GOALS FOR 2008...

A fellow songwriter suggested December isn’t a bad time to work up one’s New Year’s Resolutions—means you can start work promptly in January. He’s right. Here—maybe—is the start of the 2008 List of Music Resolutions.

First, what did I accomplish in 2007? Well, not nearly all (or enough) of the goals I set. I did manage to write an average song a month (more than that, in fact), and got 5 of the collaborations professionally recorded in Nashville at the Pineyfest Demo Derby. Entered four song contests (I’d planned on two), and took first place in one and got honorable mention in another. Beyond that, I’m no closer to having a new CD recorded, or a CD of the collaborations produced, and I haven’t got anything published. Good starters for the 2008 List, I guess.

Not in any order, as usual:

(1) Record the New CD. Still want a band, but maybe the way to do it is the same as last time—assemble an impromptu band of competent musicians, practice a couple of times, and walk into the studio and do it live. I have most of the resources—they just don’t all know each other.

(2) Publish. Bobbie Gallup is willing to use her Nashville publishing company for “Dead Things in the Shower,” which we wrote together, but hasn’t said about the other songs for the album. Start my own if she can’t (or won’t). Need at least a “shell” to make songs eligible for radio airplay; that’s how the game appears to be played.

(3) Work with a performing band. That’s “Screaming Gulch,” I think; their main limitation is they only want to do the fast ones, but I can live with that. I want to be able to deliver my material to the public both solo and with a band, and this’ll do it.

(4) Perform at the “Moograss” Bluegrass Festival. For that, we need a band that can travel—and that’s not “Screaming Gulch,” because they’re kinda tied to a local tavern. Maybe the folks from (1), above, or some of them.

(5) In the same vein, perform at the Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival and the Neskowin Harvest Festival. Follow-ups, in other words, on everywhere I’ve played before. Grassroots, too? Or should I try instead for a ”featured performer” gig at the NE Oregon Folklore Society—maybe with the Old Band?

(6) Attend Pineyfest 2008. More demos. Arrange (if possible) for a performance at the Bluebird Café.

(7) Enter at least two more song contests—concentrating, again, on ones I can win. Did good in 2007: won one, got honorable mention in another. Maybe in 2008, we should do the Jackson County Fair Talent Show and (if money permits) enter “Hank’s Song” in the Hank Williams Festival (I’d have to travel to that one on my own nickel).

(8) This ties into (1) above. A CD release party. At Johnny B’s, probably—and it’d be fun to do enough publicity to pack the joint.

UPDATES: I finally did connect with the Old Time Fiddlers Assn. (show in Medford), after six months of phone tag, and did join; they do run their shows like the Blue Mtn. Old Time Fiddlers, but BMOTFA did a better job. Still, did get to play with ‘em, and maybe next time I’ll try to sing something.

And I have one young guy (only one, thus far) who’s been coming to my performances and requesting “no One Writes Good Songs About the War.” One is good, I guess. A fan base has to start somewhere.

Joe