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There Must Be Some Misunderstanding

by Backstage: Sneak Peek Greenroom: 2 Comments

     I HATE being misunderstood.  Things I say that didn’t come out right, or something I did being taken the wrong way…maddening!  Makes you just want to buy a TV ad and shout to the world, ‘NO! That’s not what I meant by that!’ or ‘That’s NOT what I do!’      It’s somewhat […]

Wow! There are Giants in the Land!

by Backstage: Sneak Peek Greenroom: 24 Comments

I just had an incredible month! Sometimes my job is a combination of rewarding, fun, great music, great people, relationship building, and work! While a lot of my work is helping independent artists (which I love a lot) and teaching (I just finished seven workshops teaching to thousands of musicians over the last six weeks.), […]

Tom Jackson Here

by Backstage: Sneak Peek Greenroom: Leave a Comment

Tom Jackson here. Hope all is well! Last week, some of you may have seen that one of the artists I’ve worked with debuted at #1 on Billboard. As I reflected on it, I realized that 3 artists I’ve worked with have topped the Billboard charts this year. That number doesn’t include artists I’ve worked […]

5 Do’s to Optimize Your Success

by Backstage: Materials, Tools & Skills, Sneak Peek Greenroom: 2 Comments

If you are a songwriter, you know… there are basic rules to follow when writing for radio. The normal structure goes intro/ verse/ chorus/ verse/ chorus/ bridge/ chorus. It’s important to have it the right length (about 3 1/2 minutes long), and be sure and get to the chorus within the first minute (sooner, if possible). And so […]

3 Parts of Communication: Are You Using them All?

by Backstage: Sneak Peek Greenroom: 5 Comments

As an artist, you know your songs are all different. They have different themes, different rhythms, different tones. They really don’t sound the same at all! I’m guessing they probably have different lyrics, too. Some of them are about a love you lost. Some of them are about something that makes you happy. Some of […]

Practical Steps to Take Before Your Rehearsals

by Backstage: Sneak Peek Greenroom: 1 Comment

If you want to build a house, what’s the first step to getting it done? “Lay the foundation!” Ehhhhnnnn… (the best spelling I can come up with for a buzzer sound)  — wrong answer. I ask this question every time I teach my Live Music Method class. And inevitably the artists in the crowd get […]

3 Keys to Being a Great Singer AND Having a Great Show

by Backstage: Sneak Peek Greenroom: 21 Comments

Being a great singer doesn’t always equal having a great show. For that matter, having great songs doesn’t necessarily equal a great show either. Being a great singer with great songs? Well, that helps… but it still doesn’t equal a great show! Let me explain why, by telling you about a recent concert review. I […]

5 Good Reasons to Plan Your Show

by Backstage: Sneak Peek Greenroom: 3 Comments

I’ve talked about vision and planning for the live show so much that some of you don’t even pay any attention to it anymore.  “Besides,” most of you are thinking, “I don’t want to plan — I want to be spontaneous.” Creative people often fight the idea of planning. But let’s look at what I’m […]

What Does Tom Jackson Know and Why Do I Need His Help?

by Backstage: Sneak Peek Greenroom: 1 Comment

I got an email from a friend the other day. She sent me a link to an online review of country star Sam Hunt’s live show. She said, “I kept thinking ‘he needs to meet Tom’ the whole time I was reading this article!” At the risk of sounding arrogant, my friend knows that what I […]

The Grammys: Taking us to Church, to Hell, & to School

by Backstage: Sneak Peek Greenroom: 11 Comments

The craziness, the cool, and the cringe that is known as The Grammy Awards, was all of that Sunday night. A mix of new and old school, rookies and veterans on that enormous and nerve-wracking stage, shouting everything from, ‘Here I am…like my first hit?’ to ‘Don’t forget me – I made some great music […]