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!


5 comments:

  1. Kimberly

    Since I was very young maybe 10 years old, I performed in front of my couch for my make believe audience. It's all that kept me sane during those times. Music and singing was my passion. You hit it write on the spot. I'm one of those who is scared to death to find out that I'm not that good after all. I haven't ever had lessons, I don't read notes but if I know how it goes and should sound, if I've listened to it several times, I can pretty much do it. Thanks for your insights into music and getting started. This part of me will have to remain a dream and my secret life of what could have been. I feel like I'm living my dream by listening and then performing your songs and others I enjoy singing to in front of my couch on my sing-along machine. Thanks for all the fun.

     
  2. Anonymous

    Hey Jenny! I don't know if you remember me, but when you were preforming in Orem, Utah, in Deseret Book in the University Mall,It is the girl you might not remember me but my name is Josie, and my friend was the cute girl Lizzy, I have Blonde hair and she had darkish hair, I hope you remember me! You are my favorite singer! If you email me please email me at maybaloo8716@hotmail.com you know we are 11 so i don't know if you remember I think it was between September-November, but I don't remember the exact date. You inspire me so much! Keep up the awesome amazing beautiful work!
    -- Josie

     
  3. Rachel Ure

    Hey! this is Rachel Callister Ure- back from Lagoon days (rock u to the top ....)
    I am so glad that you are rocking out and doing your own thing! I have been a HUGE fan ever since I met you when you were the musical director at lagoon.
    Reading this post has me all jazzed up about doing whatever i can musically- where i am right now in my life!
    I have got to see you live sometime- I'll keep checking to see if your calendar includes a stop to st. louis.
    thanks again for the awesome tunes! My son always asks me to play "i came to win" (although he thinks it is saying "i'm gonna win"- he's a little competitive)
    keep the great music coming!

     
  4. Sister Savanah Jo Ward

    Hey Jenny! I just attended the TOFW in Pocatello this weekend and wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your performances. I would really like to share your crazy medley with my 13 year old daughter. It was awesome! You are incredibly versatile! She would really like to perform and I thought it would be good for her to see it!Thanks for sharing your incredible talent! You are inspiring!

     
  5. Becky Deneke
    This comment has been removed by the author.  

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