The Direct Buzz March Issue 2014

Lydia Loveless

Living on the Bleeding Edge

Behind the Desk Jeanette Lundgren is the “Mom Hen” of Mother Hen Promotions

Beyond The Song Joey’s Song - Kevin Baird

Now Media How to use AirPlay Direct to make the most of your radio promotion

The Writers Round The Indie Way Three Questions for Radio A Stranger Look APD Global Radio Indicator Charts Featured Artists & Reviews Killer Tracks March 2014

8 Lydia Loveless – Living on the Bleeding Edge

Lydia Loveless’ new album, “Somewhere Else” is aptly titled. Her third release expands on her past recorded success with her most straightforward and honest writing to date. “Somewhere Else” is receiving well deserved praise from reviewers and critics and drawing comparisons to early Lucinda Williams thanks to its honest, direct, and revealing lyrical approach.

14 Behind The Desk – Jeanette Lundgren is the “Mom Hen” of Mother Hen Productions 28 Beyond The Song – An interview with Kevin Baird, Executive Director for Joey’s Song Joey’s Song is a series of compilation CDs featuring rare and unreleased music from nationally and internationally known, award winning artists. The CDs are named in honor of Joey Gomoll, who passed away in March of 2010.

33 Now Media: How to use AirPlay Direct to make the most of your radio promotion

4 The Writers Round: Won’t Cry”

19 A Look Inside: eers Are Always Free)

An interview with Janiva Magness writer of “I

Scott Holstein - “Montani Semper Liberi” (Mountain-

26 Three Questions for Radio: We interview Terry Heard, Americana Music Director KRCB and Weekend DJ from Santa Rosa, CA.

25 The Indie Way: 23 Killer Tracks:

Communication is Key

Gerald Clayton, Roger Street Friedman, Drew Davis

27 Featured Artists:

You” Artist Contest

The 4 winners of tDB March 2014 “Buzz About

36 APD GLOBAL RADIO INDICATOR CHARTS™ ---------------------------------------------------------------Publisher: Robert Weingartz EDITOR: Lynda Weingartz Contributing Writers: Rich Mahan, Kenny Lamb, Dr. T. Roberts, Barye Cassell, Ryan Smith, Lynda Weingartz, Michael Harnett, Brittney Wilkerson ART DIRECTION: Aleven Creatives (aleven.com)

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© 2014 by AirPlay Direct, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

FROM THE PUBLISHER It is hard to believe that it has been 9 years since I launched AirPlay Direct! What an amazing experience filled with memories both good and bad… such is the life of an entrepreneur. As I turn 50 yrs. old this month, I reflect upon the positive impact AirPlay Direct has had on the global independent music community and I am pleased with our successes and accomplishments.

AirPlay Direct’s presence and brand in the global marketplace is growing at an extremely high rate.

We are very proud that AirPlay Direct continues to deliver more Bluegrass, Folk, Americana and Blues music to radio globally than any other company in the world. AirPlay Direct currently has over 37,000 artist / label members and over 8,800 radio station members in 90+ countries globally.

The March edition of the Direct Buzz will be the 24th issue of our publication. It is truly amazing to see the effect it has had, and how it has impacted so many artists’ careers…in small ways. I look forward with great anticipation to each of the issues being published. The Direct Buzz cover for March features Bloodshot Records recording artist Lydia Loveless.

Lydia is an artist that “Lives on the Bleeding Edge” of music and life…certainly not your average girl next door. Put on your seat belt and take a listen… you won’t be disappointed.

AirPlay Direct is pleased to announce the appointment of Lynda Weingartz to the post of CEO of AirPlay Direct. Lynda has an incredible background as a strong, professional woman in the music business, and has had a tremendous impact on the growth and direction of AirPlay Direct.

As always I would like to thank the APD Executive team and all of our partners for their dedication, professionalism and on-going support.

With fine regards and respect, Robert Weingartz Chairman & Founder - AirPlay Direct Publisher - the Direct Buzz Executive Director - Collective Evolution

THE WRITERS ROUND

by Dr. T. Roberts

Janiva Magness “I Won’t Cry” AirPlayDirect.com/JanivaMagness AirPlayDirect.com/JanivaMagnessStrongerForItRadioSpecial the Direct Buzz: Janiva Magness, your reputation as a worldclass, award-winning Blues artist and performer is well known. But today, I ask for you to focus on a singular piece of art… your song “I Won’t Cry”. In 2013 you were honored with the Blues Music Award for “Best Contemporary Blues Song” for “I Won’t Cry”, that you wrote with your producer and friend Dave Darling. Please share with us the genesis of the song, and then how it makes you feel when you hear it now.

Janiva Magness: What a great question. It would be unfair to say that that tune was born from a singular difficult event. The genesis of that song, to be completely fair and accurate, would date back as far as I can remember. In other words the idea that “I GET CUT, I MIGHT BLEED, BUT I WON’T CRY” has been an ongoing personal theme for as long as I can remember. It is about resilience. It is about pushing through something that is very painful, but not allowing that situation or person, in the end, to get the

best of me.

Dave is also a very strong person.

I believe he understands the posture of refusing to lose. He is a brilliant artist and a very dear friend.

He also knows me well, so when he came up with the idea for the song (the story) and had the path laid out (music), it was not a stretch for me in the least, to take a swing at completing the story, because it’s the core that runs through much of my life experience.

I have a very rich lower vocal register. Sometimes magic things can happen down there. He set the melody dark and low to utilize that part of my range – in part because it is so intimate. This lyric is very

simple and direct. It is the deeply personal resolve of someone who will not quit. It seems there are a lot of people who connect with that idea, which is really lovely and encouraging for me personally. I know Dave was pleased that we won “Song of the Year”. PRETTY DARN COOL! When I hear it now, I realize it is a beautiful, very well crafted song.

I am very happy and though I am generally not a prideful person, I do feel proud of this. I also feel very lucky to be allowed to develop as a songwriter, seriously. This one was a kinda’ big fat “YES” from the universe about writing for me. tDB: Do you have to be inspired

(hurt) to write a song such as this, or does your experience allow you to approach songwriting from more of a concept / theme standpoint at times?

JM: I’m not exactly sure how to answer this one because I am so new to the actual work of crafting a song. So far, all I can do is try to write what I know. Write what is my truth or has been my truth. I do believe that is part of what makes a song “good”. What the hell does that mean… “good”? For me it is when a song is connected to the simple human truth… non-fiction.

A common experience of a person or humanity, articulated in a simple way; meaning not too many words, only the right words, with a melody and chord changes that support the experience of the story being told so that it cuts thru the day to day B.S. and resonates inside the listener. That is just one of the things I love so much about Blues & Soul music. “I Won’t Cry” is a Blues song. tDB: So how is it different winning awards for songwriting versus performance? They are both critically important elements of your career, but there must be some difference in penning and performing your own material, versus interpreting another writer’s song.

JM: Getting accolades for performance has been both unexpected, amazing and affirming for me as an artist. Now getting recognition for songwriting? Mind you… songwriting that I was deeply fearful of and just did not want to do in the first place? Oh yeah! Wild doesn’t even touch it. Then add in how totally surreal it is for me to begin to sing a song that I have helped write and watch the audience mouth the words right along with me! W.T.H.??? It’s been transcendent for me. The fact that the most popular material on “Stronger

For It” were the tunes Dave and I penned blew my mind and frightened me a bit. It takes the level of “Personal and Intimate” to a whole other wheelhouse. Plus, then, well crap! What do I do after that???? tDB: What is the #1 thing that is currently inspiring you to write?

JM: Mainly that I had to follow up the last release that did so well with the original songs. People keep telling me, asking me, encouraging me to write more songs. It’s amazing really. I think another way to put it might be “PRESSURE”.

Ha, ha, ha…! tDB: Is there a new album coming anytime soon?

JM: Yes! A June 2014 release date has been set for the new CD called “Original”- “The Writing Sessions”.

I am super pumped about this one. It really was time for me to put out this CD of all original songs and that meant putting it out on my own label, Fathead Records. I have

9 co-writes (UNBELIEVABLE!).

6 co-writes with Dave Darling, 2 co-writes with an amazing songwriting team from Australia called Benedict & Bliss and 1 with Canadian songwriter extraordinaire Tamara Silvera. Plus 3 tunes from some friends, songs I just had to record! So 12 tunes total. All very exciting for me. I really feel great about this recording. tDB: So what is Janiva Magness listening to in March 2014…?

JM: Ha, ha! Well a lot of mixes of the upcoming “Original” release but, you can’t hear those just yet… so, some Jimmy Reed and Lee Harvey Osmond (Tom Wilson of B.A.R.K.) and of course always, always, always, some Bettye Lavette! Give you my 3 favorite tracks for the month of March.

“Hold Me Close” – Jimmie Ree Live at Carnegie Hall, Lee Harvey Osmond – “I’m Gonna Stay That Way”, and Bettye Lavette – “How Am I Different”.

ARTIST FEATURE

Lydia Loveless

Living on the Bleeding Edge

By Rich Mahan

AirPlayDirect.com/LovelessSomewhereElse

L

ydia Loveless’ new album, “Somewhere Else” is aptly titled. This, her third release, expands on her past recorded success with her most straightforward and honest writing to date.

“Somewhere Else” is receiving welldeserved praise from reviewers and critics and drawing comparisons to early Lucinda Williams thanks to its honest, direct, and revealing lyrical approach. We spoke with Lydia from her home in Columbus, OH about “Somewhere Else”.

Rich Mahan (RM): Congratulations on the new record, it sounds really good.

Lydia Loveless (LL): Thank you RM: I’ve been drawn in listening to it, and I know it’s sticking with me cause I’ll find myself making a sandwich and one of your songs pops into my head. Your new record “Somewhere Else” sounds like you’ve made a quantum leap forward since your last release, how does it feel to you compared to your last 2 releases?

LL: Um, I mean, my thing is usu-

ally once I’m done with something I almost can’t even remember it. My last two albums, they just seem so far away creatively for me, um, not that I think they like suck or anything, this one just feels so much better. I feel like I’ve finally found my sound. I was 19 when I recorded “Indestructible”, so this one’s a lot more mature, I was a little more willing to experiment this time around and less afraid of taking suggestions. I just feel like it’s more me because I was more relaxed instead of trying to go for some kind of genre, I just feel a lot better about it.

RM: It feels really natural, that’s the thing that grabs me. It’s not like somebody wrote a song to try and sound like anything, it sounds like water running or it sounds like the rhythm of a horse galloping.

LL: Ha ha ha! That’s awesome!

RM: Before you wrote and recorded “Something Else”, I heard you had a full albums’ worth of other material written already.

LL: Yeah… I kind of had a crisis.

I had a rented a studio all to myself so I could be alone and write and think. I’ve been calling it spring cleaning on my brain, cause I just got so freaked out after “Indestructible Machine” was getting good reviews and I felt like I had this standard of Alt-Country to live up to and I was kind of going for a sound, and I realized it wasn’t working. I kind of scrapped all those songs. I decided to relax, went out on one more tour, and I don’t know what happened, but my brain just exploded and I started writing again.

RM: Wow… so you can’t really pinpoint any one thing that maybe was a catalyst for the change?

LL: Um, maybe a nervous breakdown… ha ha ha ha ha! I think it was really just letting go of fear.

RM: Man, that is so huge. I think making fear based decisions is one of the worst things you can do. So for you to be able to drop that, I mean hats off, most people just white knuckle it until they crash into the ground. For you to let go and take

a different direction is really admirable.

LL: Thank you RM: Were there any artists or recordings that you were listening to around that time that helped shine a light in the direction you wanted to go?

LL: I would say I was listening to a lot of Stax at the time, I don’t know if that actually influenced the sound of the songs but, I think maybe a little bit, I guess I was just inspired by the story, with the crunchy guitar sounds you find on those, and how it was a bunch of people coming together almost like a family to write all these great timeless songs, that was really inspiring to me, listening to that Stax Collection. And maybe some Blue Oyster Cult I was listening to! Ha ha ha! But there is more of a classic rock vibe to this one I think, like a Fleetwood Mac influence. That was something that I was kind of thinking of in the studio.

RM: What’s your favorite Fleetwood Mac Record?

LL: Oh, “Rumors”, not to be a DBag, but that’s just such a great record, I don’t know! (Laughs) RM: It really is! There’s a reason that record got so big!

LL: Yeah! And I just love the story about how everyone was losing their minds…

RM: Yeah… So once you had decided you were going to scrap those songs you had already written and start again, how fast did the new songs come?

LL: It was pretty swift, and I’d already had a couple songs for a while, but I think we recorded in May, and I had a huge writing spurt in March after SXSW. So it all came together very quickly.

RM: Well, that just shows you are on the right track when it’s effortless and you don’t get any of those mental roadblocks. What’s your writing process? How does it come to you

and how do you go about documenting it?

LL: Most of my songs start with lyrics, I keep a journal pretty religiously and I’ll look through that and sort of take things that I’ve written. I write poetry, a lot of that gets converted and turned into songs, and then I’ll sit down either at my piano or my guitar and start sort of fumbling around. Sometimes I‘ll try to let a melody come to me for a while, till that gets stuck in my head and then when I’m pretty sure it’s good, I usually play it for my guitar player and we start working on our parts and what sort of vibe we want to have.

RM: Do you have a home record-

ing setup?

LL: I have a laptop and a little digital recorder and I pretty much record everything that I do, but I don’t have a studio or anything.

RM: That’s a good idea, but man, that can create a lot of work too cause you have to go back and listen to it all!

LL: I know! It’s like, what is this?

It sounds like an exorcism, but I record everything that happens to me. I do so much stream of consciousness writing, like I’ll be sitting at the piano and I’ll just sing something, and I’ll be like, wow, I have no idea what I just said, I should have recorded that, so I’ve started just having some kind

Jeanette Lundgren is the “Mom Hen” in Mother Hen Promotions. Affordable Social Media Management for Quality Independent Musicians and Related Businesses.

Website: motherhenpromotions.com Email: meetmepresents@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/motherhenpromotions ReverbNation: reverbnation.com/motherhenpromotions Twitter: twitter.com/MomHen “Indie Showcase… have found Mother Hen Promotions to be professional, efficient, quality minded, helpful and a sheer delight to work with.… This lady walks the walk and follows through long after first contact and airplay begins. I have never met any other promotions company that works so hard and diligently for their artists as Mother Hen Promotions.”

— Shashona McCall / Indie Showcase

of device around at all times where I can immediately record something.

RM: That’s one of the great benefits of technology these days to songwriters; everybody has a phone in their pocket now, with an app that records audio. So where did you record “Something Else”?

LL: It’s actually the same place that I did “Indestructible”, Sonic Lounge in Columbus.

RM: What’s the process like when you go in to record? Do you say, OK we’re going to get the drums and bass first and then layer things, or do you try to get everything live?

LL: We do most things live for sure, it doesn’t really get to the point where we are overdubbing until we are starting to do guitars. This time around, we just brought every instrument known to man into the studio… ha ha ha! I think like “Wine Lips” has like 5 guitar parts that are layered over it. Yeah, it’s not really fancy, it’s just what would be a tasteful thing to put in there as far as overdubs go, so for the most part it’s all live.

RM: In the studio do you prefer to sing harmonies with yourself, or do you like to have other people sing so you have a different vocal blend?

LL: This is the first time around that I’ve done harmonies with my-

self, I really liked that but I love singing with Todd, my guitar player so he did most of them.

RM: How long did recording take once you got in and actually started tracking?

LL: The live tracks took two or three days, and then everything else, we like waited a week and went back in did about three days of overdubs including vocals and everything. I like to work quickly; I don’t like to labor over things. It’s not that I don’t try, I just find you don’t really get the meat of the song as well or the emotions if you are singing 80,000 vocal tracks, then you just hear a worn out singer.

RM: Well I just read something from Neil Young where he said he likes to get the take when he’s teaching it to the band to catch the vibe.

LL: Mmmhmmm, we did that with the cover song, “They Don’t Know”.

We had a couple hours left and I said, why don’t we record that, and we were all just learning it.

RM: Sometimes when you don’t know where you’re going to go, you may play a riff that you normally wouldn’t that sounds really cool.

LL: Yeah, totally.

RM: I read that your dad was your original drummer.

LL: Yeah, it was great, but with all the touring I think it was kinda rough on him.

RM: Did your new drummer Nick German deliver anything that helped you to create something that felt more natural / take you to where you are now sonically?

LL: Possibly, I mean, we’re really good friends, so I think we just have really similar ideas. He’s younger than anyone I’ve ever played with, so I think our musical tastes are more similar than other musicians, and he’s kind of an ex punk rocker, so I think we have a little bit more of an understanding than I’ve had with other people. So I think we was definitely helpful in that context.

RM: Has he infused any new life into your older songs?

LL: I think he mostly tries to stick to what they originally sound like, but I guess he does add that sort of more rock and roll element.

RM: Some artists reinvent their songs in a live setting, do you see yourself doing anything like that, or do you like to stick to the way you recorded the songs?

LL: Um, I think it will take me a long time to get to the point where I’m comfortable going off on a ripping Jazz Solo or anything (Laughs)

I guess I switch up the lyrics live sometimes, but for the most part we stick with the way it sounds on the recording.

RM: When you tour in support of “Somewhere Else” are you sticking to your four-piece lineup, or will you be augmenting your lineup with additional players?

LL: I think it will just be the four of us, it’s going to be everyone who played on the record except Jay Gaspar the steel player who can’t really do much touring.

RM: What’s your live gear setup these days?

LL: I play an American Telecaster through a Fender Blues Junior generally, and I also have a Rickenbacker.

RM: I really like those Blues junior Amps; besides being small they have a great tone to them.

LL: Yeah, I love small amps; I like to hear that crunch.

RM: Small amps give up the goods.

LL: Yeah, that’s definitely my preference, I have a Kalamazoo, I don’t know if you know what that is, it’s like an old Gibson Amp. It’s so small people are like, what is this?

(Laughs) RM: You are out on the road a ton… do you have any favorite places to visit and play?

LL: Um, when we play on the West coast, we usually do real well in San Francisco, LA and Portland, Chicago’s a really great place for us, those are probably my favorite places.

RM: Any places that you haven’t played yet that you’d like to?

LL: I haven’t played in Chapel Hill, and I’ve heard I really need to go there.

RM: MMMMHMMM… well that’s kind of Ryan Adams’ old stomping grounds, and I hear a little Ryan Adams in the new record. Are you a fan?

LL: Oh definitely RM: I hear a little of the same

vibe from his Rock and Roll record on Something Else, I hear some of that urgency, and the rawness, which seems really genuine.

LL: Thank you RM: Let’s talk a little bit about your label, Bloodshot Records. They work with AirPlay Direct to get the music out to radio, and it must be great to be with a label that works with artists the way that Bloodshot is working with you.

LL: Yeah, they’re great, and obviously very respected. It’s nice to have that tight knit family that Bloodshot is instead of having to call someone who calls someone who calls someone to get the news or have a conversation with someone at my label.

RM: It’s refreshing to see a label do any kind of artist development these days and it seems they are really behind you that way.

LL: Totally, I appreciate the creative freedom I get too.

RM: On AirPlay Direct right now (At the time of this interview) you have 7 of the top 8 downloaded

singles for Americana/AAA, you are obviously resonating with radio programmers and I expect the same thing to happen with the fans once they get a hold of this record. It has to be a very gratifying feeling to see these reactions roll in.

LL: Yeah it’s great! A lot of people are like “A lot of people are finally paying attention to you” I think its great that it takes a while, I’m grateful that things have had time to build and I’ve had time to actually mature and write better songs and now there’s attention on me when I feel good and confident about it.

RM: Is there anybody you want to go out and tour with this year?

LL: Oooh, good question. I love Jason Isbell, I think that would be great, I love Elisabeth Cook, that would be great to do some shows with her, and we are touring with Old 97’s for a bit so that will be really fun.

RM: Well, its been great talking to you, best of luck and thanks!

LL: Thank you!

Jeanette Lundgren - the “Mom Hen” of Mother Hen Promotions the Direct Buzz (tDB): Do you remember the day that you realized that the music business was your passion and you wanted to pursue it as your career? What was going through your mind at that time?

Jeanette Lundgren (JL): This is actually my second career. I’ve always loved music - I sang and played in high school and college (glee club and guitar clubs), and I’ve always had a really good ear. I went into publishing as my first career choice though and worked my way up from secretary to Rights Director, selling all kinds of subsidiary rights to adult and children’s books at a major publishing house in NY for 25 years. I moved to Los Angeles in 2000 to be the film rights liaison for that publisher and then 2 years later the parent company closed all “outside” offices. Around the same time, I became interested in independent releases put out by favorite artists from my teen-hood which led me to meeting some of them (indie artists respond to letters and email whereas labeled artists back in the day did not). Via doing once weekly office work for James Lee Stanley, I started to learn about the indie music business, and that is where I first learned about “Folk Alliance www. folkalliance.org” and “FAR-West www.far-west.org ”. I then started going to see James at local coffee shops, house concerts and other venues … and along the way met other indie musicians who knocked my socks off. It WAS a dream come true. At the same time, Myspace was

MotherHenPromotions.com

brand-spanking-new and I tried my hand at creating and maintaining those sites and that’s when I sorta saw the light. This was around 2003 and 2004. Indie Musicians without the support of a label now had to do it all themselves, from producing to promoting and everything in between. At the same time, the internet was still a little wet behinds its ears and I was good at it. I was sort of on a journey at that point to find out what my next step would be, what with publishing behind me and working interim at a local drugstore chain to pay the bills. There was no question about going back to NY; I wanted to be on the West Coast. When it became clear that internet promotion was not in the daily schedule or even easy for in-

by Dr. T. Roberts

die musicians to manipulate, for my friends, I took it on. I have to say I didn’t at that time know where it was all going, but I knew I would ride it to find out. tDB: You have created a very successful and admired Consulting Firm in the music industry. What are the “Top 3” things you believe have contributed the most to your success… and why?

JL: Persistence. Perseverance.

And the fact that, when I was in publishing, I generally worked alone to handle 3-4 new book lists per year containing upwards of 15 titles to all markets without forgetting about recent past lists of newly published books. Being in subsidiary rights, I also worked closely with the editors, promotion and publicity de-

partments, art, and the agents/authors. So I already had the “team” mentality in place as well as the “get it done” mentality. I don’t stop until I’m done. tDB: Please share with us why you decided to name your company Mother Hen Promotions. What is your “mission statement” for 2014?

JL: Tracy Newman named me.

Great Story! I was calling myself “Social Media Manager” (and I think I was one of the first people to call myself that). Anyway, I was trying to arrange a CD exchange between Tracy and two other colleagues and she said to me (in the midst of the conversation) “You are SUCH a mother hen!” And as with a former publishing boss who called me ‘incorrigible’ in the ‘90s; I took it as a compliment and a light bulb went off above my head, “Yes! Exactly! I AM a Mother Hen!” So Mother Hen Promotions was born.

Since taking that name, I needed a handle for twitter and @MomHen worked nicely. Clients have taken to calling me variations of Mother Hen like “MaHen,” “Mom,” ”MH,” “MomHen,”and a very recent client called me “MuthaHen.” I love all of it. I also now have an internet radio show on Indie Showcase (www.indieshowcase.net) and Awesome Radio (www.awesomeradio.net) called “MomHens Corner” showcasing the

best of the best indie music from all genres via worldwide internet radio.

Mission Statement for 2014 … probably goes along the lines of to keep doing what I am doing now to the best of my ability for all of my clients and colleagues PLUS make the 2014 FAR-West Music Conference in Oakland that I am co-coordinating with John Roy Zat, the best damn FAR-West Music conference to date. tDB: As a marketing and promotions professional, how does AirPlay Direct fit into your “Global Marketing Plan”?

JL: APD rocks. Seriously. It has from the start. I think I’ve been in touch with you since I only had two clients and APD was in start-up. By making high quality digital copies of the music available to radio without the mailing costs and letting go of precious CDs (that could be saved to be sold to fans instead); it makes my job easier in the long run. Even for DJs who are reluctant to use the medium for downloading; at least they can stream the tracks to see if they want to receive the physical CD. PLUS, the portal can be used as a Digital Press Kit. APD is one of my #1 priorities for the artists I work for, it’s cost efficient and effective. tDB: If you could give just one piece of “Artist Development Advice” to an artist, what would it be?

JL: Find Your Fan. Every band or artist has at least one super-fan who would do anything for him, her or them. Be kind and genuine to all of your fans because they are the ones who will help you in your day to day. It’s how Mother Hen started; as a super fan for an indie artist. tDB: Given your success in the industry, you must be providing a service that is different and in demand. What elevates and separates you from other professional services firms?

JL: I haven’t been able to find someone else who does what I do which in some ways is a blessing and in some ways, is not. There is so much excellent music, and only 24 hours in a day. I am a behind the scenes quasi-tech that creates and maintains and promotes via some of the more important social media sites out there today. I also work for indie musicians so my pricing is geared toward being complimentary to their budgets. AND I don’t just work for anybody; it’s gotta be top quality. Mother Hen Promotions has a reputation to uphold. If I’m recommending an artist or their music to radio or venue friends, contacts and colleagues, I want them to trust that what I’m sending in their direction is quality. By working on these sites nearly daily, I see changes or portal-problems as they happen and

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I can report on them to my clients as well as my friends. So I learned to type on a manual IBM Selectric with carbon copies and now I’m figuring out portal problems and work-arounds on the internet. Even I’m amazed. tDB: I am quite sure you have many amazing stories from your history in the business. Please share two of those fond memories with our readers.

JL: I think probably my fondest memory is when I took the train from LA to Eugene, Oregon for the 2011 FAR-West conference and found a place that I could move into in order to go full time as Mother Hen Promotions. It had all the ingredients I had been looking for up till then: rent a third of what I was paying in Los Angeles, a small(ish) walkable college town, friendly people, lots of activities that I could actually attend without being caught in traffic for hours. There was healthy food, clean

air, trains and busses within walking distance, and plenty of bike paths, plus the River nearby.

While I was in Los Angeles, I didn’t really have the time to do a lot other than work to stay afloat. I was working nights at a retail drugstore, and days as Mom Hen. My one week off a year was at the FARWest conference.

So the biggest deal was being able to finally move and be Mom Hen full time. I’m still figuring out the rest…

A Look Inside:

Scott Holstein

“Montani Semper Liberi” (Mountaineers Are Always Free) AirPlayDirect.com/ScottHolstein

by Kenny Lamb “Mountaineers are always free”, says the official motto for the State of West Virginia. Scott Holstein’s song, “Montani Semper Liberi”, reflects a history of conflict, pride and the individual triumphs of staying true to who you are, where you are from, and what you believe in. Scott Holstein has lived free through his music, following the paths that would lead him away from home and back again, but always toward the life he knew was for him — singing and playing the songs in his heart and telling the stories of his life.

A Boone County West Virginia Native growing up in a coal mining family, Scott’s road ahead may well have been the same as many before him: working the coal mines. But Scott’s parents also played part time in a Bluegrass Gospel band, and the road forked. An opportunity was given to learn the life of a musician, entertainer, and songwriter. “They would always have instruments around.” Scott remembers. “I was given this path as an option.” As it turns out, that option became a passion, and that passion became Scott’s calling. It would have been a shame if that voice never made a record, never moved someone to feel or dance or smile from the sound that comes from his soul.

It wasn’t an easy journey, or a clear direction. It was just a way to go —

something true to follow. “When I was 5 years old I attended a U.M.W.A. Labor day rally in West Virginia. Senator Robert C. Byrd was the Senator at that time and an old time fiddle player. He played on the Grand Ole Opry.

I got up on stage with a hat and guitar. Trying to find my place”.

As Scott entered his teens, he was starting to meet others musicians who traveled and performed across the country. It was as a guest of DJ Wallace Horn, of the famed Friendly Neighbor Show with over 40 years on the air, that Scott met Elaine Purkey, a coal industry activist singer and touring artist. This led to Scott playing a few shows with her, including National Folk Conventions and other out of state venues that became a chance to be exposed to the cultural diversity of the places and walks of life he’d never experienced before. “Folks would go play these festivals and come back to work at the coal mines. I wanted to leave with the carnival.” Scott says with a smile. High school didn’t inter-

est Scott either. Even as a gifted arts student, Scott was always looking out the window towards the Bluegrass world; towards music.

And out on the road he went, on his first professional stint playing mandolin in a Bluegrass band with the Gillis Brothers. “I introduced myself as the man for the job. We played all the top Bluegrass festivals. I would go for weeks without seeing a bed.” Scott would also spend some time in Myrtle Beach, SC during the 90’s boom. “It felt like the place to be then as a tourist destination and live music scene.”

Scott remembers. It was there Scott met country singer Charlie Floyd, a

Capitol Records recording artist. Charlie hired him at his nightclub, and Scott discovered his love for country music as well. Throw in a few late night Jams with Southern Rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Marshall Tucker Band, and Scott was starting to see many sides of the music world.

It was at a festival in Macon, Georgia, however, that was a turning point.

“I was at the festival as a guest, and I met Bluegrass veterans Randy Kohrs and Jim Lauderdale. We got in a jam that night, and Randy told me I need to be in Nashville.” Scott showed up, meeting with Randy and eventually jumping into the studio for the real thing. “Randy called up the boys, it was a rainy night session. I had these original songs that I had to get out.

Show people where I came from.

These songs were the stories of my life.” The session couldn’t have gone any better, Scott notes. And so was born his first album, the poignant and critically acclaimed “Cold Coal Town”. It is truly a gem.

In an industry where something true can be hard to find in the mix of all that is trendy, “Cold Coal Town” is as honest and moving as anything I’ve heard since Johnny Cash and Waylon, with a resonance of the legendary bluegrass stylists. If Ralph Stanley were a Baritone, he would probably

sound like Scott Holstein. It’s a voice that takes you to a place instantly. This is rare.

Few have it. As Scott took his gift and newly recorded music into the market place, the new journey began — one of understanding the reality of marketing yourself, building fans, selling music, and moving with the ever changing front of technology. At that point Scott started his label, Coal Records, to get the music out.

“I learned all I could about the music business, publishing and running my own label.” I’m the artist, the writer, the president, the financer, the marketing dept. I do it all.”

Scott won a contest with AirPlay Direct that awarded him the opportunity to meet with Bluegrass icon Carl Jackson and receive some very special one-on-one mentoring and advice.

With that knowledge, as well as some quality advice from a few other confidants in the music industry, Scott went into business. Working with AirPlay Direct, Scott has continued to elevate his music and reach new audiences.

”It’s been an honor to be involved with Robert Weingartz and the team at AirPlay Direct.” Scott says. As Chairman and Founder of AirPlay Direct, Mr. Weingartz has taken notice of not only Scott Holstein’s music, but the way he has blossomed through the platform.

“It is truly amazing for me to watch a total independent like Scott Holstein thrive within the AirPlay Direct ecosystem. That is why we exist…to create opportunity.”

Through the AirPlay Direct platform, Bluegrass Radio mogul Terry Herd became interested in Scott’s music. “There are a number of things I always listen for when choosing music

for my show. The quality of the song is critical, the quality of the recording is important. The artistry of the players, and certainly the vocalist, and the minute I heard that record, I knew it was something very special.” Terry has been playing Scott’s music on his Bluegrass show, “Into The Blue” and continues to spread the word. “Scott is the best kept secret in Bluegrass music”, says Terry. These are not words used lightly by those in the business.

“This doesn’t happen very often for me. When it does I recognize it immediately. He has a gift. The world needs to know about Scott Holstein.”

Things are definitely heating up.

Back in his home state of West Virginia, his name is known for the region and what it represents. The TV show, The Fly Rod Chronicles (www.flyrodchronicles.tv) is using Scott’s music in their series. Jarod McClure, the shows producer, became a fan. “It goes very well with what we’re doing, promoting the state. When I first heard “Montani

Semper Liberi”, I fell in love with it.

It should be the new state song.” Says McClure. “And it’s not just “Montani”. The whole album speaks to any West Virginian. It’s a great lyrical album that will stand the test of time. “ Scott is making the most of his regional identity, staying close to his roots, at the same time hoping the volume level of his career can reach the ears of new fans around the world.

With new music to record, an entire state behind him (including the current Senator Dr. Ron Stollings, who gave Scott the official title as “Ambassador of Boone County, West “By God” Virginia”). And with attention coming from some of the hardened industry execs, there seems to be a new beginning for Scott Holstein; one far away from the defining days of a Coal Miners Son in Boone County, West Virginia. Many years down the road from the music shows at Uncle Joe Turner’s church in Camp Creek, and far removed from the days of chasing

the Bluegrass world with a mandolin and a traveling bag. Scott came down from the mountain to climb a new one.

The perseverance of a true artist led him this far, and those life stories and songs in “Cold Coal Town” that may never have been heard, are there for all and for all time. The new beginning for Scott will start with new songs, new recordings, new stages, and staying on track with all that it takes to give your music the chance to be heard.

Those who want to hear more are here to help, and that should feel good to someone who has been on the long journey only the artist can take. The support is coming from many places right now, and the music is taking on a life of it’s own. The next album could be something that generates the kind of buzz that takes things over the top.

But the freedom is in the climb. Scott Holstein has been climbing steady and living the life he dreamed about. He knows who he is, and we all want to know — what’s next?

The Direct Buzz offers reviews by a team of professional music critics. Any AirPlay Direct artist or label interested in being considered for a review should contact us. Choose three songs from your DPK, and we’ll give you our opinion of them. We can’t guarantee a rave review, but we can assure you that it will be honest and constructive. We will try to honor all requests, but it might take awhile. As such, your patience is appreciated.

Gerald Clayton

Roger Street Friedman

Drew Davis

AirPlayDirect.com/GeraldClayton

AirPlayDirect.com/RogerStreetFriedman

AirPlayDirect.com/DrewDavis

As soon as I listened to the first few bars of Life Forum, I knew this album was going to be one I would just fall into and not want to climb out again. For those lovers of early Chick Corea and Return to Forever, Gerald has taken the tasty, less is more approach, to making an album that will be a benchmark work in the style of Jazz. This album is aggressive, and dynamic in arrangement and execution.

True artistic beauty can’t be forced or fabricated. It requires authentic inspiration and dedication from an artist to see his or her vision come into fruition. Roger Street Friedman’s debut solo album “The Waiting Sky” exemplifies this. After nearly three decades of being virtually out of the music business, Friedman was struck by a creative revelation. Seven years ago he and his wife had their first child after they had been told they would never be able to conceive. This unexpected joy, and the pain of losing his parents provided Roger with a renewed sense of artistry. The results are striking. On “The Waiting Sky” Roger tackles highly personal subject matters. “You Are Not Alone” was written about his father’s final night while “The Miracle Is You” is about their child. Classic influences like Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, and Peter Gabriel are apparent, but this album also sounds remarkably fresh and contemporary. In fact, this album fits in nicely with the work of young artists like Dawes and The Avett Brothers. Roger says that he’s enjoying making music again so much that he’s never going to stop. Let’s hope he stays true to his word!

Ryan Smith

You may not have heard of Drew Davis, but there’s a very good chance you’ve heard his music without realizing it. Davis wrote the song “Holler If You’re With Me,” which was recently used in a national Pepsi campaign and now appears on his new solo album “SWERVE.” It was also recorded by X-Factor winner Tate Stevens on his album that charted #4 on the Billboard Country Chart. Other songs written by Davis have been recorded by national country and rock artists and placed on numerous popular television shows. Born in small-town Missouri, Drew grew up singing in church and performed at any honky tonk that would have him. While attending college he got a job as the lead singer at Lowes’ Branson Town Theater where he rubbed elbows with many legends of country music. He has since relocated to LA and Nashville continuing to build a solid career as a writer and performer. At his best, Davis evokes the spirit of Springsteen and Roy Orbison fused with a no-nonsense classic rock sensibility. His songwriting is chock full of undeniable pop hooks and witty lyrics. With a little luck, “SWERVE” is destined to hit the airwaves of modern country radio.

Ryan Smith

Live Forum

Gerald Clayton has taken the piano to new height in the complexity of Jazz, and made it feel effortless. The notes are layered thru the arrangements in a hypnotic walk that pulls you in and weaves flavors of tones that are so tasty each bit leaves you wanting more. This is has to be one of the best Jazz projects I have heard in the 34 years I have been listening and playing Jazz. Shadamanthern, Dusk Baby, and Sir Third were my favorite tracks, but I did not find one track that did not leave me wanting more.

If you never thought you would like Jazz give this a taste you might just find it is delicious.

Barye Cassell

The Waiting Sky

Swerve

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MARKETING

Let Us Tell Your Story...

PROFESSIONAL CREATIVITY INTEGRITY

By Brittney Wilkerson

Communication is Key So it’s inevitable, at some time in your career you or someone you are working with is going to drop the ball, forget a deadline or take something out of context. Basically, 99% of your problems are communication problems and could be completely avoided. In todays’ time it’s difficult to figure out which form of communication you are going to use, much less how to use it. Below are the proper ways to get someone’s attention and then what to do once you have it.

1. E-mail

This is the updated version of the pen and paper our parents used, and aren’t we thankful we don’t have to use carrier pigeons and wait 3 weeks for a response anymore. An e-mail address is normally the most accessible form of contact information you can get for someone when initially building a professional relationship. E-mails give you time to think about what you want to say all while making sure everything you need to discuss is there in plain sight. Same thing for the receiver, they have time to process whatever it is you are communicating to them.

2. Phone

A phone call is always what I use for follow up for professional purposes. Never expect that someone has received your E-mail. With spam filters, technical problems and that crazy thing they call being a human, e-mails get over looked. A follow up phone call shows initiative and perseverance. Also, if you’ve been chatting back and forth with someone over e-mails for a while it’s nice to know there’s a person be-

hind the keyboard. Voice calls help people learn your personality better and lead to conversations that don’t particularly deal with work, which might help you build a personal relationship later.

3. Text

I know texting is the only way anyone knows how to communicate anymore and you would absolutely die without it, but it is a big “nono” in the professional world. The ONLY time you should text someone is if they request it or you have already built a personal relationship with them. Still keep the texts short and to the point. For example, use a text to remind them about a meeting or to let them know you sent over an e-mail they’ve been waiting on.

4. Social Media

When I first thought about using social media to make a professional connection I cringed; however, it is what most people use today. With sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn you have endless connections at your fingertips. Any of the previously mentioned social net-

works, plus many more, put people that you would normally never have contact information for just a tweet away. Don’t be shy! If you can’t find someone’s e-mail address or phone number tweet them and ask; it’s worth a shot. However, I would never send a potential client/employer a Facebook message asking about future job opportunities. Once you receive the contact information use it as advised above.

Now you have their attention, where do you go from here? How do you keep all of these ways of communication straight while making sure you leave a positive impression? It’s really not as hard as it seems. Just remember, every problem is a communication problem.

People get confused, get information mixed up and forget things.

This is a busy industry so don’t assume they are going to remember every detail. Below are a few steps you can take to assure you get your point across clear and simple.

1. Confirm The Confirming Confirmation

As strange as it sounds it’s actu-

ally very simple to do. If you have an appointment, re-confirm that the appointment is still on. Maybe they wrote the time down wrong, maybe you wrote the place down wrong.

They might have cancelled and you didn’t get the message. Many things can happen and details can fall through the cracks. Make sure you are on the same page.

2. Tell Them What You’re Going To Tell Them, Tell Them, Then Tell Them What You Told Them

I know another crazy sounding one, but you will remember it. It’s basically self-explanatory. If you’re in a meeting with someone, give them an overview of what you are going to tell them about, tell them, then repeat yourself. If a person hears something three times they are more likely to remember it.

Making connections is a crucial part of a career, keeping those connections healthy is even more important. Don’t let your career suffer because of a “rookie” mistake. Professionalism is a key factor in how far you make it in this industry. So choose your form of communication wisely and use it to your advantage. This is all a part of being able to market yourself as well as your product. Conflicts are going to happen from time to time but using these simple steps can help keep you from being the one that causes the conflict.

THREE QUESTIONS FOR RADIO

by Dr. T. Roberts This month on “Three Questions” we interviewed Terry Herd, Americana Music Director - KRCB and Weekend DJ from Santa Rosa, CA. AirPlay Direct (APD): What is your station I.D., location, format and how long have you worked there?

Terry Herd (TH): I am a syndicator with 139 stations throughout the US and Canada / Bluegrass Radio Network is the name of the company.

My weekly 3 hour show is called “Into The Blue” APD: How long have you been a member of AirPlay Direct and why do you use AirPlay Direct?

TH: I use AirPlay Direct multiple times each week. Not sure how long

I’ve been a member…maybe 3 years?

APD: Tips for Independent artists on AirPlay Direct. Please share with us one tip on what “not to do” with your APD artist / release page, and one tip on what “you should do” with your artist page and songs.

TH: TO DO: Be sure to include songwriter credits for each track.

Keep in mind, this may be the only place DJ’s can find information for your project. If it’s not in the track notes, those songwriters may never get credit for their contribution.

NOT TO DO: If you upload a single from a forthcoming project, don’t let it languish more than 45 days before uploading the rest of the project.

THESE ARE THE 4 WINNERS OF tDB JANUARY ISSUE “BUZZ ABOUT YOU” ARTIST CONTEST.

Lowell Levinger Roots / Americana / Folk “Down To The Roots” is his fifth solo album since the disbanding of The Youngbloods in 1973. Banana has now come into his own with sterling songs that delve into the roots that formed his musical landscape. From down and dirty blues to rollicking good times, Banana presents a varied palette of colorful stories paired with irresistible melodies and rhythms. His vocals deliver sincerity, warmth and humor and are solidly supported by engaging instrumental arrangements.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/LowellLevinger ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kerri Powers

Emma King & The Heartsets TA3#

Americana / Blues / AAA

Pop Rock / Roots Rock / Pop Folk

Gangsta / Hip Hop / Rap

Kerri has finished recording a selftitled album consisting of 8 selfpenned songs as well as a cover of Janis Ian’s, “Jesse,” and The Bee Gee’s, “To Love Somebody.” “The recording was a last minute decision, an idea to go into Dirt Floor Studios in Connecticut and cut a couple of tracks just to see how it would go.”

The result is a beautifully imperfect album; homespun, sparse and understated, showcasing Powers’ intimate and sometimes sassy songwriting.

-------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/KerriPowers --------------------------------------------

Passionate, artistic, vibrant and uplifting: Emma King and The Heartsets is a band from the U.K., mixing their distinct European style with the universal sound of Arena Rock. Following in the footsteps of transatlantic legends such as U2 and Fleetwood Mac, this young group is uniting fans of all genres with their huge live sound created by vocalist Emma King, instrumentalist Ritch Spence and a rhythm section from their base in Nashville, Tennessee.

-------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/EmmaKing...

--------------------------------------------

DTA3$ (pronounced tae money) is a 24 Year old, unsigned independent artist who began writing his own material between the ages of 12-13. That same year he teamed up with a longtime friend to record their debut group album titled, 3rd Degree “No Pressure”. A decade later, TA3$ would release his debut solo album, “Global Warning”. A major milestone in his career, following his new release he was to be featured in Makin’ It Magazine twice as a rising star.

-------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/TA3 --------------------------------------------

Kevin Baird

JoeysSong.org

By Michael Harnett

Executive Director for Joey’s Song Joey’s Song is a series of compilation CDs featuring rare and unreleased music from nationally and internationally known, award winning artists. The CDs are named in honor of Joey Gomoll, who passed away in March of 2010.

The Direct Buzz (tDB): Tell us about Joey Gomoll and how Joey’s Song came into being?

Kevin Baird (KB): Joey Gomoll was a happy, upbeat little boy who was handed a ton of bad medical breaks.

Like his older brother and sister, Joey was adopted from Guatemala and made his home in Wisconsin. He was a playful, upbeat and downright charming little guy whose life unfortunately became overrun by anticonvulsant drugs and ambulance trips following his first epileptic seizure when he was just 6 months old. For the next 4 ½ years, Joey smiled, danced and laughed his way through his brief time on earth. Epilepsy took away Joey’s ability to talk, but it never took away his ability to connect with his family and friends and never ever took away his spirit and zest for life. He loved music and loved to play and engage with everyone around him.

Joey suffered from a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome and passed away just a few weeks shy of his fifth birthday. Dravet syndrome is a particularly devastating form of epilepsy. Children suffering from Dravet syndrome have a very high mortality rate and most have frequent seizures that can’t be controlled by medication.

Often times Dravet syndrome causes not only developmental delays but can actually lead to regression as a patient

grows.

When Joey died unexpectedly in March 2010, his family and friends wanted to find a way to celebrate Joey’s life and make the future brighter for kids like Joey, their families and everyone fighting epilepsy. In April of 2010, Joey’s father, Michael Gomoll, established Joey’s Song, a charitable organization that, in tribute to Joey, uses music to fund epilepsy research and patient care services for children with special needs. tDB: How did you decide on Music as the main marketing and revenue source for the organization?

KB: Because Dravet syndrome robbed Joey of his ability to speak and communicate via the spoken word, music was his connection to the world. It brought him joy, and he was most content when music was playing and he was coaxing those around him to sing and dance. Even when he was recovering from one of his seizures, classical

music helped to soothe him. Because music was Joey’s link to the world while he was with us, it seemed an obvious vehicle for fundraising in his memory. tDB: How did you go about choosing the artists and genres and clearing the music?

KB: When we started Joey’s Song, we had a connection to three of the artists who would appear on the first two CDs - Del Amitri, Lowen & Navarro and Greg Percy. After those artists agreed to donate a song, the act of

artist recruitment became an exercise of sending out emails to artists who resonated with Joey’s dad. He sent out hundreds of emails to established, award-winning, indie artists, telling Joey’s story and his vision for Joey’s Song. Many emails went unanswered; however, within weeks, dozens of artists answered and a portion of those responses formed the artist list for the first few volumes of Joey’s Song.

While the artists on our CDs may not be artists that are heard on the radio every day, they represent a group of artists who are deeply respected by other musicians. Today when we approach an artist to ask them to donate a track, they invariably scan down the list of artists who have already donated and say, “Oh my gosh, you have Gurf Morlix (insert Steve Forbert, Rosanne Cash, Steve Wynn, Jon Dee Graham, Mark Olson or any number of other artists), I love Gurf.”

Over the first four years we have worked really hard to build relationships with the artists, management teams and record labels. Joey’s Song has become a trusted member of the music industry and these relationships are now leading to artists and managers introducing us to other musicians who will one day donate a track and allow us to continue to produce Joey’s Song CDs. The clearing process is an interesting and sometimes frustrating endeavor. In order to get the legal rights to use a song, we need to get agreement from not only the artist but also the songwriter(s), management, label and publisher(s). The good news is that every single song on the Joey’s Song series has been given to us on a gratis basis up to this point. The bad news is that we also have a number of tracks that artists have agreed to donate, but that one of the other entities have not approved, leaving us with some songs we are not legally able to use. Over time we have gotten better at working with the artist up front to choose songs that have the best chance of making it through the

clearing process. tDB: What can you tell us about your new release “Joey’s Song: Country” and the artists on the CD? KB: We are very excited about the latest installation in the Joey’s Song Series, Joey’s Song: Country. It represents our continued commitment to recruit the highest quality artists, and also is our first CD with artists that the casual radio listener will recognize. Combined, Montgomery Gentry, Aaron Tippin, Kevin Sharp, Blackhawk and the other artists on this CD boast numerous #1’s, more than sixty Top 40 hits, and dozens of CMA/ACM nominations/ awards. Joey’s Song: Country will also introduce music fans to some up and coming country artists like Maddy Rodriguez (winner of the International Acoustic Music Awards and the UK Songwriting Competition 2012, Country Category), Bryan Edwards (co-writer, “If She Could See Me Now” from Jason Aldean’s CMA of the Year album

“My Kinda Party”), McKenna Faith (CMA Music Festival and Blake Shelton Cruise performer) and more!

This also marks the first time an artist has been so moved by our cause that they have written and recorded a song specifically for Joey’s Song! The Montgomery Gentry song, “Summer Is Here”, was co-written by Troy Gentry and Eddie Kilgallon and the entire band had a hand in its’ recording. It is a fun, upbeat, song celebrating the arrival of summer, and will be a real treat for all the Montgomery Gentry fans out there. tDB: Joey’s Song has been very successful recruiting artists. What about Joey’s Song has made that possible?

KB: We believe we are unique from other charities that use music to raise awareness and money for a cause for a number of reasons. Most charity CDs are comprised of artists and songs that have been previously released and that people are already familiar with or are tribute, cover, CDs. Joey’s Song CDs

Helping Independent Artists to Succeed since 2001 www.AmericanaMediaPro.com

feature many songs that are previously unreleased, or a live, demo or acoustic version of a hit song providing a unique experience for the fan.

Next, because we are a 100% volunteer organization, artists know that their contribution of a song means nearly 100% of the proceeds actually go to epilepsy research and patient care services and are not eaten up by paid employees, board members or solicitors. Our model also is appealing to folks who buy our CDs or make a donation. Because we are all volunteers, all songs are donated and most of the services necessary to produce a CD are done pro bono, we are able to take a $1 donation and turn it into a CD. That CD is, in turn, sold for $8-12 resulting in larger donation to the charities we support than would have occurred had the donor given directly to the charity.

Lastly, Joey’s Song is a member of the music industry. We are technically a non-profit, independent record label. As such, we are building our relationships within the industry and providing a reliable charitable outlet for artists, labels and publishers. tDB: How did you connect with AirPlay Direct and how has that experience been?

KB: We reached out to AirPlay Direct prior to release of Joey’s Song Volume 2

and Joey’s Song Volume 2 for Kids. After hearing Joey’s story, AirPlay took us under their wing, helped us get started with all the great tools AirPlay Direct offers and promoted our CDs to their 8,800+ radio stations.

After several weeks, the Joey’s Song Volume 2 CDs had been downloaded and played on several hundred radio stations around the globe. And, without any explicit promotion of our Volume 1 CDs, both of those garnered tons of interest. At one point, in the first month following our release, all four of the Joey’s Song CDs were in top 30 of the AirPlay Americana/AAA chart at #1, #5, #15 and #30.

We are extremely grateful for the support of the entire AirPlay Direct team and look forward to a long and prosperous friendship/partnership. tDB: What are the next steps for Joey’s Song both musically and with other partners?

KB: It is our hope that we can continue to grow the Joey’s Song brand name and to raise ever greater amounts to fund epilepsy research and patient care services for children with special needs. We will continue to produce CDs each year as they are a great way to raise awareness and money for

epilepsy and also provide us an entrée to tell our story to more and more artists. But, we also are looking to grow the benefit concert side of our fundraising capabilities. Live shows provide an experience that music lovers are looking for and are a great fundraising vehicle. Joey’s Song has produced 3 benefit shows since 2010 featuring artists like Rhett Miller (Old 97’s), Freedy Johnston, Miles Nielsen, Sam Llanas, and others. Much like our CDs, we are growing our concerts, both in the name recognition of the artists performing and the size of venue.

Our dream goal is to have artists like Paul McCartney, Katie Perry or Blake Shelton performing with our independent artists in a Joey’s Song benefit concert to help us continue FIGHTING EPILEPSY WITH MUSIC!

What you can do to help: Your donation makes a difference! Please consider a tax-deductible contribution by visiting their website: JoeysSong.org For more information on “Joey’s Song” contact: Kevin Baird, Executive Director 520-464-5639 kmbaird@joeyssong.org

by Rich Mahan

How to use AirPlay Direct to make the most of your radio promotion Hello Shindogs, welcome back to another installment of Now Media, the place in the Direct Buzz where we talk about how to use AirPlay Direct to make the most of your radio related promotional efforts, so you spin your wheels less, and radio spins your tracks more.

Let’s talk about organizing your songs and releases in a way that really ramps up the sparkle and shine, helps to create a profile that is more engaging, and will keep programmers on your artist pages longer, exposing them to more of your content.

Content you say? Why yes. Content is king in these heady days of the interwebs taking over the world, and you need to make sure you’ve got yours well organized and prominently featured on your AirPlay Direct page(s) so it can deliver its promise.

Adding Releases

First and foremost, lets have a look at your music. Many artists have more than one release, and you’ll want to create a separate page for each of these releases. Do you regularly release singles? How about creating a page dedicated for those singles?

I’d like to stress at this juncture how important it is to get your release pages set up correctly the first time. Once you have those songs up and running, all of your download data etc. can’t be migrated if you decide to organize it later, so make sure to upload your albums to their own separate release pages the first time you do it (Instead of adding tracks to

an existing release page), and have a separate page that houses all of your singles too.

After you log in to AirPlay Direct, click the “Account” heading on the left, and then click “Add Release”.

Go about your business as usual here, making sure to fill in as much of the information as you can. It’s important to add the info about influences and “Sounds Like” because radio programmers can search for music using those criteria. Repeat this for each of your releases, and do one for your singles collection if that’s your bag.

Now that you’ve got those pages all squared away, you need to make sure they are linked so programmers can easily find all of your music on each of your separate release pages.

Lets tie them together using two methods. 1) the Discography page and 2) by linking them in your Biography section.

Discography

Log into any of your release profiles and click on the Discography menu on the left hand column, then click “Add Album.” In the window that opens, fill in the three fields for Title, Release Date, and Label, then click the right arrow on the “Linked Release” field and choose any one of your other release profiles other than the one you are currently logged into.

Upload the cover art for this Linked Release and then hit submit. Repeat this process for the remaining release pages in your AirPlay Direct Cata-

log. You will need to repeat this entire above process to create a Discography in each of your other release pages, and when you are finished, radio programmers will be able to easily link between them all, accessing all of your music.

Linking In the Biography Section

In of each of your releases, you can post links to your other pages, creating a second location for Programmers to jump to your other albums.

Here’s how you create a link: Click on “Edit Release Profile” then click “Edit Release Info”. Scroll down the page and in the Biography section paste the following code at the top of that box: [b]Your Release Title [url=http://AirPlayDirect.com/ YourFriendlyURLNameHere/]Click Here[/url] Please note you will need to write in your own information where it says “Your Release Title” & “YourFriendlyURLNameHere” for this to work. Create a link like this for each of your release pages, and make sure to post these links in the bio sections on your other release pages as well.

Of course you’ll need to have enough bandwidth to host all of your content, and if you’ve found you’ve reached the limit of what you can upload, contact us and we’ll be glad to discuss upgrading your account.

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TOP 10 ALBUMS - February 2014

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Top 10 Americana / AAA Albums - February 2014

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Top 10 Bluegrass / Folk Albums - February 2014

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Top 10 Blues / Jazz / R&B Albums - February 2014

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Top 10 Country / Alt. Albums - February 2014

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Top 10 Rock Albums - February 2014

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Top 10 Christian / Gospel Albums - February 2014

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