Nashville, We Need You

By: Bruce Wawrzyniak

While some folks are on a long, extended vacation, for many of us others, it’s back to work this morning after the Christmas holiday and thus back to reality.

For our friends in Nashville, though, it’s not that simple.

Following a Christmas morning explosion, it has been a long weekend of police investigation and what will now be an even longer cleanup period, not to mention several people dealing with the aftermath of the blast and figuring out how to get back to something even close to resembling normalcy.

The thing is, we need all those folks there.  We need to pray for them.  We need to help them.  And we need to be grateful for them.

As I said, the Christmas holiday just passed.  And a lot of us (a LOT of us) opted to listen to seasonal music.  It has also been a long year of quarantining, but one of the things that has helped us get through it is listening to music.  And similarly, the New Year’s Eve celebrations this Thursday night will also be filled with, yup, lots of music.

Sure, there are lots of music creators in other key entertainment spots in the U.S. like New York and California.  But if you asked 20 people on the street what they think of when you say one of those two places, you’d get a range of answers – not just music.  But if you asked 20 people on the street what they think of when you say Nashville, if it wasn’t unanimous, then the overwhelming majority of them would certainly say music.

Make no mistake.  I certainly realize that there are lots and lots (and lots) of creators in Manhattan and in Los Angeles, not to mention countless other areas around the country, and yes, even elsewhere in the world.  But, Nashville just oozes music.  And again, while I know that parts of California have had to deal with some real catastrophes (wildfires being just the most recent of them), that’s kind of like comparing Goliath to David.  Nashville is dwarfed in size by those other major U.S. destinations, yet is as hard working and talented when it comes to putting out the songs that we rely on to get us through so many of life’s challenges.

Only now they are being challenged again.  First it was a tornado back at the start of March.  Then it was the Coronavirus shutting down all the live music joints that people count on when they walk up and down Broadway, Printer’s Alley, and other tourist spots in Music City.  Also affected were the in-person writing sessions that enable collaborations to happen in a more personal way.  And now it’s a Christmas Day explosion that prevented many there from waking up and being merry three days ago.

But Nashville, we need you.

We need the songwriters.  We need the artists who perform what gets written.  And we need the songs.

When the clock strikes midnight on Thursday night and the calendar does change over to 2021, the Coronavirus won’t have gone away.  But let’s hope that these tragedies that Nashville has had to endure will.  I’ve heard it referred to as a big small city.  They have huge talent there and we’ll be counting on seeing it all as we hope for a return to something more closely resembling normalcy.

What’s your connection to Nashville?  Tweet your thoughts and experiences to me via @NHT_tweets.  Alternatively, post them on either Facebook or LinkedIn.  For those that would rather not do social media, you can send them to me via email.  And if your new year’s resolution entails getting help with your music career, take advantage of my more than 15 years doing management, promotion, and booking.  Go here to book a private, one-on-one online video consultation with me.

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I am a manager and publicist, running Now Hear This, Inc., an agency that has served clients across the U.S. ranging from music artists to authors to small businesses and even an Olympic athlete. Since February 2014 I have also hosted a weekly podcast (“Now Hear This Entertainment”), which has gotten listeners from 153 countries around the world. Find more about the company and the podcast at www.NowHearThis.biz. I am also a national speaker. Visit www.SpeakerBruceW.com for more information.

Get Back in Front with a Re-Release

By: Bruce Wawrzyniak

Usually when I’m asked to cite one of the best pieces of advice I’ve gotten or lessons learned in business, I’ll point to someone I used to work for who lived out combating “out of sight, out of mind.”  He would travel halfway around the world, sit in a meeting for three hours, and then fly all the way back.  “If you’re not there, they forget about you,” he would tell us in staff meetings, reporting on his latest trip.

So, what happens when you’re someone whose business is making music?  How do you make sure that people don’t forget about you, especially now at a time when many performers don’t have any live shows that they can do in-person?  And what if there is no new music on the horizon for you?

Meet your new best friend, the re-release.

There are three examples I can point you towards for ideas and inspiration.

One that’s really clever is singer, songwriter, guitar player Frankie Raye – who you heard as the guest back on “Now Hear This Entertainment” Episode 279 – and the official music video that she just released ten days ago.  What’s noteworthy here is the fact that she did a video for a song that had been on her album that came out in March of last year!  Brilliant.  Thanks to the video’s release, the song has found new life, as evidenced by the already more than 600 views it has gotten on her official YouTube channel.  Mind you, the angle here was that the song is relevant to current times because it’s about social issues, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, humanity, and standing together in tough times.  So, there is an element of timing involved that you should consider in evaluating your back catalog.

Next is recording artist Ana Cristina Cash (pictured above), who you will hear on Episode 354 of “Now Hear This Entertainment,” being released on Wednesday (November 18^th).  Interestingly, while she is currently promoting the rendition of the holiday song “Mele Kalikimaka” that she recently released, I’m not qualifying that as a re-release in the “Oh, covering someone else’s song?” sense.  It’s another song of hers that we talk about that raises a curious eyebrow.  Back in April her new album came out, with one of the songs on it being, “Brand New Pair of Shoes.”  You’ll hear during the interview that she explains the unique story behind the song as it relates to involvement by the late Johnny Cash, her husband’s father.  But it was Sony Music coming in and releasing a (Johnny Cash) collection that “Brand New Pair of Shoes” was featured on that suddenly brought Ana Cristina’s song back to the forefront.

This is especially significant as it relates to a past guest on NHTE who had told me about putting out an entire album and fans possibly overlooking a song or two or three, as opposed to when you just release singles and all their attention gets focused on that one song.  In this case, listeners will give all their attention to “Brand New Pair of Shoes,” yet, as you’ll hear me say on NHTE 354, that, in turn, might send people looking for more music by Ana Cristina Cash!  It all comes full circle and can only result in a big win.

The last example is at the A-list level, but there’s still a teaching moment in it.  Rush has been doing re-releases of albums on the 40^th anniversary (year) of when those first came out.  For example, arguably their best-known album of all-time, “Moving Pictures,” came out in 1981.  So, next year there will obviously be a 40^th anniversary edition, likely with extras to incentivize the buyer and make it a true collectible.  As an indie artist, why not look back on when your releases came out and find an album that you feel has stood the test of time and do a commemorative re-release of your own with some type of add-on to make it more special?

Hopefully, the wheels are turning in your head on this.  I’m excited for you.

Tweet at me with a successful re-release story – or maybe plans you’ll make after reading the above – via @NHT_tweets.  Alternatively, share with me over Facebook or LinkedIn, or even just good old-fashioned email.

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I am a manager and publicist, running Now Hear This, Inc., an agency that has served clients across the U.S. ranging from music artists to authors to small businesses and even an Olympic athlete. Since February 2014 I have also hosted a weekly podcast (“Now Hear This Entertainment”), which has gotten listeners from 153 countries around the world. Find more about the company and the podcast at www.NowHearThis.biz. I am also a national speaker. Visit www.SpeakerBruceW.com for more information.