Business Side of Music

Acoustic guitarist Jason Ahlbrandt came to Nashville with his band, hoping to find warmer weather than his Pennsylvania roots, along with obtaining a record deal. Although the recording contract never came to fruition, Jason wound up touring all over the world with the likes of Easton Corbin and Guy Penrod. Now he's created beautiful albums on his own, from children's lullabies, to hymns, and even...

With an already established music career and record deal in place, with six #1 Billboard singles to his credit, recording artist Tony Vincent decided it was time to up his game. So he went out and auditioned for the NBC TV Series "The Voice", winding up on CeLo's team, and becoming a finalist on the famed television show. But he wasn't finished there. He went on to share the live performance conce...

In our 100th episode, we introduce you to Michael Elsner. As a songwriter and producer, Michael Elsner has over 2,000 original song placements in over 750 TV episodes and contributed music to over 180 individual television series.   He's  also written music for various movies, film trailers, and commercials, some of which include American Idol, The Voice, EXTRA, The Sing-Off, The Ellen DeGeneres S...

Dave Isaacs has been called "a musician's musician", a master player with the command and knowledge of his instrument that can only come from a lifetime of experience. In his adopted hometown of Music City USA, he has become known in the music community as the "Nashville Guitar Guru" for his work as a teacher and coach to professional performers, hit songwriters, and the next generation of Nashvil...

You've got the songs, the stage show is all set, and you're ready to hit the road. The only problem is how do you figure out the logistics when it comes to traveling with a group of musicians and crew? Road Warrior Touring Rentals comes to the rescue with their fleet of vans ready for the road. Guest Ryan Broshear who's the owner of Road Warrior Touring Rentals ( www.roadwarriortourrentals.com ) s...

Paul Andrews with DPA microphones joins us in studio, where we pretty much cover just about anything, and everything when it comes to recording in the studio, which microphones to use, and what the difference is between large diaphragm and small diaphragm microphones, and some of the new technology that DPA is bringing to the consumer. We also discuss with Sean Giovanni how to maintain your gear i...

The music duo Mutual Groove is comprised of drummer, guitarist and audio engineer David Martin along with bassist, rapper, songwriter Pat Graves (who also happens to be a professional acrobat). In 2007, David formed a three-piece rock band with two fellow students (including Pat Graves) that would later become Wings of Apollo. Wings of Apollo developed a strong local following in the Washington D....

The Perfect Analog Sounding Speaker For The Digital World Whether you're a casual listener to music, or a serious audiophile, KEF Speakers are providing some of the finest state of the art stereo reference monitors on the market. Jack Sharkey who is the Marketing & Technical Communications Manager for KEF Speakers introduces us to their speaker line which has been around since 1961, along with dis...

Have you ever wondered what it would take to get the attention of the media when it comes to promoting your new album, video, or tour? How do you go about setting up a new music release campaign? What does it take to build the correct press kit? How does media help expand your fan base, and ultimately your music career? Meet Kaytee Long who is the owner and founder of DIY Music PR and creator of t...

Rockland Road is many things. It's a street near Nashville. It's a studio where countless hit records have been recorded. It is a crossroads where country, gosp el, pop, R&B and Americana music has thrived for years. It is a self-contained vocal-driven melodic band with a heritage as rich and authentic as its namesake. Six members, all sharing the last name Martin; representing four generations of...

There are so many different opportunities to introduce yourself to potential fans and build that base. So many different ways, that they can be confusing. How do you choose the right ones and use them effectively? Are you using the correct social media platforms? Are you promoting your band efficiently? Are you building your mailing list? Steve Jones, the creator and founder of Beatchain, shares w...

You're a singer/songwriter wanting to hone your craft. You want to perform in front of a live audience, but just don't know where to go. Maybe you're traveling on business or vacation to a new city, and want to know about what opportunities there are in the market you're heading to. Meet Dave Craver, the founder and creator of Open Mic Entertainment ( www.openmic.us ). Dave has set up open mic nig...

Bill Cinque at the age of 19, started out like every other musician playing with friends, at local coffee houses and bar gigs. But his goals were far loftier than most. He wanted to perform at the Hollywood Bowl and Madison Square Garden. Bill went on and accomplished both over the next 30+ years (and so much more), yet still playing the clubs and one-offs in between the "Big Gigs". During his jou...

Meet Laura Clapp Davidson, who's a Development Specialist for Shure... you know, those folks who have been providing some of the best microphones (and now headphones and earbuds) for the past 90+ years for the entertainment industry. You might recognize some of their products if you've ever watched Roger Daltrey from "The Who" swing his 565D mic around on stage at Woodstock, or Elvis Presley using...

Known for her role as Scarlett O'Connor on the ABC/CMT musical drama television series "Nashville," actress and singer/songwriter has had quite the journey to get where she is today... and not all of it good. At the age of 4, doctors diagnosed her with deadly cancer, informing her parents that she had just weeks to live. Working with experimental medicines, she spent a portion of her childhood gro...

What if someone came along and created a 3-day camp where you could learn to write a song, record it, and then perform it live on stage in one of the most famous country music venues in the world? Bob Ekman, CEO of Country Music Fantasy Camp along with his staff, has done precisely that. The all-inclusive 3-day camp incorporates all aspects of what it takes to get a potential hit song written, rec...

Are you an artist, singer/songwriter, producer, engineer, graphics artist, photographer, or an overall industry professional looking for a way to get your name and services out there whether it be in a co-working environment, or online thru a network of fellow industry professionals? Meet Logan Crowell, who is the founder of H.O.M.E. (Helping Our Music Evolve). Logan created an online presence, al...

Anytime you go to the movies, watch a television show, see a commercial, or play a video game, the one consistent item is there is always music playing in the background. How does that music get there, and how as a songwriter can you make money in the process. There's now a workshop to help not only answer all those questions, but help you get your music discovered, and placed in such films as "An...

It all started in 1978 when a young composer/musician named David Chesky, who was beginning a career on Columbia Records, found himself frustrated with the lack of artistic control afforded by his position. He asked his business partner and younger brother Norman if he thought they should start their own record company. But what did these two young men who had made their way from Miami to New York...

Founder and CEO of Indie Connect, Vinny Ribas shares with us his upcoming series of artist/songwriter workshops taking place starting this month. The workshops are designed for the aspiring artist to seek out information from some of the industry's top professionals, including managers, publishers, producers, and entertainment lawyers. You can either sign up to attend the workshops in person in Na...

A native of New Hampshire, award-winning songwriter Rick Lang has become well known in the global Bluegrass community and beyond. His songs have been covered by some of the most renowned artists in Bluegrass music, Southern Gospel and even the Jazz world, with over 80 song cuts to his credit. Rick has now released his album "Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout" on the Billy Blue Records Label. The stellar lin...

Tim Ryan arrived in Nashville from Montana with not much more than with his wife by his side, and guitar in hand. He literally didn't know a soul, but within the first day in Music City had a major record deal. Upon releasing his debut album, the deal fell through, but then got picked up by another major label... and then another. As an artist, his success rate wasn't what he had imagined it being...

If you've ever spent any time on the road, whether it be in a tour bus, traveling by air, or driving down the interstate in a 12 passenger van pulling a trailer, you know how all those miles can affect your body. Dr. Casey Bearden shares with us how the wear and tear we put on ourselves can be a crucial component on whether or not we're in shape, perform well on stage, have chronic health issues s...

Country recording artist Michelle Wright has been in the business a long time. A native of Chatham Ontario Canada, she had her first success at the age of 27, when her debut album "Do Right By Me" achieved the attention of Arista Nashville, where she went on to release more hit singles ("Take It Like A Man", "New Kind of Love", "He Would Be Sixteen"), 18 music videos, and 11 albums. She's now back...

What started out as a way to meet people, has turned into an a huge international friendship circle that's out of control. At least that's how Kyle Saylors, one half of Saylors Brothers Productions describes "Dinner With Dreamers", an invitation only event for those who work in the entertainment industry. It doesn't matter whether you're a successful film, television, or record producer, or someon...