"Don't Worry, Be Happy..."

Instead of re-telling Bobby McFerrin’s bio, I would rather just list his many accomplishments and then talk about how he has inspired me in the entertainment industry by discussing his passion and inspiration.

·      Bobby McFerrin has won 10 Grammy’s,

·      Vocal visionary,

·      Vocal improviser with a 4-octave range,

·      Classical conductor,

·      Vitally interested in music education,

·      Collaborated with musicians, dancers and actors,

·      “Ambassador of both the classical and jazz worlds.” (Pittsburg Symphony, 1988),

·      Family man.

Chris Anderson, TED’s Executive Director, talks about the TED movement, which is impacting so many industries, including music, around the world. When I checked out hit “Best of the Web” on the TED site, I found Bobby McFerrin.  Having heard McFerrin’s music for years, I was pleasantly surprised to find a clip of him participating at the World Science Festival in June of 2009.  He demonstrated the allure of the pentatonic scale to the audience by engaging them in a vocal exercise and also showed his improvisational skill by singing harmony and an improvised melody above them. 

McFerrin’s style has blended folk, jazz and a plethora of world music inspirations in a cappella, choral and classical styles.  With his trained ear as an orchestral conductor, his singing expanded to encompass instrument-type parts as demonstrated in his 1984 album The Voice and his chart topping hit “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”.   Jazz improv piano soloist, Keith Jarrett, inspired him; from there, he and his manager, Linda Goldstein, sought to develop his vocal career in a different way.

What impresses me most about Bobby McFerrin is the fact that he is constantly changing and evolving. Nothing is ever the same from concert to concert.  He is constantly pushing the envelope of where WE think music should go and finding his own mountains and valleys of excitement.  He is blessed and fortunate to have a manager, Linda Goldstein, who never tried to fit him into one genre.  Instead she worked to create one for him. 

“Bobby brings all the ingredients of life to his music, in audiences, in time and space, all the    colors and all of the cells and molecules, and light and history; everything gets supercharged in Bobby’­s presence. He can create something out of nothing, the way the alchemists would try to create gold out of lead.”  (Goldstein, BobbyMcFerrin.com, 2011). 

Bobby McFerrin is not merely a musician, or performer, or conductor…he is a student of life’s music!  He inspires me to push the boundaries of where I want to go as a musician and manager; to be that creative when it comes to my clients.  His enthusiasm jumps out: 

"I love to sing and I love to be adventuresome. It's like the thrill of your first hang-gliding experience, standing on top of a mountain and getting ready to jump off--you've got faith in this big kite in back of you. With me, it's the same way with singing, especially a cappella."

(Musicfolio.com, 2011)

References

 Bobby McFerrin: album reviews and ratings. (n.d.). Musicfolio.com: music reviews and ratings. Retrieved September 23, 2011, from http://www.musicfolio.com/jazz/bobby_mcferrin.html

1988., Asia., & album, t. s. (n.d.). Bio for Bobby McFerrin. Heinz Hall | Welcome to the Pittsburgh Symphony. Retrieved September 23, 2011, from http://www.pittsburghsymphony.org/pghsymph.nsf/bios/Bobby+McFerrin

Bobby McFerrin hacks your brain with music | Video on TED.com. (n.d.). TED: Ideas worth spreading. Retrieved September 23, 2011, from http://www.ted.com/talks/bobby_mcferrin_hacks_your_brain_with_music.html

Music News, Reviews, Articles, Information, News Online & Free Music | Billboard.com. (n.d.). Music News, Reviews, Articles, Information, News Online & Free Music | Billboard.com. Retrieved September 23, 2011, from http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/bobby-mcferrin/chart-history/7030

Oeser, M. (2011, June 7).   Bobby McFerrin Headlines 2011 DC Jazz Festival - eJazzNews. EJazzNews » The Number One Jazz News Website Since 2001. Retrieved September 23, 2011, from http://ejazznews.com/2011/06/07/bobby-mcferrin-headlines-2011-dc-jazz-festival/

TED Blog | Who let this guy on the TED stage?. (n.d.). TED Blog. Retrieved September 23, 2011, from http://blog.ted.com/2010/09/14/who-let-this-guy-on-the-ted-stage/extended bio « bobbymcferrin.com. (n.d.).  bobbymcferrin.com. Retrieved September 24, 2011, from http://bobbymcferrin.com/whos-bobby/press-kit/extended-bio/

NSAI: A Songwriter's Friend

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) is a non-profit trade association for songwriters. This organization is the “watchdog” for songwriters, in every genre of music.  Their mission statement is clear in its purpose to support the amateur and professional songwriters by offering classes, events and as a cohesive force within the music industry and in the local community as well.

The first purpose of NSAI is to protect the rights of the songwriting industry including how artists are paid and taxed (NSAI 2011).  Their second purpose is to teach songwriting craft, instruction and leadership during the songwriting procedure.  The best part of this organization: They listen to your songs!

With a paid membership of $150/year, you get 12 song evaluations, 2 sessions with a professional songwriter, and workshops as well as access to their archives of recorded classes.  You do not have to live in Nashville to take advantage of this organization; they cover the United States and 6 countries. Online services put them squarely in your home or office with access to regional workshops, online classes, a song evaluation service and even discussions.

What I find so amazing about this group, it is a great place to network with other songwriters. Sometimes, you need another set of eyes to get past a writer’s block or just the creative juice to flesh out a song hook.

NSAI does not negotiate the sale of songs but they can introduce you to publishers to discuss contracts by networking, programs and events.  Their website pointed out that publishers are focused on finding songs that can create revenue. Most songs will not do that unless it has been recorded by a major artist and has been heard on the radio. 

The process for getting a song published has many steps.  Publishers cannot accept songs that have not been requested or from writers they do not know because of legal problems.  Each publishing company has their own stable of writers and they typically only solicit material from known sources or copyright organizations such as ASCAP/BMI/SESAC.

I had the opportunity to tour BMI and SESAC several years ago and was impressed with their passion for songwriters and their devotion to legal issues surrounding their craft.  Because of this, they are able to pitch their member’s songs to major publishers and A&R people from major labels on a quarterly basis. 

The most exciting part to a songwriter of NSAI is The Bluebird Café. It acquired the venue in 2008 and seems to be a perfect marriage of a songwriting organization and a “listening room”.  When I was in Nashville, the man that wrote “The Grundy County Auction” was performing with 3 other writers.  My youngest son had performed that song many times, it was a great opportunity to meet and talk with the songwriter.  This venue features 3 or 4 songwriters taking turns performing their original material while singing backup and playing for the others.

NSAI also sponsor a festival called “Tin Pan South”.  This is an annual event in Nashville featuring a week of writer’s rounds in virtually every café, bar or listening room.  It is an amazing opportunity to hear writers and artists perform their songs acoustically and “up close and personal”.   My family and I had the opportunity to see Jeffery Steele, at Douglas Corner, who wrote/co-wrote several songs for Rascal Flatts and other major artists. He is a dynamic, very charismatic singer-songwriter who is an amazing performer. 

I highly recommend every songwriter interested in improving their craft and wanting to expand their network and contacts get involved with NSAI.  Songwriters are the basis from which the music industry operates. Without them, there are no songs…  

References:

Jeffrey Steele. (n.d.). Jeffrey Steele. Retrieved September 15, 2011, from http://www.jeffreysteele.com

NSAI - It All Begins With A Song. (n.d.). NSAI - It All Begins With A Song. Retrieved September 15, 2011, from http://www.nashvillesongwriters.com

The Bluebird Cafe | Nashville, TN. (n.d.). The Bluebird Cafe | Nashville, TN. Retrieved September 15, 2011, from http://www.bluebirdcafe.com

Tin Pan South. (n.d.). Tin Pan South. Retrieved September 15, 2011, from http://www.tinpansouth.com