The winds of
change are racing through the label-driven recording industry. Although new
avenues of distribution have emerged through social media marketing, I can’t
think of a single singer who would turn down a offer from an established record
label. I doubt that the record labels are going to fold up their tents and slip
out of town kicking and screaming anytime soon. So it's still important to
study the traditional paradigm.
You, as an
aspiring singer need to find one person in a position of power who really,
really, really believes in your talent. It must be someone who has powerful
contacts and is respected by the music business community. It doesn’t
necessarily have to be a manager. A lot of record deals are handled by
entertainment attorneys, as well as producers, managers and agents. You need to
find that one person who believes in you and is totally committed to furthering
your career. Since you will absolutely need to have an attorney on board eventually
to protect your interests let's start there.
If you are just
starting your career, you may say, well what do I need a lawyer for? I don’t
have any clout; I don’t have any hit records; I don’t have a hit song; why do I
need a lawyer? In fact, it’s probably the time in your career that you will
need a lawyer most. A good music business attorney can be a one-stop shopping
center for information. They aren't managers, but they know the business. They
aren't producers, but they know what it takes to get things produced.
How do you
choose your lawyer? Make certain they have expertise in the music industry and
have had successful relationships with the major labels. I highly recommend
interviewing several before making a decision. If you do, as a courtesy, tell
them you are meeting with others also. It helps if they understand you and love
your music. Now you have a fan who can get your team's ball rolling and keep
you out of trouble by protecting you from yourself.
A good music business
lawyer is going to be aware of the kinds of rights you have and what you have
to bargain with, as well as what the relative value of those rights are. By
relative value I don’t mean simply money. A good music business attorney will
protect your career, your time, your talent, as well as your freedom of choice.
The reality is, you are going to have to give up some of those things every
time you sign a contract that requires you to bargain away part of your time, talent
and, ultimately, your future.
You will need
their counsel if you are asked to sign a long term production contact or long
term management contract where time is an important element on both sides of
the ledger. The good lawyer is not always just out to get you the biggest bang
for the buck. They will try to put you in a position where you can maximize
your talent, maximize your time, and maximize your future opportunities.
And don't
discount the power a respected music attorney can wield when it comes to
getting the attention of the record executives. Label executives will return an
attorney's phone call a lot sooner than yours or mine!
Another thing to
consider is to start looking for an attorney before you need one. Many
nationally-televised talent shows allow their contestants only a few days to
reach an agreement to compete on their shows. Given such a small window you do
not want to spend precious time searching for and trying to obtain a productive
meeting with a good attorney.
Nashville
vocal coach Renee Grant-Williams reveals the trade secrets that have already
helped hundreds of aspiring singers become celebrities: Tim McGraw, Martina
McBride, Dixie Chicks, Miley Cyrus, Huey Lewis, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill,
Jason Aldean, Christina Aguilera...
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