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Lonnie Ratliff Country Music Newsletter February 11th. , 2008 Note: Clicking on any Photo or Banner in this NEWSLETTER should take you to a website or play music. Please feel free to forward this Newsletter to any country music fans you know who might be interested and have them sign-up for their own copy at:
"Spotlight Artist" Red Jenkins
__________________________________ _________________________________ RED JENKINS - THE HONKY TONK MAN
Singer/songwriter Red Jenkins is one of Sweden´s real pioneers in
country music with more than 40 years in the business. He specializes in
honky tonk music and has recorded several albums since his debut in the
sixties.
Purchase Red Jenkins CD's in USA at Website below
******************* Lonnie's MYSPACE Website
Big milestone for my MYSPACE website as I pass
7,100 friends.
Check it out Nashville Record
Producer
.
*******************
"Gossip
Column"
A little Cyber-Songbird told
me
E Mail from Dick Damron down in Mexico.
As most of you probably know every year Dick heads to Mexico from Canada
and stays there until he sees his shadow, someone tells him the ice has
thawed in Alberta or he gets so many parking tickets for having his burro
parked outside the cantina that he has to get out of Mexico for a
while.
Last I heard "Buck Bisbee's film
"Barefoot Country Girl" is moving along
nicely toward completion. They have used a lot of independent country
music in this film so be sure to support it when it is released.
Check it out at; http://mainecountryfolkfilms.blogspot.com/
Just cut the rhythm tracks for new
Lonnie Ratliff / Vaughn Lofstead song "Grandma's Raising
Marijuana On The Old Home Place" on
Perley Curtis http://www.perleyc.com/ .
Almost finished with the final mix for
Erin Hay of "I'll Walk Before I Crawl" penned by
Arlene Faith (Gidget Baird to you country fans) & Linda
Buell http://www.woodenstonemusic.com/index2.html This will be the first song on Erin's
"Blue Country Song" album which should be ready
by early summer of 2008.
Got an E Mail from Stephanie Davis last
week. She is still out in Montana working on her msic.
You will remember Steph from sevral Garth Brooks songs she wrote. http://www.stephaniedavis.net/
Sounds like Joni Compretta
http://www.myspace.com/jonicompretta may be singing at a couple of Country
Music Festivals in Sweden this summer. We will keep you
posted.
********************** If you like to lisen to good Independent country music in the background while you are working on your computer take a listen to Nashville Nightlife Internet Radio to hear artists I have produced along with the top charting Independent artists of today. I do not program this radio station so please do not E Mail me asking to put your songs on it or tell you how to get them on it.
************************
"click" any PHOTO below to watch
Joni
Compretta
Peggy
Lynn Erin Hay
"Dogs Don't
Care If You're Ugly" "I Got The Blues
Again" "Ode To Billy
Joe"
************************
If you "Really want to
know" if you can sing then ask the "Experts"
I doubt that a week goes by that I don't get at least a half dozen E Mails
from Moms, Pops, Grandparents, and singers themselves asking me to go
listen to them on Myspace, YouTube or the attached unsolicited mp3
file and give them my honest opinion about their talent and tell them if
they should get in or get out of the music business. I can't help
thinking to myself that if they are willing to base their future career
decisions on a stranger's opinions they probably don't have enough
confidence in themselves to be in the music business. I keep that
thought to myself though just like I keep my opinions about their
talent to myself. I am not under any conditions ever gonna tell
anyone they can't sing. I try not to even tell singers when I think
they are real good if I am working with them because I don't
want them to think I was leading them on should they not have as much
success as they may think they deserve. Artist I know will continue
to ask and I just keep getting better at dodging the question. I can
tell you that I have worked with two artists Garth Brooks and Kenny Chesney
that are now both super stars and they neither one ever asked anyone for an
opinion of their talent. Now that it don't matter I can honestly tell
you that at the time I thought one of them was wasting his time and
should just go home. What if they had ask my opinion and then
took it and one had gone home ? Think about
that.
The
title to this article says ask the "Experts" and first off I will tell you
who are NOT "Experts". They are by and large not living in Nashville and working
for the record labels. Every label in town turned down Garth and a
few of them turned him down twice. Kenny was not "Signed"
the first time they heard him. If they are experts how the heck did
they almost miss two of the biggest acts of their decades ? Even
when they do sign an artist they can't get 1 out of 10 to make them money
no matter how they push them or how much money they spend. I am not
under the misguided impression that I could do any better but I am just
telling you not to put a whole lot of confidence in all these industry
professionals who have such a poor track record that they would be fired if
they were in any other profession.
Other people you can't put much
confidence in is great singers, vocal coaches etc! (They sometimes think if
you go flat or sharp on a note you can't sell records)
Engineers, Producers and Musicians sometimes think if the snare
drum does not sound perfect and the fade out is not smooth no label will or
should even consider you) Road Musicians think you have to pay your
dues first before you even dare to try and get a record deal.
Songwriters think you don't even need to be able to carry a tune or have
any stage presence as long as you got a great song and I am not sure who is
responsible for the myth that by the time you are 12 years old you should
be writing songs that would put Harlan Howard, Kris Kristofferson and
Bob McDill to shame. Of course I am using extreme examples but what I
am trying to show you is that opinions about talent come from the
experiences of who you are asking. They base their answers on what
they have seen in their own lives and assume that that is what is most
important. The truth is stardom is controlled by so many different
variables that the honest truth is that know one has the
answer.
Now you
have got to be scratching your head asking who these "Experts" are if they are none of the
above. Well they are right under your nose and everywhere you
look. Anyone who is not a friend, kinfolks or stands to make money
from you qualifies as an "Expert". If you are a real artist
you will not need constant reassurance. You will sing because you
love to sing. What you need to watch for to tell if you have that
something special is for someone to say something nice about your singing
that is completely unsolicited. When you sit in with a band do they
make a point of inviting you back. When you sing karaoke do people
you don't know come up and compliment you. All of these things should
give you a pretty good idea of how you are doing. If constant
feedback is that important to you you may want to question what you are
doing because you could be in the music business for the wrong
reasons.
Lonnie
Ratliff
************************
*******************
_______________________________________________
Just another song
"You heard my record on the radio, well Dad, that's just
another song
But I've
got a hit recorded and it'll be out on the market fore too
long"
Tom T. Hall
These two lines
from the Tom T. Hall song "Homecoming" are a
good place to start this article I guess. Tom T. pretty well
sums up the fact that when it comes to songs there are two kinds. a
"Hit" or just another song. If you never learn to
distinguish between the two when they are still in their most basic format
(usually a simple demo) or you cannot find someone to help you find these
hidden "Hits" then you face the risk of a career filled
with songs that fall in the category of "Just another song"
and that is a pretty dead end career.
What I consider a
"Hit" song does not mean a # 1 in Billboard that makes a
gazillion dollars. I consider a "Hit" as a song that
separates the singer from all the other singers out there and a song that
the fans identify with that one singer. "Amarillo By
Morning" has probably been cut hundreds of times after
George Strait recorded it but there is only one cut
that matters to the public. That is what you as an artist have
to find, a song that works for you. That song was NOT a
"Hit" because George sang it "pretty"
and it was not even a # 1. I think it just barely made the top 20 but
try this sometimes. Ask the next 10 country music fans you meet to
name their favorite 5 songs by George Strait and it will probably be
included in all 10 fans favorite choices.
If it is
important to you to write some of your songs then don't waste your time
re-writing bad versions of current hits. There's some short cuts and
little tricks you can use to write songs that you don't have to introduce
as (Here's a song I wrote) every time you sing it just to make it stand out
as special.
Use geography as your
friend. Suppose you live in Johnson County, Alabama.
Instead of just writing a song about some pretty girl why
not say something like "She was the homecoming queen in
Johnson County and she drove those Alabama boys half
wild" Use real local names in all of your descriptions
for Rivers, Mountains, Cafes. Dance Halls, Highways, etc! but
remember to keep the characters ficticious so as not to get into any kind
of trouble with anyone. I always use real last names of people from
the area but if I call the the girl Susie Cochran
then in reality all the Cochran family in that area is really
boys or maybe the Cochran name is the local Sheriff's name and he has no
kids so little Susie Cochran can't be traced back to anyone which is the
truth since you just made her up. If you play your song around town
very much pretty soon you will meet people who swear they went to school
with Susie Cochran or that she married their cousin. Just keep quiet
and let the legend grow as your career grows. Just for fun one time I
made our local bootlegger's name a preacher's name in one of my
songs.
There's lots of other
little songwriting tricks I will try to cover as time permits.
Lonnie Ratliff
________________________________________________
+++++++++++++++++
"Hangin' Out With Uncle
Willam"
+++++++++++++++++
Examples to Live (or
NOT Live) By
By: Bill
Littleton
My father used
to say that any fool can learn from his own mistakes; a smart person learns
from the mistakes of others. This little essay is re-worked from a
couple of years back and please know the details may be fictional but the
basic examples are the stuff of country music
history.
Hollywood would have us believe that outrageous behavior is required for celebrities; what they don't tell you is the turnover rate for celebrities who are, in the words of my grandfather, "more trouble than they're worth." Within country music circles, the turnover doesn't get very high because the tolerance for outrageous behavior is limited. In all honesty, "behavior" is perhaps not the right term here, because what people SAY is often more unsettling than what they DO. Over the years, we've all known people who are designated "their own worst enemy;" in Granddaddy's words, "More trouble than they're worth." Here's how it works. I would invent a name but don't dare risk a real person out there with whatever I come up with, so we'll use the Number System, which is Nashville enough, I reckon. Artist I, Artist II, and Artist III. Artist I is argumentive and has a better idea than anybody on everything. He's had a few hits and has been into a different management deal with each one. Oh, yeah, and a different producer with each, which confirms his feeling that HE's the one who knows what's going on. But down the road, the quality of producers willing to work with him and the labels willing to let him produce himself wither down to zero. He borrows money to start his own record label and has to take a job in construction to pay the loan off. Artist II is a good guy and understands the process, BUT he's got a list of sensitive points long as his arm. He gets defensive about his home state, his home town, his church, his political party, his sister's favorite charity, a different ethnic group each week, and ... well, surely more. In short, people who work with him learn that they have to be damn careful as to what they say around him because he'll jump on his stump and condemn anything he perceives as "bashing." Well, they might do that for a while, but creative people have more to do with their time and energy than dance around on eggshells. So Artist II eventually finds himself with no support team. Artist III might not be the world's best singer or the world's best entertainer, but he understands that the people involved in his career are first and foremost involved in their own careers, so he fosters an aura of mutual respect and support. If he has an issue with someone, he deals with it with THAT person and lets it go, so the whole team can focus its energy on making good music and entertaining the friends and neighbors. Is it any wonder Artist III is still out there after all these years, while the other guys are on a lot of "Whatever Happened...?" lists? There's nothing noble about being a pain in somebody's butt, especially if that person is between you and your potential audience.
Bill
Littleton
There's always
a chair with your name on it at Uncle Willam's Place http://www.unclewillamsplace.com
And you're welcome to hang out at http://www.MySpace.com/BillLittleton
++++++++++++++++
*********************** Original song
"Click Yellow Speaker" below Ray Barnette singing How Could Katy
Tested on Real Player & Media Player. Works on both players
How Could
Katy
.
.
Usually as a songwriters we try to write songs
that will appeal to as many different singers as possible to give the
song more chances of being recorded but sometimes the story we are
trying to write can only be told by a few singers who will be able to
relate to it or would be believable singing the song. "How Could Katy" is one of those songs
that can only be recorded by an older male singer but we believed the story
was important enough that we went ahead and wrote it, so if you are a male country singer who is old enough to have
a grown son this song might make a nice addition to your next
CD.
How Could
Katy
He hitched a ride in Phoenix travelling
back to see his Mama
For days we headed East on 40 in my
rig
He said his name was Johnny I told him
same as mine
He said he came from Nashville I said at
one time so did I
Not much more than nineteen I was a lot
like him at that age
But he was going home and I still was
runnin' hard
He helped unload in Memphis and by then we
were such good friends
So I took him home to Nashville and
watched through a broken heart
(Chorus)
As she ran from the front porch he jumped
out the truck door
And Katy held him in her arms the way she
once held me
How will I forgive her I'd a stayed right
there beside her
Nineteen years ago she'd of never seen me
leave
The need the love how could Katy keep that
from us
I drove off in the darkness never feeling
that lost
Making sure they didn't know who sat
behind the wheel
As I heard him yell "goodbye friend,
thank you for the ride friend"
I whispered "Son" I only wish it
could have been for years
(Chorus)
As she ran from the front porch he jumped
out the truck door
And Katy held him in her arms the way she
once held me
How will I forgive her I'd a stayed right
there beside her
Nineteen years ago she'd of never seen me
leave
The need the love how could Katy keep that
from us
The need the love how could Katy keep that
from us
Lonnie Ratliff / Bill
Jackson
Publishers: Okie Acres Music (BMI)
/ Carved In Stone Music (BMI)
.
.
If you are
interested in recording any of my songs
just E Mail me for
info and a mechanical license
I have another
website with over 80 demos you can
listen
to.
E Mail Lonnie = NashvilleShowcase@comcast.net
==============================================================
Mirror! Mirror! (On
The Wall)
.
.
Mirror! Mirror! (On
The Wall)
(Lonnie Ratliff / Arlene Faith Baird-Kortright) Mirror, mirror on the wall You and I've been through it all I know that I can turn to you And you will always tell the truth Mirror, mirror on the wall You've seen me proud you've seen me crawl You seem to read between the lines Should we trust my heart this time Mirror, mirror on the wall I think that we're about to fall Mirror, mirror tell me true Is he the one for me and you Mirror, mirror on the wall He's not the fairest of them all But he's got something they can't see One look at him and you'll agree (Break) Mirror, mirror on the wall I think that we're about to fall Mirror, mirror tell me true Is he the one for me and you Mirror, mirror on the wall He's not the fairest of them all Mirror, mirror tell me true That he's the one for me and you Mirror, mirror yes it's true He's the one for me and you Copr. Okie Acres Music (BMI) G.I.D. Inc. (ASCAP) "Click Yellow Speaker" Erin Hay singing Mirror! Mirror! (On The Wall)
Tested on Real Player & Media Player. Works on both players _______
_______________________________________________________
_
*********************
Buying a house in Nashville ?
If you are thinking of moving to Nashville and need to buy a house I recommend you get in touch with my buddy Craig Stahl. Some of you will know Craig from his 13 years working with Alan Jackson and also as my partner in Okie Acres Music & Studio. Give him a call when you need property in Nashville or sign up for his Newsletter I hope you enjoyed our first issue of Roadie Real Estate.com. Please email me your thoughts and suggestions. If you liked it please hit the forward e-mail button at the bottom of the page. Please visit my website at www.RoadieRealEstate.com I would love to help you buy or sell your next home or help you with any of your Real Estate needs. If you are not moving anytime soon, please keep me in mind to be of service to friends and family. I really appreciate your referals.Sincerely, Craig Stahl "The Roadie Realtor" 615-578-9175 ********************** featured artist produced by Lonnie Ratliff Timmy "G"
About Timmy "G"
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