. *Writing music from a new perspective. *Bloom where you’re planted. *www.stevencurtischapman.com   BIO: Steven Curtis Chapman has spent the last 35 years writing and performing genre-defining songs that shaped a generation. With a staggering 49 No. 1 singles in his catalog, he is the most awarded artist in Christian music history, winning 59 GMA Dove Awards, five GRAMMY Awards, an American Music Award, and selling more than eleven million albums with ten RIAA-Certified Gold or Platinum albums. In short, he is synonymous with contemporary Christian music. After so much success, some might think recording a new album would be second nature. But for Chapman, starting a new chapter wasn’t so easy. The ever-present inner critic whispering “can he do it again?” made him question whether making new music was the right move. He says, “It’s a two-edged sword. At some point, you walk in with a bunch of new songs hoping people are ready to hear something new. The hard part is people don’t always want that. They want to hear the hits.” But he found he still had stories left to tell. “I finally gave myself permission to say, don’t question if this is relevant or where it’s gonna fit or will it work in the current landscape of Christian music. I had to silence the voices, sit down with my guitar, and write whatever was stirring in me, let it come out however it came out.” It’s Chapman back to his glory days, recalling mega-hits like “The Great Adventure,” “Dive,” and “More To This Life,” but don’t mistake familiarity as a re-hash....Still is filled with entirely fresh, life-giving songs for the masses. His gift for writing tear-stained lyrics about serving a God he doesn’t always understand but always, always trusts is on full display. Chapman holds nothing back, his full-voiced cries of praise echoing God’s faithfulness in days gone by and trust in His mercy for the days ahead. “That’s what I’m trying to do with this project,” Chapman says, “remember where I’ve been and where I’m going.” With lead track “Still,” to “Don’t Lose Heart,” “I’m Alive,” “Kindness,” and “A Desperate Benediction (Peace On Earth),” Chapman’s willingness to shine a light on his pain, struggles, and faith, but also his joy, redemption, and hope infuses Still with universal goodness.