balconyprojectstudio-blog

[balconyprojectstudio-blog]

Share Your Music With the World

Last summer I lost a friend. He was a musician and singer who had a profound influence on my musicianship and my outlook on life. He possessed a genuine creative musical talent and when on stage, he was a true entertainer.  Although I didn’t see him often, the two of us shared a special connection as musicians from the Jazz and R&B scene. Every single time we got back together, it was as though we had never been apart.

My last visit with him was a few months before he passed away. He called me out of the blue and said, "Billy I need you to play sax on this track." I answered, "You know I kind of quit, right? I can't play like I used to." He said, "No. No. I need you to do it! You're the only one with that sound and this here's my wife's favorite song. I need to get it recorded." This was my good friend talking, so I went along with it and dusted off my saxophone. I practiced with the track a few times and then went over to his home studio to record.

I recorded the tracks for him the way he wanted. But, then... here's the real point of the story.... he started pulling up his other creations.

His health was failing badly, his medical conditions were compounding day by day, but when he sang, he was as alive as ever. Man, he was so alive! He loads up the song on his computer, pulls up the lyrics on his phone and sings right there to me. That song reminds him of another one he wrote so he pulls up the audio tracks, opens his lyrics and sings to me. His voice is like being up close to Luther Vandross or Ray Charles; I am at once overwhelmed and awestruck! This goes on for hours: one song after another, these marvelous creations and this unbelievably powerful voice delivering the message right to me in my own private concert!

Then it hits me. "Brother, you never recorded the lead vocals to any of your songs?”  I ask as my heart sinks. No. He explains that he's waiting for the right time to do it, that's the last step that he hasn't gotten to, or he wants to sell the songs to someone else, or maybe he might find the next Justin Bieber who he can then help produce, manage and get his songs out to the world....

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Share your music with the world.  

As imperfect as it may be — share your music with the world.

 By all means, go through the steps to copyright your music according to U.S. law, but do not let that hold you back. I meet so many people who are worried about their songs being stolen that they hide them away. I know elderly musicians and songwriters who say they have a fortune on the ADAT machines and someday when the right time comes, they'll make big money with the songs. I really want them to. I do. Truthfully, I believe that even with copyright protection the average person wouldn’t stand a chance if a celebrity with unlimited financial means were to steal their song.

Even if you never sell a single download, put your music out there. Finish your songs, record them and share them. There is a new revolution happening in music today and we can all join in.  

If only my friend had recorded his songs and put them out on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, SoundCloud or anywhere else, then I could hear his voice once again.  

RIP J.J. I'll miss you.