What Are You THINKING?…..

Can we talk for a second about WHAT has happened to CRS (Country Radio Seminar)? This year brought a much younger participant demographic to town as most of the old radio and record label regime has either been phased out or left on their own. What comes with a younger audience is a social media fiasco, fedoras, skinny jeans, a heightened sense of where country music might be headed and somehow less judgement about the artists who are there pitching radio. Gone are the days when one could stand at the Bridge Bar all night and see everyone they had ever worked with, worked for or competed with, making and breaking artist careers with suite parties and shots of Jager.

If you want to meet people from Music Row who live on the road or huddle in their offices when they’re home then you know CRS is where you can find everyone under one roof. Aspiring artists mark their calendars for CRS each year and spend all year planning their pitches and their wardrobe in an to attempt to secure a record deal in under 30 seconds. Let me just tell you….the scene has become darn near hilarious.

What you put out there…is open to interpretation. You can walk with confidence even if you’re unsure, fake it til you make it and all that jazz but when you walk around looking like THIS we all think the same thing….Are you for sale?  Come on, that dress is so tight I can see what she’s thinking. Does this look like country music to you? It’s not even where it’s been or where it’s going. Seriously.

Is This You???

Pleading your case with “Martina McBride (don’t get me wrong…she’s amazing) is my inspiration and I’ve always wanted to be  just like her”…followed by your harrowing rendition of Independence Day  while standing in the Bridge Bar is NOT going to get you into a meeting with a contract. Now, if you want to make a few bucks on the side during a busy work week….this is the outfit you choose. Your brand has been established.  Your complaints about how people look at you and treat you is astounding to me considering you chose this outfit intentionally.

Some more CRS photos for your enjoyment:

He ALMOST changed out of his pj's

Flannel is back!

Is this a tattoo of Duck Hunt?

At The End Of The Day It’s Really About Hope…..

All of it. The song, the artist, the label, the audience, radio, TV, ticket sales, concerts, fundraising, counting on other people to do their job, to show up, to perseveare, to succeed. The thing about hope is….it’s kind of irresponsible. As my favorite blogger Danielle LaPorte says “hope is for sissies, intention and faith are for heroes.” I love it.  It seems harsh at first but then again how many times a day are you counting on someone to follow through and their response (to the end goal, to the question, to ANYTHING) is “I hope so”.  Really? How about you just DO it? Then we can all move forward. That would be awesome.

People seem to feel that there are unmanageable expectations put upon them. You want me to show up on time AND work a full day? It’s 70 degrees outside I don’t want to miss the day! WHAAAAAT?  Your intention will determine your outcome….hope is great but it doesn’t really help push you forward. We hope for a lot of things but here are certain things (like things you actually want to accomplish) that require a level of intensity and focus that can’t come from anyone but you. I’m tired of the excuses (that includes me) it’s time to get things done.

Hope is for sissies. Intention and faith are for heroes.