The Reality

I've been doing this for a long time and I continue to learn new things everyday. When I started out I had a very naive vision of how this industry worked and what it took to be rich, famous . . . etc. The more I've worked my way up the ladder and gotten into the true belly of this beast that we call the music industry, I've discovered the truth. The Reality is that this business is no different than any other. It's all about making money at the end of the day. I can remember thinking that all you had to do was win a Grammy and you would have it made. I've been a member of The Recording Academy for a number of years and at the level I am now I've come to a harsh reality. The Grammy only celebrates musical excellence. It means that your musical peers all voted and thought you deserved to be recognized for the quality of your work. It doesn't readily guarantee you anything in the way of financial gain. Now what it does is give you a platform on the largest world stage to be promoted so that people know you and your music and it is then up to you(or your record company, management & publicist) to work it and capitalize on it. It's still about YOUR work ethic. At this level, I've met quite a few people that have won Grammys and they still work a day job or may not even be in music anymore because they couldn't make a living at it. That has been a harsh reality to me because of the mystique that has always surrounded winning such an award. It all goes back to being able to take care of business first and foremost. We have to make great material but after that we have to be very savvy business people to get our music promoted, placed and properly marketed so that we can reap the biggest return on our investment. The reality is nothing guarantees you financial success in this business but smart focused and efficient work. So continue to work towards winning that Grammy, as I am, but just understand that winning an award doesn't guarantee you ANYTHING. The only guarantees we have are the ones we make for ourselves. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

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