Book Review - It All Begins with the Music: Developing Successful Artists and Careers for the New Music Business - Don Grierson and Dan Kimple

Title:      It All Begins With The Music:  Developing Successful Artists and Careers for the New Music Business

Author:  Don Grierson and Dan Kimpel

Review: There is lots of information between these pages and information that is not only helpful, but educational, and some of it will even bring a chuckle to your lips.  Have you ever wondered how someone becomes a music artist?  Whether it be the singer, songwriter, producer, mixer, manager or any of the many careers that encompass the music industry?  Well then this is the book for you.

I learned about many of the famous artists and how they made it big, what helped and what didn’t in getting them were they are today.  I found the personal stories fascinating and even a bit scary for some of them.  If you want to know about breaking-into the music business then you need to get your hands on this book.  This will open doors in your life and in your mind that may be blocking your ability to know what next step to take to start your career in music.  This is a great resource written by those who know the know.

If you want to work in the music industry I think this book is a great place to start the process.  Easy and entertaining to read, fast with a great flow.  Go out and pick up a copy and stop the excuses.

Publisher: Published March 17th 2009 by Course Technology PTR

ISBN:  9781598638639

Copyright: 2009

Pages: 258

Quick Review: 4 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Why I Read It:  The publisher was looking for reviewers.

Where I Obtained the Book: Sent by the publisher.

Synopsis: The music industry is a worldwide business that generates more than 40 billion dollars each year. If you are looking to make your mark and grab a piece of this fortune, this is the book for you. It All Begins with the Music: Developing Successful Artists and Careers for the New Music Business offers practical information, career blueprints, and a world of wisdom for aspiring artists, managers, and executives on how to make an impact in today's music business. It provides a comprehensive examination of the new methods by which recording artists are discovered, developed, and nurtured in the modern music industry. Anyone can benefit, from potential recording artists and performers, to aspirants and professionals in artist management, major and independent music distribution channels, producers, agents, publicists, PR and marketing representatives, and music publishers. You'll find priceless behind-the-scenes information distilled from interviews with artists, managers, and executives at the forefront of the new music business. Get the insider tips you need, and begin your successful career in music today!

Benefits

• Covers one of the most intriguing elements of the music business -- artist management.
• Provides interviews with key insiders who have signed and developed new talent in major markets.
• Authored by a successful recording executive and a prolific music journalist.
• A wide variety of musical genres are represented – including pop, rock, country, hip-hop, jazz and more.

Table of Contents

1: The Songwriter.
2: The Artist.
3: The A&R Exec/The Label.
4: The Producer.
5: The Mixer.
6: The Manager.
7: Film/TV.
8: The Lawyer.
9: New Days, New Directions, New Ideas.
10: The Publisher.
11: The Performing Rights Organization.
12: The American Idol.
13: Music as the International Language.

Author Biography:  Don Grierson

Don Grierson, a legendary A&R executive, has worked with many of the most notable artists in modern music history. He was involved promotionally with the launch of Apple Records and The Beatles. Don worked in record promotion internationally, principally for Capitol Records. He then became a founding member and VP, A&R, for EMI America Records, signing and working with acts such as Sheena Easton, Kim Carnes, Kate Bush, Sir Cliff Richard, J. Geils Band, and Kenny Rogers. This was followed by a very successful stint as VP, A&R back at Capitol where he signed and helped guide a number of hit-making acts, including Heart, Joe Cocker, Steve Vai, Megadeth, George Clinton, Tina Turner, Bob Seger, Duran Duran, Thomas Dolby, Billy Squier, and others. Later he became Sr. VP, Head of A&R at Sony/Epic Records working with such acts as Cheap Trick, Celine Dion, Bad English, Gloria Estefan, The Jacksons, Living Colour and Cyndi Lauper. Don currently operates his own independent consultant company and is a faculty member at Musicians Institute, Hollywood, California. Visit Don online at www.dongrierson.com.

  Dan Kimpel

Acknowledged as one of the American media’s foremost authorities on popular music and songwriters, Dan Kimpel contributes to numerous interactive DVDs, magazines, web sites, podcasts, documentary films, videos, in flight airline audio programs, and new media. His notable interviews include conversations with Leonard Cohen, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Green Day, Metallica, Fergie, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, and Dr. Maya Angelou. Dan is the author of Electrify My Soul: Songwriters and the Spiritual Source, How They Made It: True Stories of How Music’s Biggest Stars Went From Start To Stardom, Networking Strategies For The New Music Business, and Networking in the Music Business. A noted music business educator, Dan lectures at colleges, universities, and conferences across the U.S. and Canada, and for five years conducted a master class in Networking for graduating seniors at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) in the UK. He is a faculty member at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California, where he was recently named MBP Teacher of the Year. Visit Dan online at: www.dankimpel.com.

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