Debra Cowan has been a professional singer for nearly thirty years.
Website (sign up for her email list!): https://debracowan.com/
YouTube (help her get to 100 subscribers, please!): youtube.com/debcowan56
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DebraCowanMusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebraCowanMusic
Instagram: https://instagram.com/DebraCowanMusic
In this episode, we discuss:
-How Deb got her start as a professional recording artist
-Making the change from part-time to full-time professional singer
-From math teacher to singer - "leave of absence" that becomes permanent
-How great changes can come from necessity in hard times
-The importance of feedback from mentors for our confidence in making big moves
-Starting with "floor spots" in the folk world
-Festivals = get the most bang out of your appearances because the most people / fellow musicians are there
-Doing The Work - people don't just flock to you because you're awesome, you need to hustle and get out there
-Deb went to every open mic within 100 miles of her home when she moved to New England! 4-5 a week
-Different performance modes work with different audiences
-Cross-cultural contact and people appreciating your interest / being the novelty
-Performance visas
-Recording in a studio - you get feedback about what to work on, so you get better
-Self production vs working with a producer
-Working with a sound engineer
-Getting professionals to listen and provide feedback
-Both folk musicians and punk rock kids learn by the seat of their pants.
-Music theory knowledge, how and when songs and harmonies are written, etc
-Having Paul McCartney's go-to drummer Dave Mattacks produce Deb's record
-Just ask - the worst they can say is "no" - and if they do, you go on to plan B
-A tool that makes your work/life easier? The Internet! No more $1,000 phone bills or photocopied flyers!
-Being at the cutting edge of technological change
-The internet is crowded now - noise to signal ratio struggles
-Who is your competition? The Xbox, not my fellow musicians!
-Promotion tips: Put together graphics - learn some visual program - Deb uses Apple Pages, Heather uses mostly Photoshop
-Just because you book it doesn't mean people are coming. "We want people to come, don't we?" "There is that." So you have to (self) promote to make it happen.
-Provide the venue with the tools they need to promote the gig, have an agreement with them that they'll also do the work
-Don't make people (the venue, promoter, etc) do more work for you - make it easy for them and they'll have you back
-EPK - Electronic Press / Promotional Kit
-Communicate about how things are going with venues
-Your own website is important! You own it *and* it is your best billboard. Hire someone to make it if you don't know how to make it beautiful yourself.
-Deb's favorite thing about being a professional singer: It's The People.
