YOU CAN Make a Living In The Music Industry Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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 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.