Above the Noise

Today’s interview is with Oscar Furtado on the art of radio promotion.

Oscar is a renowned Canadian radio promoter who has worked with the likes of Sarah McLachlan, Tiesto, Swollen Members, Classified, and Marcy’s Playground to Jets Over Head, Madeleine Peyroux, Robbie Robertson and Jordan Knight. He focuses on commercial radio in Canada and knows exactly what it takes to break on radio.

Radio is not only part of the “rockstar dream” but it is a crucial aspect to a “rockstar career.”

When I first met Oscar a few years back, I remember him telling me that he recommended artists do some of the groundwork themselves before hiring a radio tracker. But how do you get started? Where do you begin?

I asked Oscar some straight up questions to help understand not only the process but how exactly you can get your music on the radio. What format do stations want your music in and how do you deliver it to them? Who do you call at the station? What do you say on the phone? How do you find out if your track gets added to rotation? How do the charts work and how can you chart? Should you focus on certain stations? Is it better to start locally or go nationally? What are the best ways to build relationships at radio? Who makes the decisions? Is there a better day of the week to phone? Why do some songs get picked and others don’t…? These are a few of the many questions Oscar tackled.

There is a lot here and you might want to take some notes. Oscar’s answers will give you more than enough information to start laying the ground work and beyond!

Enjoy!

Aaron Bethune. Music Specialist. Creative Collaborator.

http://www.playitloudmusic.com http://www.abovethenoise.ca http://www.twitter.com/playitloudmusic

For more information on Oscar and his company Tandemtracks Promotions please visit his website here:

http://www.tandemtracks.com

This week's interview is with Bill Caywood. Bill is a graphic designer and branding expert, he is the CEO of Brett Manning's Singing Success, the Creative Director of TraitMarker, founder of NashvilleParties.com, co-founder of Festivalus and the co-founder of Caspian Productions. His clients range from Faith Hill and Jimmy Eat World to Interscope Records, EMI and Warner Brothers.

This is another of the interviews I conducted while in Tennessee set up through our mutual friend Robbie Grayson. I soon learned after meeting Robbie that if he said I should meet somebody I was going to be grateful of the connection. He knows some amazing people and they all listened when he said he wanted to connect them with the new guy in town!

There is something about Robbie that makes him a connector and person that people gravitate to. You can expect an interview with him in the future!

I had just interviewed Brett Manning when Robbie and Brett told me I should meet Bill, the mastermind behind the marketing of Singing Success. I am always interested to find out people's approach and what's behind successful marketing campaigns. After researching more on Bill I realized that Singing Success was just one of many successful projects that he was a part of. As a student of the school of life, and without formal higher education, I wanted to find out how Bill had gone from high school to working with some of the biggest names in the industry.

In our interview we discuss a topic that many artists have difficulties with, how to charge for your art and value yourself. How do you put a price tag to something that is not always tangible, something that is an "experience"? We talk about the importance of taking risks and how to quantify success. Bill discusses in depth the Brett Manning brand and the natural and organic evolution of branding.

I particularly enjoyed this interview because Bill goes into detail on his approach, he is authentic and a bright guy to say the least! I truly believe that the content of his answers can shed insight to your own marketing and branding.

Aaron Bethune. Music Specialist. Creative Collaborator.

http://www.playitloudmusic.com http://www.abovethenoise.ca http://www.twitter.com/playitloudmusic

For more information on Bill please visit:

http://www.billcaywood.com

http://www.caspianproductions.com

http://www.festivalus.com

http://www.nashvilleparties.com

http://www.traitmarker.com

This week's interview is with Bill Caywood. Bill is a graphic designer and branding expert, he is the CEO of Brett Manning's Singing Success, the Creative Director of TraitMarker, founder of NashvilleParties.com, co-founder of Festivalus and the co-founder of Caspian Productions. His clients range from Faith Hill and Jimmy Eat World to Interscope Records, EMI and Warner Brothers.

This is another of the interviews I conducted while in Tennessee set up through our mutual friend Robbie Grayson. I soon learned after meeting Robbie that if he said I should meet somebody I was going to be grateful of the connection. He knows some amazing people and they all listened when he said he wanted to connect them with the new guy in town!

There is something about Robbie that makes him a connector and person that people gravitate to. You can expect an interview with him in the future!

I had just interviewed Brett Manning when Robbie and Brett told me I should meet Bill, the mastermind behind the marketing of Singing Success. I am always interested to find out people's approach and what's behind successful marketing campaigns. After researching more on Bill I realized that Singing Success was just one of many successful projects that he was a part of. As a student of the school of life, and without formal higher education, I wanted to find out how Bill had gone from high school to working with some of the biggest names in the industry.

In our interview we discuss a topic that many artists have difficulties with, how to charge for your art and value yourself. How do you put a price tag to something that is not always tangible, something that is an "experience"? We talk about the importance of taking risks and how to quantify success. Bill discusses in depth the Brett Manning brand and the natural and organic evolution of branding.

I particularly enjoyed this interview because Bill goes into detail on his approach, he is authentic and a bright guy to say the least! I truly believe that the content of his answers can shed insight to your own marketing and branding.

Aaron Bethune. Music Specialist. Creative Collaborator.

http://www.playitloudmusic.com http://www.abovethenoise.ca http://www.twitter.com/playitloudmusic

For more information on Bill please visit:

http://www.billcaywood.com

http://www.caspianproductions.com

http://www.festivalus.com

http://www.nashvilleparties.com

http://www.traitmarker.com

By now you have realized my interviews are not always with music industry folk but that they are with people that can give insight to building a career within the music industry. I believe that finding answers that can help build a lasting career in the music industry are quite often easier to find outside of the industry. The truth is artists are entrepreneurs and a lot can be learned from other successful entrepreneurs.

Today's interview is with Rick Wells. Rick is a very successful entrepreneur, and now he is a successful actor. The interesting thing is that once he decided to become an actor he, almost overnight, was able to find acting work as well as an agent to represent him... Considering how many people spend years to get those opportunities, I was interested to understand more about Rick and how his past experiences have led him to where he is today. After getting to know more about Rick it became apparent that he has experienced a high level of success both financially and personally. The curious part was realizing what a wide variety of careers he had chosen and how at first they all seemed so wildly different. In fact there seemed to be almost no common thread between them. However, at a closer glance I realized that the common thread in fact was Rick's approach, his ability to put himself out of his comfort zone and find ways to excel. He really summed it up when he told me that the reason he chooses to act is because he wants to feel uncomfortable. Rick shows once again that no amount of success can be achieved without a challenge and going beyond your comfort zone.

After interviewing many successful artists, entrepreneurs, authors, etc... after a while a number of similarities start to appear, from their personality traits to the environment around them. Alhough one of those traits is the ability to put yourself out of your comfort zone, the real question is what have been the experiences that build people up to not only recognize opportunities but to also risk taking them. What in Rick's past experiences and development have allowed him to consciously choose to put himself in a place of vulnerability along way from his comfort zone? Not only once but many times over and excel?

Rick was adopted three days after birth and found out a lot later in life. He learned to make his living from commission (as he puts it, "eat what you kill"), he has an ability to build relationships that he can leverage in business, he understands that trust is a key part of business no matter what line of work you get into, he has 9 children, he has moved around with his work and currently resides near Nashville, he is a handsome 6,2 American looking man, he thinks carefully before he answers my questions... These are by no means the key elements that make up Rick but they certainly stood out to me... Listen to this interview and see what you can find. I believe that a lot can be learned from other people's experiences and Rick certainly has had many!

Aaron Bethune. Music Specialist. Creative Collaborator.

http://www.playitloudmusic.com http://www.abovethenoise.ca http://twitter.com/playitloudmusic

For more information on Rick please visit:

http://about.me/rwells36

By now you have realized my interviews are not always with music industry folk but that they are with people that can give insight to building a career within the music industry. I believe that finding answers that can help build a lasting career in the music industry are quite often easier to find outside of the industry. The truth is artists are entrepreneurs and a lot can be learned from other successful entrepreneurs.

Today's interview is with Rick Wells. Rick is a very successful entrepreneur, and now he is a successful actor. The interesting thing is that once he decided to become an actor he, almost overnight, was able to find acting work as well as an agent to represent him... Considering how many people spend years to get those opportunities, I was interested to understand more about Rick and how his past experiences have led him to where he is today. After getting to know more about Rick it became apparent that he has experienced a high level of success both financially and personally. The curious part was realizing what a wide variety of careers he had chosen and how at first they all seemed so wildly different. In fact there seemed to be almost no common thread between them. However, at a closer glance I realized that the common thread in fact was Rick's approach, his ability to put himself out of his comfort zone and find ways to excel. He really summed it up when he told me that the reason he chooses to act is because he wants to feel uncomfortable. Rick shows once again that no amount of success can be achieved without a challenge and going beyond your comfort zone.

After interviewing many successful artists, entrepreneurs, authors, etc... after a while a number of similarities start to appear, from their personality traits to the environment around them. Alhough one of those traits is the ability to put yourself out of your comfort zone, the real question is what have been the experiences that build people up to not only recognize opportunities but to also risk taking them. What in Rick's past experiences and development have allowed him to consciously choose to put himself in a place of vulnerability along way from his comfort zone? Not only once but many times over and excel?

Rick was adopted three days after birth and found out a lot later in life. He learned to make his living from commission (as he puts it, "eat what you kill"), he has an ability to build relationships that he can leverage in business, he understands that trust is a key part of business no matter what line of work you get into, he has 9 children, he has moved around with his work and currently resides near Nashville, he is a handsome 6,2 American looking man, he thinks carefully before he answers my questions... These are by no means the key elements that make up Rick but they certainly stood out to me... Listen to this interview and see what you can find. I believe that a lot can be learned from other people's experiences and Rick certainly has had many!

Aaron Bethune. Music Specialist. Creative Collaborator.

http://www.playitloudmusic.com http://www.abovethenoise.ca http://twitter.com/playitloudmusic

For more information on Rick please visit:

http://about.me/rwells36

Today's interview is with Lee Parsons co-founder of Ditto Music.

Ditto Music is a digital music distribution company with offices in Liverpool and Nashville. As CEO of Ditto Music Lee Parsons overseas distribution and marketing campaigns for over 20,000 worldwide artists including Suzi Quatro, Finch, Lil Wayne, Prince, Sir Paul McCartney and Kid British. Starting from their bedrooms in 2007 Lee and His brother Matt launched the first ever unsigned artist into the UK Top 40 singles chart which got them into the Guinness Book Of World Records. Ditto Music have now had 11 UK top 40 singles, all with unsigned artists. Ditto have since been hailed by The Guardian and The Independent as a serious threat to the domination of major labels and launched their own TV show on Sky. Lee spends his time in between Ditto’s US and UK offices overseeing projects, speaking at events and opening new doors for independent artists.

The interview was conducted at the Ditto US office on Music Row in Nashville Tennessee. We had been talking for some time however I met Lee a couple days before at a music industry gathering for drinks and appetizers. When Lee walked in everybody stopped what they were doing to greet him, he's just a magnetic type of guy, you can tell when he enters the room. Just an observation. I like to pay attention to people's personalities, mannerisms, and facial expressions when I meet in person. In my quest to find out what it takes to rise "Above The Noise" everything needs to be taken into account!

I hope you all enjoy our conversation as much as I did. Lee shares a ton of insight on how he built his career and of course there is always a lot to learn from the experiences of others!

If you are releasing your album and are looking for distribution, Ditto Music come with my highest recommendation!

Aaron Bethune. Music Specialist. Creative Collaborator.

http://www.playitloudmusic.com http://www.abovethenoise.ca http://@playitloudmusic

To learn more about Lee and his company Ditto Music please check out:

http://www.dittomusic.com

http://www.twitter.com/CEOleeparsons

Today's interview is with Lee Parsons co-founder of Ditto Music.

Ditto Music is a digital music distribution company with offices in Liverpool and Nashville. As CEO of Ditto Music Lee Parsons overseas distribution and marketing campaigns for over 20,000 worldwide artists including Suzi Quatro, Finch, Lil Wayne, Prince, Sir Paul McCartney and Kid British. Starting from their bedrooms in 2007 Lee and His brother Matt launched the first ever unsigned artist into the UK Top 40 singles chart which got them into the Guinness Book Of World Records. Ditto Music have now had 11 UK top 40 singles, all with unsigned artists. Ditto have since been hailed by The Guardian and The Independent as a serious threat to the domination of major labels and launched their own TV show on Sky. Lee spends his time in between Ditto’s US and UK offices overseeing projects, speaking at events and opening new doors for independent artists.

The interview was conducted at the Ditto US office on Music Row in Nashville Tennessee. We had been talking for some time however I met Lee a couple days before at a music industry gathering for drinks and appetizers. When Lee walked in everybody stopped what they were doing to greet him, he's just a magnetic type of guy, you can tell when he enters the room. Just an observation. I like to pay attention to people's personalities, mannerisms, and facial expressions when I meet in person. In my quest to find out what it takes to rise "Above The Noise" everything needs to be taken into account!

I hope you all enjoy our conversation as much as I did. Lee shares a ton of insight on how he built his career and of course there is always a lot to learn from the experiences of others!

If you are releasing your album and are looking for distribution, Ditto Music come with my highest recommendation!

Aaron Bethune. Music Specialist. Creative Collaborator.

http://www.playitloudmusic.com http://www.abovethenoise.ca http://@playitloudmusic

To learn more about Lee and his company Ditto Music please check out:

http://www.dittomusic.com

http://www.twitter.com/CEOleeparsons

Today's Interview is with vocal coach extraordinaire, Brett Manning. Brett has worked with many well known artists including Taylor Swift, Hayley Williams, Keith Urban, Wes Hampton and has also coached several Grammy and CMA Award winners, as well as recent Broadway casts of Les Miserables, Jekyll & Hyde and Elton John's Aida.

Brett is the author of the "Singing Success" a "learn at home" vocal training program. Manning currently runs a vocal studio on Music Row in Nashville TN "Brett Manning Studios" where he teaches along with his associate teachers Shelby Rollins, Jeff Mathena and Jason Catron. Brett teaches his vocal techniques through seminars and workshops around the world. In 2008 Manning was featured as a vocal coach and judge on CMT's television talent search, Can You Duet.

The interview was conducted at Robbie's house, a mutual friend in Franklin. Robbie was somebody I chance met a month or so ago on my way out of a coffee shop where I was meeting with Tom Jackson. I kept up the communication and headed back to Tennessee to strengthen the connection. It was Robbie that set up the meeting with Brett. Lately the interviews have been really leading themselves to the next person and I have been happy to follow where they lead me!

I hope you enjoy this one and the insights that Brett has to share.

Aaron Bethune. Music Specialist. Creative Collaborator.

http://www.playitloudmusic.com http://www.abovethenoise.ca http://www.twitter.com/playitloudmusic

For more information on Brett and Singing Success please visit his websites:

http://www.singingsuccess.com

http://www.brettmanningstudios.com

Today's Interview is with vocal coach extraordinaire, Brett Manning. Brett has worked with many well known artists including Taylor Swift, Hayley Williams, Keith Urban, Wes Hampton and has also coached several Grammy and CMA Award winners, as well as recent Broadway casts of Les Miserables, Jekyll & Hyde and Elton John's Aida.

Brett is the author of the "Singing Success" a "learn at home" vocal training program. Manning currently runs a vocal studio on Music Row in Nashville TN "Brett Manning Studios" where he teaches along with his associate teachers Shelby Rollins, Jeff Mathena and Jason Catron. Brett teaches his vocal techniques through seminars and workshops around the world. In 2008 Manning was featured as a vocal coach and judge on CMT's television talent search, Can You Duet.

The interview was conducted at Robbie's house, a mutual friend in Franklin. Robbie was somebody I chance met a month or so ago on my way out of a coffee shop where I was meeting with Tom Jackson. I kept up the communication and headed back to Tennessee to strengthen the connection. It was Robbie that set up the meeting with Brett. Lately the interviews have been really leading themselves to the next person and I have been happy to follow where they lead me!

I hope you enjoy this one and the insights that Brett has to share.

Aaron Bethune. Music Specialist. Creative Collaborator.

http://www.playitloudmusic.com http://www.abovethenoise.ca http://www.twitter.com/playitloudmusic

For more information on Brett and Singing Success please visit his websites:

http://www.singingsuccess.com

http://www.brettmanningstudios.com

Today it is my pleasure to be talking with branding expert and authority, Karen Kang.

Karen Kang is a recognized brand strategist and the CEO and founder of BrandingPays LLC, a corporate and personal branding company (www.brandingpays.com). She is the author of BrandingPays: The Five-Step System to Reinvent Your Personal Brand. She has trained thousands of professionals on the unique BrandingPays™ System for personal branding.

She was a principal and partner with Regis McKenna Inc., the legendary marketing firm that created and launched the Apple brand. She’s consulted to more than 150 organizations in the US, Europe and Asia from Fortune 100 companies to non-profits and startups. Her broad experience has included such diverse clients as Ariba, AT&T, Genentech, HP, iCharts, Lavante, Synopsys, Maxtor, NCR, Park Systems, SigmaQuest (Camstar), UC Davis Health System, Webroot and VoyagePrive.

Karen’s marketing and communications background gives her a 360-degree view of branding. A former newspaper journalist on both the East and West Coasts, she has held executive positions in marketing consulting, advertising and public relations firms. Karen is a frequent speaker at leading business schools and professional organizations.

She has served on the boards of The Friends of the Palo Alto Library and the Women’s Technology Cluster (Astia). She has also donated her time to such worthy non-profit organizations as Girls for a Change, CORO, Asian Business League of San Francisco and Ascend. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Mills College, where she holds her B.A. degree in English, and has earned her M.S. degree in Journalism from Boston University.

In our conversation we discuss personal branding, Karen's five steps to brand positioning, qualities of a good brand, qualities of a bad brand, brand positioning, selling experiences, bad behaviour equals a bad brand, branding from the inside out, shifting the mind set from me to we, and a whole lot more!

Aaron Bethune. Music Specialist. Creative Collaborator.

http://www.playitloudmusic.com http://www.abovethenoise.ca http://www.twitter.com/playitloudmusic

For more information on Karen please visit:

http://www.brandingpays.com

http://www.twitter.com/karenkang

To purchase Karen's Book:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0988437503/ref=cm_sw_su_dp