Rowan's Tree: A Year-Long Photo Project

On September 26, 2016 we lost a wonderful friend in the form of a Golden Retriever named Rowan.

He was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer and died at the age of nine.

Anyone who ever met Tom Solinsky knew Rowan, and he brightened the days of many people as he smiled out of the side of Tom's Jeep.

Rowan Solinsky, friend to all
Photo by Tom Solinsky

On the day of his death, we gathered with the Solinskys and some close friends and performed a rogue burial and tree-planting in Rowan's favorite park.

After that day, I went to the tree on an almost weekly basis to document it's first year of growth.

Going so often to the site of Rowan's grave helped me process the grief I feel from losing him. Documenting the tree also gave me a physical reminder that, while Rowie is no longer with us, his body is helping create nutrients for this tree to grow, which means there's still a piece of him in the park, and will be for years to come.

I've selected the best examples of the seasons here:

I've created a slideshow (less than a minute long) of the entire project through the year. 

Original music by The One and Only Bill Davis

I have admiration for other artists and their bodies of work and ongoing projects, and I often overlook my own. While I regret the circumstances, this project was a positive and productive way to move forward through the sadness of losing such a great friend-dog.

Did you complete any self-appointed projects in 2017? Share your successes and challenges in the comments.

Attention Musicians (and all creatives): Your Success is Up to You

Hello there, readers!

I've had a good year with plenty of lessons learned and goals reached, and I want to touch on an important aspect of starting and running a business in any creative industry, with a particular focus on music: it takes hard work, and there are few, if any, shortcuts.

Don't get me wrong, there have been times when it felt like something has fallen into my lap, but the reason that sort of thing happens is because I work hard, I'm dedicated, I'm always researching and learning, and other people see it. I also network, talk about my work with joy, and follow up with potential clients to keep my name and brand in their minds.

I have a very good musician friend who is talented, smart, and extremely capable, but he expects things to happen with little to no effort on his part. While he's dedicated over fifteen years to music, he doesn't actively seek out new venues to play, or market his music across different platforms, or research and try different ways to get his music to new audiences.

I've offered him plenty of advice over the years about steps he can take to increase his online visibility, how to earn income via different revenue streams, and I've provided services and tools that will give him a leg up - if he does the work. Unfortunately, he's not doing any of it. There's always an excuse, never a solution.

If he'd been putting more effort into the business side of his music over even the past five years, he would undoubtedly be in a better financial position and could focus on building upon that. Instead, he's still in the same place and likely won't move forward unless he starts committing to himself by putting in the work.

Here's the thing: you cannot Tom Sawyer your way into success in creative fields. If you're a band leader, you can't expect your side guys to book gigs for you. Clubs and venues aren't going to call you (some won't even call you back), you need to be persistent. If one publication doesn't respond to your album review request or story pitch, you have to keep trying.

Booking agents, managers, and labels all want to work with artists who have proven dedicated to their craft, which means the artist has to do the hard work of running their music business for years before anyone will be willing to shoulder even a tiny part of the burden, and, even then, that burden will be lifted for a chunk of money.

Making money in music has become increasingly difficult over the decades. It takes time, savvy, and sacrifice to build a large enough following to support a solo artist, much less a full-scale band. A booking agent wants to book artists that will sell tickets, which is how they earn their percentage. If you're not willing to build your following, no one is going to do it for you. Even the most dedicated fan will lose interest if you're not regularly engaging and sharing your story with them.

On the other side of all of this, one of the great parts about creative marketing is that most fans are less interested in a constant onslaught of new work than they are in the story of the artist. Want to keep your fans engaged and build your audience with people who legitimately care? Start with the 80%/20% rule: make 80% of your content personal and 20% promotional or professional. Once you figure out your rhythm, you can experiment and adjust those numbers according to your experience.

It's never too late to start promoting yourself and your creative business. While it does take hard work, don't forget to take care of yourself while you're in the building process. Your fans and followers know you're human and will stand by you when you're feeling overwhelmed. In fact, the occasional display of vulnerability can solidify their dedication to you and your brand.

Want more tips and ideas about marketing and promotion? Sign up for my email list to keep up with my ideas, suggestions, and projects.

Ducks, Races, and Livestreaming

Saturday, August 26th I was on camera detail for Very Entertaining Records for two performances, but before I went to work I spent some time with Bill and a couple of our friends for an early afternoon sail.

We had some ducks follow us for a while (the pretzel snack they were tossed might have had something to do with it), and they had no problem with the attention from the camera.

Ducks in a row. Sort of.

You can just see a hint of purple in the wing feathers of this duck.

I enjoyed seeing the differences between the ducks' feathers.

Ducks on Percy Priest Lake.

Loons, herons, and ospreys are among the other types of birds we see regularly on the lake.

The wind was pretty mellow at this point, and these guys had no problem keeping up with us.

The ducks lost interest in us after a short while, and then the wind picked up and we were off!

After a lovely bit of sailing, we came back in and headed to the Nashville Speedway at the Fairgrounds for The One & Only Bill Davis to sing the National Anthem.

The race track is a solid part of Old Nashville - they're celebrating it's 60th anniversary this year - and a point of contention for some local residents. Racing can get really loud, and you can hear it for miles (we live 4 miles away and can hear the races on occasion), so there are plenty of people who would be happy to see it torn down. However, the Speedway has persisted, and it was fun to do something outside of my normal zone.

We stuck around for the first few races, then I had to get ready for the evening show.

Some of the trophies and awards to be handed out.

In addition to the races being outside my normal zone, I've been delving into live video, which is apparently all the social media rage.

I posted both the National Anthem at the Speedway and the Dutch Whisky show at Dee's live on the Very Entertaining Records Facebook page. You can click the links below to catch the replays:

National Anthem sung by The One & Only Bill Davis

Dutch Whisky live at Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge

There's nothing like having a productive weekend, especially when it involves doing so many different and fun things. I also enjoy finding new ways to use social media to the advantage of the artists I work with. I'm so grateful to have such a diverse and challenging career.

Need some advice on how to use social media for your business? Contact me here to set up a consultation.
SaveSave

January 21, 2017 Women's March in Nashville

Dear Reader,
Our country is going through serious political, social and economic upheaval, and it's a very worrisome and exciting time to be an American. I have previously opted to keep politics out of my business life, but the current climate is leading me to change that position ever-so-slightly. I will be participating in and documenting some of these events as time goes on, so there will be posts involving politics and social justice issues from time to time. As always, the focus will be primarily on imagery.

I volunteered to photograph the Women's March in Nashville, one of the many branches of the Women's March on Washington across the United States (and, in fact, the world). People from many different backgrounds came together to peacefully show their opposition to the new president and his administration. I went as an observer and documentarian; I wasn't planning to officially march or chant, and I didn't have any signage.
As the day progressed, I was awed and humbled to be a part of such an incredible event. I talked with a couple of women from more conservative counties, and they expressed a newfound hope that they aren't alone in their thinking. The atmosphere was calm but invigorating, and there was sober intent, but not without joy. No matter what your political leanings, it undeniably came off without a hitch, and with double the expected attendance.
Below are some of my shots from the march. There were 15,000 people in attendance and no arrests, violence, rioting, or looting.

Lovely Cumberland Park, the scene of the rally before the march.

People making signs before the rally begins. 

There were many families with small children.

One of the women I met, Judy, lives in Columbia, TN. She is reinvigorated by the march and plans to have regular gatherings of like-minded people in her area.

A pro-life, anti-LGBTQ group met with non-violent opposition when they showed up with gruesome signs and a mixed message. 

The crowd continues to gather.

Cumberland Park was packed. You can see people still arriving across the parking lot on the left.

I don't know if this young woman was proud of her sign, to be a member of the march, or both, but she was a little ray of light in the crowd.

The march begins!

The woman with the Republican sign was a crowd favorite!

Congressman Jim Cooper in the crowd.

Second Avenue leading up to Public Square

The window box at Rock Bottom Brewery

I arrived at Public Square with the first half of the marchers. This is a shot of the pedestrian bridge from the observation deck of the parking stairway.

Since that event, there have been multiple rallies and marches in Nashville, many of which are getting higher-than-expected turnouts. My hope is that people become even more engaged as time goes on, and we become a society of people accountable to each other, who welcome and accommodate people from all walks of life.

I'm a newbie at being politically awake, and I'm actively looking for ways to improve. Here are some links that I've found relevant over the past couple of weeks:

This is a piece from Medium that addresses sign verbiage as well as behaviors that may be hurtful/exclusive to fellow members of the cause you're representing. 

This is a piece from The Bitter Southerner with personal accounts of why people marched in DC.

A few events coming up that may appeal to some folks:

We Are Watching - Rally at The TN State Capitol, Feb. 6, 3-6pm

Postcard Writing Night at Gift Horse in East Nashville, Feb. 16, 6-9pm