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Can I Brag?

by Backstage: News & Shout Outs Greenroom: Leave a Comment

My Associate Producer Amy Wolter doesn’t know I’m sending this out but she did another AMAZING job.  Check this out: Amy just worked with Veteran Country star Pam Tillis before she went to play the biggest country festival of the year: Stagecoach.  (Think Coachella for country music).  This review of Pam’s show tells it all:  […]

How Soon Should You Work on Your Show?

by Backstage: Materials, Tools & Skills, Sneak Peek Greenroom: 8 Comments

I’ve gotten both kinds of calls — the kind where I’m asked to help an artist with their show 1-2 months in advance of a tour or showcase, and the kind where I’m supposed to be the “fix-it” guy working with someone a few days before a big, important show. So when is the best […]

When 30 Minutes Is Too Much and 2 Hours Isn’t Enough

by Backstage: Materials, Tools & Skills, Sneak Peek Greenroom: 1 Comment

I went to a show at the arena here in town to see someone I’d worked with – a #1 artist with lots of #1 hit songs. It was totally sold out…lots of excitement in the room. The first opening act had some great songs, lots of energy, and did a decent job onstage.  Unfortunately, […]

4 Steps to a Unique Show

by Backstage: The Foundation Greenroom: 7 Comments

When explaining how to create a unique show, I always offer the analogy of building a house. There are 4 steps to making it happen. And for those of you who’ve worked with contractors to build a home recently, who are thinking to yourself right now, “Well, that’s pretty over simplified – 4 steps? What […]

7 Basic Mic Stand Techniques

by Backstage: Materials, Tools & Skills Greenroom: 6 Comments

A fig leaf… or a microphone stand. Which one do you use? That may sound like a strange question. But I’ve noticed that most artists prefer hiding their nakedness by standing behind a mic stand (unlike Adam and Eve who chose the fig leaf). You know what I’m talking about: you’re standing on the stage […]

Music For A Living

by Backstage: Industry Tips Greenroom: Leave a Comment

When I speak at events around the world, one of the questions I usually ask is “how many of you want to play music for a few years and then quit?” Not one person ever raises their hand. Part of my Live Music Method is my Live Music Business Principles: investing in your music career […]

It’s Who You Are

by Backstage: Making it Your Own Greenroom: 5 Comments

You just moved into a new house. You want it to have your personality and style, right? It should be unique and express who you are. It’s the same thing with your onstage performance. Although you need to have certain basic elements, it should also be different from everyone else’s. I’m guessing you’re in agreement […]

Going from Good to Great

by Backstage: Materials, Tools & Skills Greenroom: 4 Comments

Going from bad to good is easy.  Going from good to great is not. It’s not that going from good to great is so hard, but it’s definitely time-consuming, tedious, and often a little inconvenient.  However, as my friend Robert D. Smith says, “success is built on inconvenience!” I have a favorite analogy, and you […]

Built for the System or Not

by Backstage: Materials, Tools & Skills, Sneak Peek Greenroom: 10 Comments

I was recently inspired by a Seth Godin blog, “Is a famous thinker better than a great one?” Seth’s concept applies to artists and musicians, I think. Only the question for us becomes, “is a famous artist’s music, creativity, & show better than yours?” Because someone is famous, are they more creative, is their show […]

Rethinking Your Live Show

by Backstage: Making it Your Own Greenroom: 5 Comments

Most of you know that I work with bands and artists of all levels and genres; from Grammy winners to indie artists, making a go of it on their own. Most of the major artists I work with are always rethinking their live shows and how to make them better. It keeps it fresh for them […]