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A note from the FNO newsletter editor...
Hello FNO Bands and Performers,
This month's article
by Sheena Metal lists helpful tips about staying committed to your musical career.
And this month's featured artist is FNO Member Laura Marie.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Julie Cochrane
FNO Marketing
Festival Network Online
http://www.myspace.com/festivals
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« Newsletters Archive - To view previous newsletters, check out our archives! We
publish 3 newsletters each month! Art/Craft, Food/Commercial,
& Performer!
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Be Committed!...You'll Never Be Famous If You Don't Show Up!
By Sheena Metal
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 Everyone
wants to be famous: live in a mansion, drive a sports car, tour the
world in your private plane, date a model, float around in the pool
while collecting royalties for CD sales, and drink beer right out of
your private tap. But not everyone is aware that, with any career
that has the potential to end in a bounty of riches and beautiful
babes, climbing your way to rock stardom is very hard work.
So, how does your average musical genius go from penniless Pop
Tart-eater to Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous? How do you move
on up from mom's garage to a deluxe apartment in the sky? What's
your first baby step on the Yellow Brick Road to fame and
fortune? That's simple…be committed!
It sounds silly, but many a musical boat has sailed with a crestfallen
unsigned artist standing confused on the dock, for lack of nothing else
but follow-through. Commitment to your deeds and plans is the
single most essential skill towards achieving your goal of Ultimate
Superstardom. Entertainment is a fickle business and chances
don't come along every day. One missed opportunity now could have
spiraled into dozens even hundreds of opportunities down the line.
It may be true that talent is a gift you carry with you from birth, but
commitment is a learned skill that you need to hone every day.
So, how can you make sure that you've got what it takes to gather up
your supreme musicality and conquer the universe with it continuously?
The following are a few tips that may help you to make sure that you're
truly committing yourself to your musical career on a daily basis:
1.)Follow Up On All Leads---No matter how insignificant they may seem
at the time, it's important to follow up on every musical lead that's
thrown your way. Letters, calls and emails should be answered
politely and in a timely fashion. New contacts should be logged
in your address book for future correspondence. Opportunities
should be taken, invites accepted, and chances to network
relished. By starting out with just these simple rules you'll
watch your resources and mailing list grow. Suddenly you'll have
music community friends with which to share your leads and ideas, ask
advice, trade experiences, and combine talent and energies.
Through these friends, you'll meet new friends and fans and from them
even more new connections. Soon, you'll have so many
opportunities that your concern will change from lack of opportunity to
lack of time in the day to pursue each new chance.
2.)Just Show Up---Sounds so simple it's stupid, but you'd be surprised
how many talented people have fallen by the wayside because they were
unable to simply show up. Canceled gigs, forgotten meetings, and
missed auditions say to the Musical Powers That Be, “I'm a huge flake
who doesn't think your opportunity is worth a half-hour of my precious
time.” This is a really bad thing. Entertainment is a small
town with a huge memory. Don't give people any reason to think
that you're not the person they want to work with, give the job to,
book for the gig, sign to their label, write about, talk about, and
help any way they can. Remember there are tens of thousands of
musicians waiting to take your place, so step up to the plate and seize
each chance with optimism and enthusiasm.
3.)Take Initiative---Don't wait for opportunities to come to you.
The world is a virtual cornucopia of information, so reach out and nab
yourself some chances at stardom. Comb the internet, join music
communities, visit open mic nights, take classes and workshops…put
yourself out there where there are cool musical happenings and let
others know that you can be relied upon and want to be involved.
By going out and seizing your own opportunities, you may double,
triple, etc. your resources and chances, and expedite your journey to
success.
4.)Do The Best Job You Can---As important as it is to show up, it is
also essential that you come off efficient, talented, and professional
when faced with a new opportunity. Being there is half the battle
but the other half is being the best that you can be and impressing
industry, press, clubs and your fellow musicians enough to make them
want you to be involved in anything and everything they do. Make
a commitment to put on the best live show possible, to have a terrific
CD, to make a professional presskit, and to spread the word about your
music. Be punctual, be courteous, be positive and be fun.
Don't give anyone any reason not to work with you again and you'll see
that it becomes easier and easier to get what you want for your
artistic career.
It really is as easy as simply showing up, following up and giving it
your all. Making it in music is not impossible; it's just a lot
of elbow grease, a little organization, a bit of strategy, and the
simple sculpting of your talent into a marketable commodity.
There are thousands of chances offered every day to musicians...reach
out and grab them by the handful, make every opportunity your own, get
everything you want from this business and when you're richer than
Oprah and more famous than Madonna, remember that it was you who made
it happen. You were a pro. You showed up. You
committed.
Sheena Metal is a radio host, producer, promoter, music supervisor,
consultant, columnist, journalist and musician. Her syndicated
radio program, Music Highway Radio, airs on over 2,400 affiliates to
more than 126 million listeners. Her musicians' assistance
program, Music Highway, boasts over 10,000 members. She currently
promotes numerous live shows weekly in the Los Angeles Area, where she
resides. For more info: http://www.sheena-metal.com.
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Featured FNO Band - Laura Marie
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 FNO
Member Laura Marie was born in San Antonio, TX. and raised on the songs
of The Pretenders, The Police and Carole King. Her former band, Sofa
Kingdom/Things Between, released the CD Somewhere Else' which is
available on iTunes and will also release 'Undone', the EP that proved
to be their undoing, in Summer 2007.
Fans of Natalie Merchant are drawn to the similar vocal style of Laura
Marie but are quickly hooked on her own brand of pop-folk songwriting.
Her lyrics are both touching and personal. She gets to the heart of the
matter with a voice somewhat familiar yet distinctly her own. Visit her website at http://www.lauramariemusic.com.
If you would like to be featured here, please email julie! Put
FNO band feature in subject line. EMAIL: julie AT festivalnet.com
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We're always looking for ARTICLES about working in the
festival biz, tips, ideas, techniques, resources. Send to: julie@festivalnet.com and put "FNO Newsletter" in subject line.
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