Hey folks,
GREAT article John. Been trying to say that lately, he did it very well. Everyone should read that one.
Phil,
I have never been a "BANDWAGON" guy. When someone else is doing something, I don't jump on it and say "I'LL do that TOO!!" When Reneda started talking about doing her own festival it really dissapointed me. It was TOO CLOSE to Frank Brown, and she had been very involved in all the events in Nov. She ran the festival for about five years and knew everyone. It was kind of like taking someone else's client list from a business that has treated you very well and just going into competition with them.
We have a lot of that. In Nashville there is the GLOBAL SONGWRITERS GROUP, which is run by Sherree Spoltrie, Sheree was the membership director of NSAI for many years. She left NSAI and then formed her own organization doing much the same thing as NSAI. It was just too close for me. I like Sheree and she does some good things. No one has the patent on "helping songwriters" and there is a lot out there to help. And people need different things.
But it was still a little too close for me.
But it was still a little too close for me.
I've dealt with it myself, with people I know going to my web site, finding things I was doing, and undercutting me in this town. Even had a guy doing "Songwriter TOURS" the same way I have been doing it for years. Every hit songwriter now seems to go into their own teaching or mentoring business (charging a LOT more money than I do). But again there is NO copyright on doing this. Just depends on what people want and need. God bless all of em.
I just believe when you are doing the SAME THING IN THE SAME PLACE at NEARLY the SAME TIME, that just doesn't feel right to me. I have a deep sense of loyalty and stick with people who have supported me over the years. Was even difficult when I had had a publishing deal for six years and other people approached me. That happened almost all the time, and I stuck with my publishers. Was the right thing to do. It was not until they let me know they could no longer afford me that I even entertained other offers.
So, I do consider any songwriter's festival a positive. Bringing our message to the general public. That is always good. Just believe it should be spread out. If she would do it in the Spring, or move it a little farther East, it would be great. There is another Festival, the 30 A festival in the SEASIDE area. Not sure when that happens. It is smaller again and only features really big hit writers. The key to getting those people down there is MONEY and location. They will come to a really cool place they can hang out. Same with Key West. But for those NOT in those high level writer's circles find it hard to afford really high hotel prices, and not being able to really hang out with the hit guys and gals.
So, I do consider any songwriter's festival a positive. Bringing our message to the general public. That is always good. Just believe it should be spread out. If she would do it in the Spring, or move it a little farther East, it would be great. There is another Festival, the 30 A festival in the SEASIDE area. Not sure when that happens. It is smaller again and only features really big hit writers. The key to getting those people down there is MONEY and location. They will come to a really cool place they can hang out. Same with Key West. But for those NOT in those high level writer's circles find it hard to afford really high hotel prices, and not being able to really hang out with the hit guys and gals.
That is the one special factor with Frank Brown. Everybody hangs out with each other. The biggest writers and the smallest up and comers. Everyone is equal. That is what separates it from every other festival.
The next up is the MISSISSIPPI SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL in Ocean Springs Miss. Sept ,15-18. I am torn on this one. Have been once two years ago and it worked out well. Played several times and got a couple of tour participants out of it. But I CAN'T GET THEM TO CONTACT ME BACK. They have said I am playing, at one point was doing a workshop, but they are very hard to contact. So we will see. I have that weekend open and am ready to go, but won't if I don't have any shows.
Phil, the last thing. Don't worry about the scheduling thing. They always come together at the very last minute. It is because writers say they are coming then don't come, venues drop out at the last minute, people who were up for awards at the CMA's don't win and decide to come down, things like the "SUNSET CORK ROOM" burn down. It is a fluid schedule that won't be formalized till we are actually ALL DOWN THERE.
About five years ago, about two weeks before the festival, I went to the web site to put my dates up on my own web site and do my hand out business cards. As I looked it over, it was very strange, because it seemed that every place I was playing, I had done the previous year on the SAME NIGHT AT THE SAME TIME. About half way through, I realized it was the LAST YEAR'S SCHEDULE! That is part of it. Being confused at Frank Brown is part of the beauty of the Festival. I at least hope it is not like the year they scheduled me both in Pensacola AND Mobile AT THE SAME TIME!
That was an interesting one. I will play between 7-10 "Official" shows, and a couple more private ones. It's usually a pretty full week.
That was an interesting one. I will play between 7-10 "Official" shows, and a couple more private ones. It's usually a pretty full week.
Looking forward to it.
MAB
Like