Surviving The Music Industry

After working in A&R for over 25 years one might think you would be tired of the eb and flow of the industry, but for Allison Jones she’s still “obsessed” with her job. Allison is the leading force of recognizing and nurturing talents of many artists that are currently and have been with Big Machine Label Group with Scott Brochetta. In the last decade of Allison’s tenure at Big Machine, she’s over seen the talents and song choices of artists like Taylor Swift, Steven Tyler, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Florida Georgia Line, Carly Pearce, Midland, Thomas Rhett, Cheap Trick, and way more to name. In this episode we hear the rise of an industry pro from “mailroom” beginnings to the industry’s leading A&R executive. What are the challenges of working in A&R, and how does one land the job? Discovering artists in today’s ever changing climate, and it’s faults and successes. Allison shares some examples how their current artists were noticed by BMLG. In the eyes and from the ears of the industry, how can a

Rewind the clock back to CMA Fest 2017 and Ryan Beaver made his way to “The Attic” to have a conversation about his journey to his most recent successes in his career. We discuss his decision to move to Nashville from Texas. We dive into his album, Rx, which received high praise from Rolling Stone and Uproxx as one of the top albums of 2016. Ryan drops some real think bombs in this conversation like balancing business and art, and his take on today's working musician. We have to give a huge shoutout to Ryan for supplying the music for this episode! Visit www.ryanbeaver.com to keep up with news and tour dates when he’s in a city near you. Download his music from iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and where ever you stream music. You can also follow Ryan @ryanbeaver on Twitter and Instagram, and on Facebook @ryanbeavermusic.

Marketing is a tricky job. Everybody thinks they can do it until they hit a problem. So we brought in Faithe Dillman owner of Marbaloo Marketing. They specialize in marketing music artists internationally, and sometimes that means partnering with big brands. Their roster includes and not limited to artists like Kelsea Ballerini, Toby Keith, Haley Georgia, Cole Swindell, Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, David Crowder, Kelleigh Bannen, Brett Eldridge, and more. Faithe worked from the ground up starting at Universal Music Group, all the way to a position in International Marketing for Interscope. In 2010 she formed Marbaloo Marketing. Faithe helps us breakdown marketing in the music scene today. She even helps out all the DIY’ers in this episode with some simple, pro practices. For anybody interested in marketing as a job, Faithe gives tremendous insight in to client relationships, and Marbaloo business practices. You can follow Marbaloo marketing at www.marbaloo.com and on their socials Facebook, Twitte

When I think of the talkbox, I think of three people. Peter Frampton, Roger Troutman, and Mr. Talkbox himself. In this episode, Mr. Talkbox takes us through his journey of being a preacher’s kid, to musician, to side man, and to the artist he’s always been. We talk about his many accolades from touring with N*SYNC, Brittany Spears, Gloria Estefan, Toby Mac and others. We chat about his Grammy Nominations and Dove Awards with various projects, and chart successes from around the globe. I geek out over his most recent collaborations with Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar, Avery Sunshine and others. Through ups and downs, success and hurdles how does Mr. Talkbox get through? How do you know you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing? You can follow the man himself on all social platforms @mrtalkbox and you can download his most recent single, "Somethin’ Good” on all music platforms. Visit www.mrtalkbox.com to discover -What’s In The Box?!

During one of their frequent visits to Nashville, I was able to catch film and tv music supervisors Frankie Pine & Mandi Collier for a conversation about music licensing. Frankie and Mandi are the owners of Whirly Girl Music based in Los Angeles. Collectively they have coordinated music for feature films like Traffic, Ocean’s 11, 12, & 13, Magic Mike, Kung Pow: Enter the Fist, and too many to name. For TV, you’ve seen their work with Nashville, The Ranch, Mozart in the Jungle, Roots, The Newsroom, True Detective, Army Wives, Six, and so much to name. We get a look in to what’s the job of a music supervisor and it’s many surprising challenges. Then we get to work. We talk about the business of licensing music and how creators can get their work in front of the right people. Should you make music for the sake of music or should you keep up with the recording trends? We tap in to what it looks like working with Whirly Girl Music, and what Frankie or Mandi look for in music for film. You can follow, chat,

It’s a good thing that 2017 ACM Keyboardist of the Year, Dave Cohen, slipped through immigration legally because he is becoming one of the most sought after keyboardists in today’s world of session musicians. Landing sessions with artists like Rascal Flatts, Florida Georgia Line, Brett Eldredge, Chris Young, Cole Swindell, Jon Pardi, Lauren Alaina, Kip Moore, Old Dominion, Chris Lane and more hasn’t been easy. In this episode Dave offers his practical advice to stay sane through trying times, and gives some shout outs to the key people in his life that helped him through his journey from Canada to Nashville. What’s it like living the American dream? For this special Fourth of July and Canada Day episode, we explore really what motivates ones intentions to succeed. Prepare to laugh and learn a thing or two, because I learned that it is an “and” world. You can follow Dave on his Instagram @daverosscohen and visit his website www.davecohenlive.com.

Many industry pro’s and fans alike know Eddie Bayers as one of the baddest drummers in history!  Little do they know the full story.  Eddie tells us some never before things about his journey from orphan to music industry success.  Not only can you hear his drums and keyboards on some of the biggest records of all time, but Eddie was part of the evolution of technology in the recording business.  After playing on more than 300 gold and platinum records, you are kind of a big deal.  Eddie has worked with such artists like Tanya Tucker, John Denver, Ricky Skaggs, George Strait, The Beach Boys, Garth Brooks, Glen Campbell, Kenny Chesney, Peter Frampton, Vince Gill, Lane Brody, Julio Iglesias, Alan Jackson, Elton John, Mark Knopfler, Uncle Kracker, Bob Seger, Sting, Steve Winwood,Trisha Yearwood, and way more than what can fit in a bio.  Find out what made Eddie one of the most sought after musicians in the world, and his advice for staying relevant in an ever changing industry.  Eddie shares some of his music th

If you’re in the know, you know who David Macias is. If you don’t, allow me to introduce to you one of the most brilliant minds in the music industry today. David has been causing disruptions through his life. He has won quiz bowl tournaments for his alma mater that has been historically a black university, he worked his way up to the top to eventually work directly under Clive Davis, he has a Grammy as a producer, he graduated from Leadership Music, and he and Deb Markland developed a business that is bucking trends in the music industry. That business…Thirty Tigers. Thirty Tigers is a full service record label that has worked with clients Carlos Santana, Jason Isbell, Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, Trampled by Turtles, The Avett Brothers, Low, Ryan Bingham, Flogging Molly, Jason Isbell, The Josh Abbott Band, Chase Rice, Casey Donahew, The Eli Young Band, Will Hoge, Aaron Watson, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, and many others. I met David in an apartment inside the label and we had a chat about streaming

Behind a quaint house in East Nashville is a private studio where Luke Dick , his dog Monster, and I had a conversation about Luke’s recent happenings. Besides having major cuts from artists like Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Ryan Beaver, Charlie Worsham, Dierks Bently, Kip Moore, and The Cadillac Three, Luke is filming his first documentary about his unconventional childhood called Red Dog. On top of that, Luke is the front man for his band, Republican Hair. In this episode we talk about philosophy and music. Luke even breaks down his biggest cuts and shares the challenges of writing those hits you love. Have you ever wondered how to find your place in a co-write situation, or ever struggled to share your ideas? Luke helps us breakdown his survival mentality when it comes to success. Get a sneak peek of Republican Hair's and Luke's music from this episode. Visit iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, The Google Play store, or www.republicanhair.org to download Republican Hair’s newest track, “Miss Prince”.

Crashing on fan's couches, touring when you're nobody, and even sleeping with weapons is a pretty normal story for a touring musician. The hustle hasn’t changed but the job has. P Tracy is a Creative Director and Brand Manager with hands on experience. He’s been nominated for CMT video awards and VMA’s for his work with Dan+Shay and All Time Low. You’ve also seen his work with other artists like Kacey Musgraves, Halsey, NEEDTOBREATHE, Dolly Parton and Pentatonix, and way more. Major artists are noticing his creative work as a director and his knack for finding an aesthetic brand. We talk about how to even find your brand, and simple tricks of creating a brand. P helps us breakdown what social media applications should be used to optimize your brand. We get a sneak peak in to the creative branding of Dan+Shay. From one creative to another how do you stay creative, and when should creatives fight for their art. When is the moment you can confidently export your project to give to the world.

For some, Country Music Highway is just a highway. For Josh Osborne, it was the path that would eventually lead to his success. Ok…the cheese is over. None the less, Josh’s career is filled by cuts with Sam Hunt, Kacey Musgraves, Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bently, Keith Urban, Brandy Clark, Chris Young, and way more. Lets not forget the awards he’s stuffin his pockets with. One of them is a Grammy, a hand full of CMA noms, multiple CMA Triple Play awards, and two nods from the ACM’s as Songwriter of the Year. As of today, Josh is riding pretty high with his cut of Sam Hunt’s, “Body Like A Back Road” staying at number 1 for 17 weeks on the country charts. I spoke with Josh in his writing room at SMACK Songs, a publishing and multi faceted artist development company in co-partnership with Shane McAnally. We chatted about his 10 plus years in struggling to even get a cut while having major publishing deals. We also breakdown Josh’s writing process, and how some of his biggest hits became the songs you

We’ve never had a comedian on the show...we still haven’t got one. But JP Williams might be the closest thing we’ve gotten in two season so far. Prepare for laughs, money talk, and music business probs’. JP is no stranger to managing talent, but music has been the most recent in his long career as a talent manager. We discuss managing Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, and Larry the Cable Guy in the prime of The Blue Collar Comedy productions. The journey of an agent to the CEO of Parallel Entertainment, and the turbulence of owning your own company in entertainment. Jump to the present, Parallel manages actors, comedians, production, and music artists in country and pop. Artists include Ryan Beaver, Lance Carpenter, Zella Day, Alex Hall, and more. What does it take today for an artist from a managers perspective and how can musicians make enough noise to even be noticed today?

For years I’ve wondered, where are the Kris Kristofferson “Sunday Coming Down” songwriters? Who can make you feel their scars like the way Johnny Cash did? Look no further, we found him! Travis Meadows embodies those before him, and is looking ahead to the future. Travis is a poet, a thinker, and the most genuine songwriter I have ever met. If you’ve listened to country music in the past 10 years you’ve heard his songs. Artists like Eric Church, Jake Owen, Dierks Bentley, Blackberry Smoke, Hank Williams Jr., Randy Houser, and even Lynyrd Skynyrd have looked to Travis as a co write and the voice for the underdog. We get a tremendous amount of insight inside the mind of one of the best, tortured songwriters in Nashville. How does Travis even define success? Things get the most honest and vulnerable in this episode than any other episode we ever had. This is your chance to actually listen and learn from a survivor.

Pat has been a Nashville engineer, producer, and mixer for 40 plus years. In his early recording career you can see his name on historic records from artists ranging from Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, George Jones to *NSync and Exile. Wanna know how you know when you’re ready early in your career? When Dolly tells you it’ll be ok! Wanna hear dirty jokes from George Jones? Pat’s heard’em! What about mixing an N’sync record? Yeah, he’s done it. Today Pat is the Operations Director for Ocean Way Studio, owned by Belmont University. This episode’s for engineers and music history buffs. We talked about the key players in the recording industry, and their infamous stories behind the scenes. What are the struggles that modern studios are dealing with today? Listen how Pat solved Ocean Way’s dilemma to survive in a market that is in survival mode, and his advice to stay strong in this economy!

We got Michael in-between Joe Bonamassa tour dates and mowing his yard. We talked jumping back out on the road after a 30 year hiatus, and bass things that bass players love. We talk about the Austin music scene in the outlaw days, and Michael’s migration to the other music city, Nashville. I guarantee you have heard Michael’s bass playing before. With a 30 plus career in professional recording, he’s done it all and played it all.

Ever been so starstruck in a conversation that you forget the titles to your sisters movies. That’s what happened to Tracy Gershon when she sat down with me in the Attic. Welcome to my life...Imagine learning about country music directly from Emmylou Harris and her pedal steel guitarist, Steve Fishell. That was Tracy Gershon’s introduction to the genre. Fast forward, Tracy understands country and its music industry. That’s how she’s made her living working as A&R for some of the biggest companies in the business. Tracy talks about discovering Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves, and what is the “It” factor that A&R looks for. What is even A&R today? Tracy is an artist manager with Red Light Management and a co-founder of Change the Conversation. What’s the Conversation? Why do female artists face a significantly more difficult struggle than male artists in country music.

Coming back to smack you in the face with all new episodes April 25th!

Closing out this season with a real winner…Kris Allen. Kris is one of fifteen winners from the American television phenomenon, but Kris’s story is not one of over night success. Coming from Arkansas, Kris grew up with music around but he didn’t by any means start in the industry. He hustled just like everybody else. Until he casually went to an American Idol audition. The rest, literally, is history. We get to hear an update in Kris’s life and career. The guides discuss the real longevity of one's career with the help of reality music programs like American Idol. Kris even tells some never before told stories from that season. He gives us a taste of his writing style with the bit Song From A Text, and we also get in the holiday spirit with Kris’s new music on this episode. Visit www.krisallenofficial.com to see tour dates and to download all of Kris’s music. Including his recent Christmas release, “Somethin' About Christmas.” We hope you all have survived well this year. Stay safe and we’ll return next year w

Changing up the format a little bit to introduce you to two podcasters that are doing great things out of Nashville, Tennessee. First up, Donald Jenkins of "Nashville Hits Collecting Dust." Donald’s show showcases a song that more than likely you’ve never heard along with its songwriter. Donald has a way of uncovering a story that can relate to you in any walk of life, and then getting to listen to a writer's favorite song that they have written is just the sprinkle on this podcast treat. Nashville is known for its songwriters and for Donald’s show there is no shortage of content. Then, your guides have a conversation with The Honky Tonk Hitman, Mike Rodgers. Mikes’ career is exciting, surprising, and fulfilling at first glimpse in this conversation. Even to get his take on the music industry leaves you wondering if he should run for President! "About Nashville" is a podcast hosted by Mike wherein he talks to interesting people that live in town or are coming thru. He’s had conversations w

What do Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion, Walker Hayes, Shane McAnally, Jo Smith and many more have in common? They’ve worked in some facet with SmackSongs. Whether it be management, publishing, or timing it perfectly to walk in on a cowrite they’ve all had a conversation with the man of business mystery...Michael McAnally Baum. Everybody knows that you have to have a creative team to create songs, but it takes a strong, keen business mind to land such monstrous deals like Michael has. Michael handles all the business affairs of SmackSongs. SmackSongs is an all encompassing music production team that handles artist management, publishing, and production. Every dollar, every deal, every conversation goes through Michael. In this episode we get to hear Michael’s story and how he landed in the music business from working in a completely unrelated field. Then we discover what makes the culture of SmackSongs dictate what music you should be listening to. We even get a sneak peak into what's to come out