Hey Phil,
Very good question. In answering I always have to temper my replies because many of the people we talk about here, particularly Sherril Blackman, are very good friends of mine. But i do know what he is doing and can share it with you. But first I will answer your question with a question. HOW MUCH REALITY DO YOU WANT?
The reality is the publishers and song pluggers are for the most part now a totally waste of time until certain steps are taken. How to get to know them? You can't. They have to get to know YOU. They do that by reputation and WRITING YOUR WAY IN TO THEM.
I write with one of Sherril's artists, Joie Scott. Joie is a number one writer, who had a hit with "NOT THAT DIFFERENT' from Colin Raye in 1997. She has had songs cut by Riders in the Sky, The Lynne's, and the big one, SHOES, cut by SHANIA TWAIN. Joie is a known entity, is a wonderful person and writer and her husband Avi is one of the most community minded people in this town. He serves on dozens of boards, is highly involved in charity fundraising, has been decorated by the Mayor, was in Washington DC two weeks ago to meet with the President and people in the educational society, was one of the most decorated school principals in Chicago and one of the nicests people you will ever meet. If you want to raise money, you call AVI. And that means he is AROUND record company presidents. major artists, producers, etc. the world LOVES AVI! That engenders great amounts of good will among this town. And Joie has benefitted in that it got her in doors she couldn't herself. Sherril represents her because he has known them both for years, they have raised money for causes for him (many involving me), and she pays him. Sherril is very expensive, around $1500 a month and gets a part of any songs that get huge cuts. He is just about singlehandedly responsible for Lee Anne Rimes career.
Joie also writes and performs and is a great friend of Jim Penterack. Jim wrote a few little songs like "Vehicle (I'm the Friendly Stranger in the Black Sedan, won't you jump inside my car...') EYE OF THE TIGER, HOLD ON LOOSLEY, SO CAUGHT UP IN YOU, and everything 38 Special and a half dozen rock bands had in the 70's and 80's. Any time he is in a writer's round, he has to do two songs at once in a melody to get all his hits in.
Jim is a known quantity.
That is the caliber Sherril represents. Oh yes, they pay him.Now imagine sitting down with an artist or a producer and they ask what this guy has written and it is a half dozen songs they grew up with, made love to, danced to, had kids, to and are in their CD players. Think that helps in the pitching process?
The point is that the "REAL song pluggers" only represent people from that level. The hottest in town, the newest artists, the legendary writers. And the ones who pay them. Also the ones who are writing songs with the new artists coming through. Every hit writer has their own Frankie's Danny Jamerson's and the people that are coming out in the next few months or years. Lady Antibellum? Victoria Shaw. Rascall Flatts? Jeffery Steel. Florida Georgia Line? Craig Wiseman.
These song pluggers, and their corresponding publishers (the publishers also hire the song pluggers, as do the producers, the writers and the artists), have the inside track because these writers are writing WITH the artists.
Outside of writing with artists? NOT A SNOWBALLS CHANCE IN HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's not going to happen because it CAN'T HAPPEN.
If you are an artist Phil, what does that mean? It means you are employed by a company paying your salary, your insurance, your rent, your clothes, your money for dates with your significant other, your kid's education and toys, your food on your table. You think for one instant they are going to go outside of their circles for songs?
What are you smoking? Has Big Ed gotten to you or did you pick some stash up in Colorado?
I have another question for you my Phil old buddy, My Long haired Brutha from Anutha Mutha. Who or where did you hear from that told you that you could just step up, throw a little bit of money (less than a lunch budget for a week for major labels and publishers) at something and suddenly be considered for one of the most competitive, businesses on earth, that even the leaders of that industry are having trouble getting airplay, getting revenue, paying bills? Where did that information come from? Because you, and I and everyone else need to track them down and punch them square in the mouth!
An industry has sprung up over the past 20 years. They are former hit writers, former producers, former publishers, former musicians, former everything. A bunch of people wh USED to be somebody. Oh, many of them are very good people. And some even do get cuts. You want a new song recorded by an artist from 1975 who is playing the "hoedown revue" in Branson? they can get you there. Several, even someone like Sherril, get a bunch of little cuts. Sherril is really doing well in the Bluegrass market now. He gets a lot of cuts there mainly because very few bluegrass players write and they don't get pitched anything. Of course, the literally tens of copys of CD's those people sell will get you a car wash after ten or fifteen years. I believe one of Sherril's artists was recently certified "WOOD."
There are small, independent artists that are doing quite well. They are carviing out niches for themselves. There are small projects that go on all the time. Last year I got a nice little check for myself and three co-writers on a little girl out of Oregon. Was nice to get. I'm sure she won't be sending out any more because she is probably broke right now, but you can get em' one time.
Phil, I would love to tell you the secret of where the "Legitimate publishers and song pluggers' are. I really would. Unfortunately, if they are willing to represent you at the present time, they are not very legitimate. Come back, write a bunch with a ton of artists, get your songs heard around town, be around so that people can get to know you, and that all might change. But it is not going to until you do just that.
Sorry. Realty sucks sometimes. But that is why they call it REALITY.
MAB