So here I am at the No Depression site, reading the articles, making copies of the Ian Anderson interview done recently and reprinted here for the Prostrate Cancer support group I facilitate once a month on Wednesday nights, joining up with the Townes Van Zandt forum. Ok, maybe no one is going to write about me anytime soon, even though I am sure that my live version of my song, “You Can’t Take My Carrot” (The Carrot Song) is going to be a huge hit on Jango radio. I might even get a Pop Score for a couple weeks. So maybe I should write about me and things in music of interest to me. That’s what Blogs are for. Or Hub Pages-I have a few of those also.
This site is a little bit more developed, but it reminds me of the Canadian Country Music site where I have two videos posted. The site almost went under, but recently bobbed back to the surface. I do a weekly journal entry into a book I have kept since doing an Artists Way course with songwriter friends last summer. I do believe the Artists Way course is essential for persons interested in music and the arts as a pastime, career or mini-career. I also do movie reviews from time to time (stay away from The Avengers-it’s awful). In two weeks or so, I have a concert date, a shared bill with my friend Nanci Hobson (also on No Depression). So the thoughts wander back to my music.
I am wrestling with the idea of how do I get myself to be considered a “draw”. Venue managers and booking agents these days are asking “what is your draw?” I have started a mailing list. I can get a few people out to see me perform when I play. But what do I need to do to become someone with drawing power, a draw of 20,30, 50 or maybe even 100 persons? How do I focus what I do so I can tell people who ask what my draw capacity is on a given night or afternoon?
When I wrote in my journal about this a couple weeks ago, the obvious next thought was, what compells me to go see a performer when I want to go see them? Why would I spend my money doing that? First thoughts was that I like their songs, particularly certain songs. Almost equally though, I like what they do as a performer. They are talented musicians. They are funny. They tell good stories on stage. Then there is the “I heard them on the radio or a streaming music service” attraction. Seeing someone like Ingrid Michaelson or Sara Bareilles or RayLaMontagne would be interesting, up close and personal. I’ve never seen Lucinda Williams or Gillian Welch or Abigail Washburn perform. Maybe I would go see them. Sometimes I might see a performer because I have not heard them in a while. For me, that would be Nanci Griffith or John Gorka. Finally, there is the “always wanted to see him/her” category and for me, that starts with Ani DeFranco. She’ll be in Foxboro in June and I am planning to be there.
Some quick thoughts to start off my blogging here. I probably will be talking about my local South Shore Mass scene the next time around. It’s getting to be summer. All for now.
