Re: [Harp-L] re: I want to be famous

Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx> · Wed, 6 Feb 2008 23:31:02 -0800 (PST)

Would we be posting to harp-l if we knew how to get famous? We'd all be calling each other on our satellite phones from our yachts and Italian villas.

The most famous people, or at least professionally successful as musicians  (i.e., no day job) here on harp-l would include Peter Madcat Ruth, Robert Bonfiglio, Tom Ball, Robert Paparozzi, and maybe a few others (apologies to anybody who didn't come to mind as I wrote this). No yachts in the bunch as far as I know.

None of these people is played on radio stations all over the world. Michael Jackson, Madonna - that's the level of fame you're talking about. Nobody has ever done that just as a harmonica player. Stevie Wonder, who is a fantastic harmonica player, is the closest to that level of fame, but he got there as a fantastic songwriter and singer.

It's a big leap from your family and friends thinking you are really good to the whole world wanting to buy your products. I'm not saying that leap can't be made, but you can't rely on such indicators. Most of us have had the same positive reinforcement from others in our lives.

The elements of making it big are *probably* (after all, I haven't done it):

1. Work really hard at being a good musician

2. work really hard at being a good performer 

3. work really hard at producing good recordings

4. work really hard at publicity

5. Work really hard at understanding and making money in the music business

6. work really hard at networking in the music business

7. work really hard at finding ways to sell your products, both conventional and unconventional

8. Be incredibly lucky, unlike the millions of other people all working really hard at Items 1 through 7 on the above list.

To fast track the process, you need to know what the process is. Seek out, identify, and interview people who have had some success as performers, recording artists, and marketers of musical products (don't be disappointed if Madonna won't return your calls; interview whoever will talk to you). Find out how they achieved what they achieved and what they consider to have been the most important elements in their success. Try what they did and see how well it works. Once you have first-hand knowledge of the results, maybe you will have the data needed to fast track the process. Meanwhile fifteen or twenty years may have elapsed.

Has anyone yet written "How to succeed in the music business for dummies"? That's the way to get rich, if not famous.

By the way, I'm not mocking you. I'm being as straight as I possibly can.

Winslow

----- Original Message ----
From: Mike kennard <groovygypsy@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, February 6, 2008 10:37:37 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] re: I want to be famous

hello 
George,

I 
find 
your 
words 
extremely 
distasteful 
especially 
considering 
you 
yourself
said 
there 
was 
something 
special 
about 
my 
music 
at 
a 
SPAH 
in 
Denver, 
Co. 
I
would 
like 
you 
to 
issue 
a 
sincere 
apology 
if 
you 
ever 
expect 
me 
to 
share 
my
scotch 
whiskey 
with 
you 
again.

becoming 
famous 
is 
a 
sincere 
endeavour 
for 
me. 
I 
just 
want 
to 
know 
where 
to
begin 
without 
paying 
dues 
as 
they 
say. 
with 
my 
day 
job 
as 
a 
pseudo-process
consultant 
we 
find 
ways 
to 
fast 
track 
everything. 
I 
know 
I 
have 
the 
skills
and 
with 
the 
support 
of 
my 
girl 
I 
believe 
in 
this 
dream. 
can 
anyone 
tell 
me
how 
to 
get 
my 
music 
played 
all 
over 
the 
world 
on 
radio 
stations? 
what 
else
may 
I 
need 
to 
start 
this 
transition? 
there 
must 
be 
a 
process 
for 
this
somewhere. 
thank 
you. 
gg

Guys, 
I 
think 
this 
post 
is 
a 
spoof. 
The 
American 
Heritage 
Dictionary 
defines
> 
"canard" 
as 
""an 
unfounded 
or 
false, 
deliberately 
misleading 
story." 
The
> 
poster 
is 
Mike 
kennard 
(i.e. 
My 
canard). 
Mike, 
my 
sincere 
apologies 
if 
you
> 
are 
real, 
but 
I 
doubt 
it.
>
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Harp-L 
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by 
SPAH, 
http://www.spah.org
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