THE MUSIC BUSINESS

Hello!
I get asked probably once a week what tips or ideas I can give to get started in the music business either as a singer, writer, producer, or other facets of the music industry. I will say right off the bat, I have never sought out a national recording contract. At one time, I was close to a country record deal with 3 of my sisters. In the end, I'm just not a country singer, and wasn't really passionate about it, even though I LOVE country music. I had another close call in LA about 10 years ago. The contract offer wasn't what I was looking for either, so I declined. That said, I will share with you what my experience has been that has gotten me this far. (big fish in small pond!!! haha) That's OK, I'll take it!
Here are some typical questions I will get - (Thanks Kelsi!)
"When did you know you wanted to become a singer" - I started singing as a little girl with "The Jordan Family Singers". My mom say's that I joined the family when I was 3. I sang at school, at church, in community plays thru high school. In high school, I thought I was going to be a pianist, but I loved singing, and singing came very naturally to me. I was 18 when I got my first recording job for Janice Kapp Perry (love her!) singing on an LDS Young Women's CD. She paid me $100 for an hour's time. It was that very day I fell in love with studio recording, and the whole recording process. Plus, the money beat my current job! (Being a rehearsal accompanist!)
"When did you begin taking lessong"? - Growing up, there wasn't enough money for singing and piano lessons, so I never had any singing lessons until college. I did have the very awesome job, however, of playing the piano for voice teachers. A couple of them were very generous to me and when a vocal student was late or didn't show up, they would get me on my feet and give me a lesson. (Thanks Gayle and Jan!!) I had a couple semesters of voice in college with the very incredible Gayle Lockwood. She is my voice teacher to this day.
"Where do you record"? - I record everywhere! I don't have a fav. studio, but a few fav'. s! They are here in Utah. I find studio's have a certain 'vibe' to them. I like to sing uptempo songs at one studio, where I prefer ballads in another.
'How did you get your record deal"? - I have sung on several Deseret Book CD's throughout the years. They had approached me a few different times to do an album, but it just didn't work out for me to do it until just a few years ago. I had the great blessing of a few music 'jobs' that really forced me to learn arrangements, vocal parts, musical instruments, etc. and that all prepared me to produce my own CD the way I wanted it to be.
"How did you get your start"? - This is my favorite story to tell! After the light bulb turned on for me with studio recording at 18, I left home and worked some theater and stage jobs as a singer and dancer, but with full intent to one day become a studio singer. At age 21, I met the man of my dreams, and though I wanted to wait a few years, got married. (He was moving halfway across the country to enter Chiropractic school, so unless I wanted to date long distance, or move there to date him, we got married!) We moved to Iowa!! Not the musical capitol of the world. I KNEW all I wanted to do was music, so within the first couple of months of living there, opened the yellow pages and picked out what looked like the three biggest recording studios in the area. I called them and explained (I fibbed!) that I was making a CD for my mom and needed to book an hour. I brought in 3 contrasting songs (pop, theater, rock) with the hopes that they would inquire about my singing. (I didn't have a demo - that would be the better way to do it!! duh! - I was new at this!!) Upon finishing all three studio session, each producer asked, and I was on my way to studio sessions. I started out just being the background singer singing 'Ooh's and Aah's. I worked hard, did my best, and worked my way up to singing leads. Leads on jingles, commercials, promo's, anything. I was working for some great producers and they started to ask my opinion ( or I would GIVE IT) on the melody or lyric we were working on, and I started shaping the melody's a little better, or offering an idea for the lyric. Soon I was getting hired to write the commercials, jingles, theme songs, whatever it was. I worked for about 5 years with steady and regular commercial work both writing, producing, and singing. It was so fun and great money being students!!
We moved back to Utah and I had a KILLER demo reel. I sent it out to all the great Utah studio's didn't get my first job for about a year! I still was doing work for my old production company in Iowa, but I was doing it out of my home. I now understand why I wasn't getting hired right away even with a great demo.
With the studio's that are doing major projects, they are going to hire the singers THEY KNOW. As a producer, if I'm working on an expensive package, I'm not going to take a risk on the 'new girl' and I will hire someone I know will deliver.
After a year, I finally got my first studio session. It couldn't have been a better gig to get as the new girl in town. I was singing a commercial at the largest studio in town for (can't even remember what). They wanted the 60 second spot sung in all the different vocal styles. Pop, rock, R&B, classical, country. It was the perfect scenenio for showcasing what I had been working to be the previous 6 years... a versatile vocalist. At the end of that session, I had 2 more booked at that same studio that week. I have been here ooh - 12 year now, and the studio work has been as steady as I want it to be.
"Do you write your own music"? - I care about recording great songs. If I can write them, either alone or with someone else, great. I try to write as much as I can - not because I think I'm the best writer in the world, but because I love it! It's like putting together a puzzle!
"How hard is it to get into the recording studio" - My best advice would be to first of all, check and see what studio's are in your area. Call them and talk to them. Tell them you're interested in being a vocalist, producer, engineer , and ask if you can come and watch a session, better yet, be an intern, gopher, anything to get you in and learning the process. If you have some money and can do a simple demo of your voice in your best style, you can submit the demo to the studio's. Ask for feedback on your voice, style, studio chops. Most studio guys are cool about talking with you. As a producer, if there is someone I know who want's to be a studio vocalist, if they are good enough, I will try them out on 'group' sessions where I need 4 or more singers. This way the session isn't on their shoulders, but I can get a good feel for how fast they pick up the music, pitch, sound and style. STUDIO SINGING and BEING AN ARTIST are two different things, however. Studio singers are singers for hire who will be singing lots of different and random things in all styles, tempo's, etc. Being and artist is doing your own material in your style.
It's important to remember - that there is more to do in the music industry than just be a singer. There are so many different musical jobs that you can make great money, have a music career, and not have the burden of being the star!! Engineers, copyists, producers, coordinaters, music lawyer, writer, instrumentalist, the list goes on and on. If you desire to be in the music biz, hang out in studio's and on site at concerts, etc, to see what may interest you the most, and what you would be best suited for.
MY ADVICE FOR YOU STARTING OUT - If you're in High school, or have a child in high school or middle school who wants to do music - be a singer, dancer, whatever. My best advice is start WHERE YOU ARE. Get involved with anything music! School plays, community plays, local choirs/performing groups. Get in or make a garage band, hang out at concerts and places where people are gigging. With everything you get involved in, it gives you experience, exposure, and networking. Keep working up! Audition for everything. Usually each experience will lead to something.
When it comes to being a national recording artist - I have several friends who have and even are currently going for it. I could go forever on ideas about that, best thing to do is google it, believe it or not! There are several great websites with ideas on how to break into the music business.
Remember, you don't have to have a music degree, or even formal lessons. Some of the best singers I have ever worked with have never had a music lesson in their life. But ... the more training you add to your passion and desire, the more 'hirable' you will become. Get in music lesson, groups, schools, that will broaden your potential for work.
Writing and playing are almost a neccessity anymore to become an artist.

I hope that answers some of your questions. I think my fingers are tired from typing!!
GO FORTH and be all you can be!! Too many people dream of having a career in music, but hold themselves back out of fear, not knowing what to do, feeling inadequate, or feeling if they aren't 'the star', nothing is good enough. Best thing to do is just to get out there, ask questions, get in there, and get going!!
Love, peace, jfro out!

Too much goin' on!!

Hey friends!!
Wow - fall sets in and it seems like everything starts going full steam ahead!! Kids are back in school, holidays are right around the corner, busy times! But... I think I'm the happiest when there is a lot to do! I get bored really easily! I'm already planning out my life when my kids leave the next. Purpose! It's all about purpose! I must have purpose!! haha
I will admit I'm a rookie to the whole blog thing. Any tips for successful blogging?
I hope you are doing well! I have received so many nice emails, facemails, and letters about my newest CD "Beautiful Life". Your comments and stories are the REASON I do inspirational music! Thank you for all your feedback! Keep it comin'!
I will admit - I am way behind on answering fan mail! I am on it! I promise! I am learning it's best not to get behind! I keep waiting for that really nice quiet evening when I can sit and write everyone back - yeah, that's funny!
There are several of you who have inquired about tips and ideas for getting into the music business. I will answer that on my next blog which I will write as soon as I close this one out! So... read on!!
I'm pleased to say that my current CD has outsold my 1st CD in just the first 6 months! That's cool! I really like my first CD, but will admit that I worked my guts out on this last one! I started the project with the idea that I would just get the best songs, no matter if I wrote them, or if I found them. I had several 'writing dates' set up with some amazing writers, and for one reason or another, all of my writing dates fell thru, and with a small time crunch, just dug in and wrote it all myself. (Except for 3 of the tracks, which were written by other people) I was a little worried to write so much of it myself, but accepted the challenge and the opportunity presented to me by God, and did it! I'm so thankful that it worked out that way. I learned alot about myself during the writing process, and also was really able to speak directly from my heart, which I hope you will feel when listening.
I would love to hear what you think about the album, and what you'd like to hear from me in the future. I'm thinking a Christmas CD!! Any thoughts?
I'm working currently on a project that I can't wait to share with you, but I have to keep it under wraps for now!
Take care, smile more!!
XO,
Jenny

Good times!

Hey there!
First of all, thanks for visiting my website. I think the guys at Shadow Mountain did a great job! I know I have a lot of things to do with the website, so be patient and I'll get it done!
I can't believe that summer is coming to an end. We had a big rainstorm today here in Utah, and the air felt crisp! I'm not entirely ready for fall, but know it's just around the corner. I do love fall! I love to pull out the jackets and boots and get cozy! I am actually getting excited for the holidays. It seems every January I'm sooo done with all the festivities and music, but fall rolls around, and it all sounds inviting and wonderful once again!
It's been a great summer! I've had a lot of fun adventures and have made some great memories! Thanks to all of you who've been a part of it!
In addition to concerts and promotions stuff, I've had a lot of fun with my kids! My husband Scott and I sat with them at the beginning of the summer and made the 'summer list'. This is a list of all the fun and adventurous things we hope to do during the summer. We then 'plug' them into the calender and start having a blast! My favorite thing we did this summer, was go camping up Provo canyon! We did more extravagant things, but this weekend was seriously the kind of weekends I love. We camped... we rafted down the Provo River, then went into Heber to dine at my favorite place in Heber- the Dairy Keen! If any of you have been there, you know what I'm talkin' about! Awesome onion rings, and they make the best shakes! (I love sitting in the trains out front!) We bowled at the local (and only) bowling alley there in Heber. I don't think it's changed since the 50's. We all (except Scott because he's too cool!) wore crazy socks that we bought at the local dollar store, and bowled away! We also hiked Timp, which is a yearly for our family! My husband laughed at me all weekend because I just loved everything so much. He says that he can take me to the nicest restaurants or resorts, and I'm happier at the Dairy Keen and camping in a tent! Pretty much true on the restaurant thing, but a resort beats a tent in the dirt anyday! Hello? Anything with my family though, and I'm happy!
I hope you are all enjoying my new CD "Beautiful Life". I will post another blog in a few days and give you some insights into the writing of the music and the inspiration behind the songs. I would love to hear from you and your feedback anytime! I always welcome comments, suggestions, and wish-lists on my future CD's.
If there is anything you'd like to ask me or want to hear about, I would love to oblige! Post a blog with any questions or comments you have and I'll blog right back at ya baby!
Have the best day!
Jenny

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