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Joined: Oct 2008
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Hi all- I've been lurking for a couple of days, reading some of your posts and figured I should dive right in. I'm Ashley, and I'm not really the musician in the family. My husband, Cliff, is a singer/songwriter, and I guess I'm here because we both have questions about the industry and I type faster than he does. Cliff has been singing and writing for about 10 years now, but kind of got a bit more serious in 2006 after a song he wrote for me while he was in Iraq gained a little popularity in the military community. It was featured on a compilation Cd by military artists, and got us a few trips to some bases around the country. Neither of us really knew/know how to take that little success and turn it into something more. He's still writing and performing when he can (we also have a new baby at home and all of the expenses that come with her!), and recently won the Arkansas state round of the Colgate Country Showdown. We're thrilled since this means that he will perform at the regional competition in Nashville at the Wildhorse Saloon. Hope springs eternal that the "right people" will take time out to check out the show! So I'm just here to learn and to get a feel for what's working, what we should be aware of, be careful of, etc. I hope it's ok for me to hang out despite my limited creative skills! I'm looking forward to getting to know some of you and to picking up some new info! ETA for those who might be interested in Cliff's music, his myspace is www.myspace.com/cliffhudson07. The recordings on there are pretty homemade, so the quality is not the best (although it's not bad).
Last edited by AshyBekka; 10/23/08 03:34 PM.
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Welcome Ashley Heck Ashley, you've got no problem. I've been here a long time and I've "still" got limited creative skills.<G> There may even be a few others in the same boat and I don't think there's "anybody" here who isn't still learning. You should fit right in. Wy--Mud
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Welcome to the club...Tell your hubby not to let his lack of typing skills deter him, mine are abysmal!
bc
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Hi Ashley,
Can't listen to myspace, so I'll just take your word for it, lol!
Welcome to the board, you can learn a lot here, and there is much more to this than the creative side, and they are all equally important, learn what you can, ask questions, and mingle.
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Brian Austin Whitney Founder Just Plain Folks jpfolkspro@gmail.com Skype: Brian Austin Whitney Facebook: www.facebook.com/justplainfolks"Don't sit around and wait for success to come to you... it doesn't know the way." -Brian Austin Whitney "It's easier to be the bigger man when you actually are..." -Brian Austin Whitney "Sometimes all you have to do to inspire humans to greatness is to give them a reason and opportunity to do something great." -Brian Austin Whitney
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Welcome, both of you! Linda
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welcome to JPF
congrats on your husbands success so far and i wish him much more......as far as info/advice-i myself would suggest he avoid playing any war related songs when he performs at the wildhorse......because music row just plain doesnt want them and if they see a singer with a political agenda that he wants to take onstage with him-believe me-that will not sell him as a commercial singer/songwriter....so i suggest whatever he sings at the wildhorse it should be general audience and non-political.......we all appreciate his military service and sacrifice.....i want him to have the best possible chance with music industry scouts who might be there that night......and thats why i am giving you this tip....best of luck to you both....
Tom
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welcome to JPF
congrats on your husbands success so far and i wish him much more......as far as info/advice-i myself would suggest he avoid playing any war related songs when he performs at the wildhorse......because music row just plain doesnt want them and if they see a singer with a political agenda that he wants to take onstage with him-believe me-that will not sell him as a commercial singer/songwriter....so i suggest whatever he sings at the wildhorse it should be general audience and non-political.......we all appreciate his military service and sacrifice.....i want him to have the best possible chance with music industry scouts who might be there that night......and thats why i am giving you this tip....best of luck to you both....
Tom Thanks for the heads up. Cliff avoids agenda with his music (with the exception of a song called "Let it Rain," which is about his struggle with PTSD and reconciling his experiences 'over there.'), but he will be performing a song called "Send My Love," which he wrote for me in Iraq. It isn't specifically military related-it's more a long distance love song. His other one, "Country Fried Pedigree" is a straight up barn burner. It's interesting you mention the war songs issue-one of the things that we've talked about is the tendency for military artists to focus strictly on writing military music (for example, he's met a kid who wrote a song called "They All Came Home But Me" which resonates with the military audience, but kind of makes the general public uncomfortable). It's an odd disconnect. I know from meeting other veteran or active duty military artists that there's a real question about "why arent' there more military artists in the mainstream" even as they continue to write very, very specific and/or agenda oriented music. On the one hand, I think for a lot of them, it's a kind of therapy, but on the other, I think for those that want their music to reach a greater audience, they're doing themselves a disservice. I'm babbling. Bottom line is-thanks so much for the advice. Since you're in Nashville, we can expect to see you there, right?
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country fried pedigree sounds great
but i cant stress this enough-he shouldnt perform any song Remotely ABOUT iraq or being in the military and away from home....its just gonna turn off the people from music row that you want to turn on...lets do a hypothetical situation.....the scout goes to the bathroom and misses country fried pedigree....he comes out sits down again with his drink-his buddies-his g/f-whatever....and he hears a i miss you honey kinda song.....believe me unless its about a truck driver on the road it aint gonna work.........it may be a wonderful touching song but any possible perception of being in the military away from home will kill it....this is something i hear all the time in songwriting workshops at BMI and elsewhere in nashville......and i want your husband to have his big chance with the limited time he has got...he has 5 or 6 minutes-make the most of it...i may be at the wildhorse that night-no promises-living in nashville you gotta exercise some self control and not be hitting the bars too often.....hope yall have a great night in any case..
Tom
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country fried pedigree sounds great
but i cant stress this enough-he shouldnt perform any song Remotely ABOUT iraq or being in the military and away from home....its just gonna turn off the people from music row that you want to turn on...lets do a hypothetical situation.....the scout goes to the bathroom and misses country fried pedigree....he comes out sits down again with his drink-his buddies-his g/f-whatever....and he hears a i miss you honey kinda song.....believe me unless its about a truck driver on the road it aint gonna work.........it may be a wonderful touching song but any possible perception of being in the military away from home will kill it....this is something i hear all the time in songwriting workshops at BMI and elsewhere in nashville......and i want your husband to have his big chance with the limited time he has got...he has 5 or 6 minutes-make the most of it...i may be at the wildhorse that night-no promises-living in nashville you gotta exercise some self control and not be hitting the bars too often.....hope yall have a great night in any case..
Tom Thanks Tom-I'll pass it along. And I understand about needing to keep from burning that candle too much...I lived in Nashville for six years. Went to Vandy undergrad, then had my fifteen minutes of working in the biz-CMT for a year then the first year of Nashville Star. That was six years ago, and I'm still trying to catch up on my sleep! Would love to see ya if you're around though!
Last edited by AshyBekka; 10/24/08 03:29 PM.
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well welcome maybe while you learn and grow with your sititation and hope that you are hanging i'll pray for you and your husband and that you can write a song maybe a hint that will help you along write one for him then i'm sure it will help you go on... while you wait ... anyways welcome and God bless.
Have fun on the journey, love the moment, but go for the ride- Laura Lynn Hatch
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you lived here six years
and worked for both CMT and nashville star? well then you know the biz better than me.........and here i thought i was talking to a new wannabe type......you can def be alot of help to your husband......where are yall living now?
Tom
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It's nice to see that you are supporting your husband, supportive partners are very useful and sometimes can make the difference between a songwriter succeeding and not succeeding.
I'm in England so I'll refrain from giving advice about Nashville because obviously, I don't know what I'm talking about lol
Just wanted to say hi really.
If he wants to get a cut with his military song, he's gotta wait for your daughter to grow up and become a pop singer. Then he can ask her to cut it - that's what Pink's dad did lol (for her album "i'm not dead", she recorded a song that her dad wrote about his experience in Vietnam - he also sings on the recording).
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his myspace site link would not work for me when i tried to go to his page there....just lettin you know Tom
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thats true Nat
established stars can do whatever they want......i aint sayin music row is right or wrong about not wanting these kinda songs........i am just sayin thats what the deal is........music row is like any other company making consumer products-they dont want to risk alienating any potential buyers......remember the Dixie Chicks?....
Tom
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his myspace site link would not work for me when i tried to go to his page there....just lettin you know Tom See what happens when I make fun of my husband's typing skills? I blow it. His myspace is www.myspace.com/cliffhudson07Just to be clear: Cliff was a Marine. He is a singer/songwriter. I don't think either of us would call him a "military artist." He just happens to be both a veteran and a songwriter. A couple of his songs have dealt with those experiences, and one gained some popularity with a segment of the population, but the military/the war/politics is not and will not be the message in his music. Obviously he plays to the crowds he's performing for, so when we go to military bases, his experience is part of the draw. I just wanted to clarify that in case I made too much of either in my introduction.
Last edited by AshyBekka; 10/24/08 06:30 PM.
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you lived here six years
and worked for both CMT and nashville star? well then you know the biz better than me.........and here i thought i was talking to a new wannabe type......you can def be alot of help to your husband......where are yall living now?
Tom That was a whole 'nother lifetime. I primarily did tv production stuff, although I was exposed to wonderful people and great artists. Left Nashville to come back home to Arkansas, and spent a few years getting a Master's and a law degree-I'm fighting the good fight in Little Rock these days.
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i am myself a marine corps veteran (71-73) so i would be the last one to discourage any self expression from guys like your husband who gave so much for the freedom of others...i do see alot of "military artists" who are making sure they never are seen as anything otherwise-whether they know it or not.....that stuff is such a small niche market and so hard to market on the row i try-to the extent i can-to at least be sure they know its a extra hard sell in nashville-not that this town is easy for anyone......congrats on your law degree and practice....what would you like us to call you-Bekka?.......again welcome to jpf and i look forward to checking out the myspace now that the link is correct......i myself never make typing errors-but i do lie alot Tom
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WOW-I THINK HE HAS A HIT WITH "COUNTRY FRIED PEDIGREE"
thats a great song-very well done in all respects.......i was really impressed......i dont know everything just cause i live in nashville-but i would Definitely reccomend he send that one in to the row.....has he sent in any demos yet ?.....if you havent yet done it have him post that song on the MP3 board cause i think alot of folks will really like it......nice wedding pictures as well...yall make a beautiful couple.......i will be send him a myspace friend request.........he is a very good singer!
Tom
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He hasn't sent any-we really don't have a clue what to do with his stuff. He gets great feedback when people hear his stuff, which has resulted in a lot of myspace friends and a fair amount of frustration...hence why I was excited to find a community devoted to being in the trenches.
Thanks for the compliments! Oh and you can call me Bekka or Ashley (my first name). AshyBekka was what my dad always called me when I was little...after I joined I read the post about using real names, but it was too late!
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hello again Bekka
i sent you a PM-be glad to help yall with how to submit and other info.......so check that flashing box where it says MY STUFF......and as i said-feel free to call or email......look forward to hearing from you.........
Tom
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Hi Linda!
Didn't know you write novels!!! I love reading! All the best.
frankie
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Hi
Welcome to the boards! This is a special place to be. Interact, learn and share with the rest of us! I come from as far as Kenya!
frankie
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Welcome Ashley.
Last edited by Stephen John (singch; 10/25/08 12:37 PM.
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"If one man can do it, any man can do it. It is true. But the real question is, if one man did it, are you willing to do what it takes to do it as well?" –Brian Austin Whitney
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