The Seventh Year of Damn Good Tunes.com

When I began this journey into the unknown of publishing a web-based music magazine there were no illusions or false expectations, just a vision and instinct  based on one simple philosophy – helping others.  I wasn’t this guy who had been president of the school newspaper or anything nor was I some kind of literary and grammar genius.  I just wanted to help musicians, and for the sake of purpose for the new readers who don’t know me / us at DGT, here is why:

The music industry is in a way like the eye of a needle, only enough room in the doorway of opportunity for a select few to enter, be promoted and  then to  become successful. That’s nothing new to  the art of music, dance, theater and art itself. There’s a lot of talent out there in the world, most would agree. But I saw it as  an  uneven challenge always leaning to favor the super-attractive, the more youthful and those with the most dollars behind them. With the way the world has been growing technologically there came some new advantages but not enough to break through the stigma of talent vs. looks and money and it all came down to one thing; promotion.

All songwriter-singers and bands no matter if they are Indie or signed to a major label need publicity, so we decided to level the  above-mentioned playing field by offering a new system that was not an exclusive club. It’s not closed to large, small, old, young,  black, white, red, brown people, grey haired, no hair, long-haired  – it’s open for everyone. Race, creed, political views and orientation have no meaning here at DGT and we  do not and will not ever spin a story that is based on bias or prejudice. We’ll let the big boys of publishing do that. All we want to do is write reviews and conduct interviews with deserving talent and keep it family friendly in the process.

Since 2007 we have been making friends all over the globe and  we have earned respect through simple guidelines and a shared philosophy among our writers. We have also partnered with some of the best other ” like ” industry leaders such as the Country Music Association, XO Publicity, Music Clout, Countrified Canada and as of most recent AudioSprout.com so that we might expand further and bring our readers more related news and information that they might not otherwise have seen. These affiliate partners provide content which  enhances our original features  and gives our fans and readers a great totally free web magazine experience. There are no fees or locked content – it’s all there for you to see and hear right there on your Pad, phone or computer.

This dream might never have come so far were it not for the efforts of my daughter Trinity, who heads up the art and design department and  doubles as a writer in many different areas of music. Then we have James Dean Fisher who has been with us for over five years bringing us the Indie Country music world the way that only a  Nashville Tennessee resident of near forty years could tell. James is joined by Linda Mewhirter, Randy Kamradt and Dr. Kenneth Love who are all outstanding people and extremely knowledgeable of the music industry. Last but not least, and perhaps our golden star is Lou Anne Michel, who has been bringing a smile to people all over the world with her exclusive Cartoon-Guitar characters in Guitar Nation and Fabulous Friends! We might have been a bit too determined and serious until our little guitar buddies came along, and they add something fun and  relaxing to the wonderful magazine we have become.

Yes, this article is laced with pride isn’t it? Yep, it’s been a great seven years and now damngoodtunes.com is on its way to becoming an internationally recognized brand known for truth and ethics and for being a real friend to musicians and songwriters  all over the planet. We didn’t buy our respect, we earned it. We didn’t buy our following with a SEO company, we couldn’t afford it so we built it ourselves through social networking and time-tested word-of-mouth. Imagine that !

Special thanks to all past contributors including Rocky Nelson,  Kris Edem,  Firelyn, Jessie Torrisi, Ms P, Linda Harboth and Kevin Limiti

Guitar Nation comic comes to DGT!

Bruce J Maier / CEO

New Bands and Songwriters

Coming late this week and later this month are some exciting new artists we will be presenting in Damn Good Tunes! First off from Melbourne Australia it’s the Hail Mary Band, a cutting edge, hard-rock band with a melodic drive. Hail Mary Band was presented to us through our friend Hunt Talent Management Management of California.Next is singer and songwriter Dustin Morris who calls his home Colorado. Dustin has a unique voice and cool vibe with his high-tenor yet soft-as-silk delivery not unlike Dan Fogelberg or Paul Simon. Cool and refreshing, Dustin Morris is a name I think we’ll be hearing a lot from over the next twenty or so years.

CD cover from Dustin Morris' self-titled release

Terry Holder is a great singer, songwriter and performing artist who has been at this – the music business for quite a few years. Her experience has molded her into a singer whose voice, though really different that Dustin Morris mentioned above, likewise falls so easily on the ears and I could listen to her all night. She reminded me of an earlier Linda Ronstadt with maybe a little of Emmylou Harris in there too and that’s a good thing. Singers with a tone that make me want to hear a song over and over are rare and hard to find.

The Cell From Czechoslovakia came to our attention recently as well as these other fine artists mentioned above but there is something about this band that knocks me out! Just when I had them pegged as a European band doing a tribute to the great sounds of the American South, like a Lynyrd  Skynyrd or 38  Special, Molly Hatchett etc., they threw me a huge curve with the two female background vocalists stepping out front and singing the lead on two great songs on the new CD. WOW! I was really impressed and we will be doing an interview and review with The Cell in the near future.

 
Our final announcement today is that we’re really excited to be soon bringing you a story which will feature Jon Gindick, who Blues Legend BB King said is ” the foremost authority ” on the instruction of the Blues Harmonica. Jon is a professional music coach and performing artists who has written and published some fifteen books on the art of the Harmonica and he leads a Master class instruction seminar in the state of Mississippi every summer. We are presently reviewing two of Jon’s best selling books and will be bringing our interview within a couple of weeks. I spoke to Jon at his California home via telephone last weekend and found him to be an extremely interesting gentleman. Not everyone can play music or has the desire to carry a truckload of equipment from town to town, searching for fame. But nearly anyone can carry a harmonica in their pocket. This should be a very fun review!

 

Been a while but here’s why

Dear readers and folowers of Damn Good Tunes(.com);

We are very much still in business but have been working with a reduced crew and a full load of publishing of articles and interviews. In my personal life someone very dear to me and my family was taken ill one month ago and is now making a full recovery, so we are moving forward once again.
This has been an incredible summer season which has been filled with tragedy and pain for many with the storms and the spring floods and don’t forget the devastating Japan earthquake. Many people are still trying to get back on their feet. Heck, the folks from hurricane Katrina haven’t fully done that even yet so it’s hard for people. Very hard. Still, the music, the ” show must go on ” and go on it has. There’s a lot of great music happening around the world and much of it is coming from the USA despite our failing economy and tired old politicians whose actions and the trickle-down effect on Wall Street affects everyone. Musicians already had a hard enough time just trying to survive, let alone to secure financing for their equipment. Guitars, amps, drums and keyboards and PA systems are as vital as a carpenter’s box of power tools. You have to have them so you can make the music. So we’re all feeling it. Oh yes, just in case
you don’t know, this publisher wasn’t born with a silver spoon so I’m still a working musician out there hitting the gigs like the rest of you. No ivory towers on the DGT account!
As we all head into the Fall which is coming up on us like a solar storm, let’s try and keep our wits about us and do the right things and be real good at what we love to do. Myself, I would be happy to entertain anyone who will listen. It’s just a lot better when we’re professionally acknowledged and compensated.
Whatever you’ve been through wherever you are sitting and reading this, just know that DGT is on your side. We feel you, we know. Our prayers and good thoughts continue on for those of you who lost so much these past months. Take care.

BJM
Publisher

Ready Means Ready!

Hey everyone! It’s amazing to me that there are thousands, hundreds of thousands of new music artists out there who are ready for the big time. Keep in mind if you want to submit your act to damngoodtunes.com or any of the other music web resources for a review, make sure you are ready. Ready means ” ready “. Have your presskit, websites, a CD or EP complete and be available to talk and answer some questions. We are here to help and we help all we can to obtain the press that they deserve and what we all need to gain attention and new fans around the world. So keep on writing, play on stage whenever and wherever you can and remember, it’s all about the music!

Tales In The Honky-Tonks……

Tales In The Honky-Tonks of Music City, Nashville Tennessee
By James Dean Fisher
November, 2010
Music City USA is a large southern city sitting in the middle of the country where a large percentage of the music recorded for radio and television is created and marketed. Many of the “hits” heard on the radio is and has been recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. The entertainment and recording industries work hand in hand with the writers, engineers and producers and musicians to get the songs and music recorded and out to the public. GAC and many other outlets play the songs for the music listing audience and music sales. This part of the music scene in Music City is the talk of many listeners and music buyers, yet, many of them never see how the music is recorded or where and know little about how it gets to the buying public. Music City is the heart of the industry but it is also the home of thousands of musicians that work in the industry and the road. They consist of singers, pickers, writers, roadies and engineers, producers and people that sell the products and sell tickets. Nashville is a melting pot for the mix that make up the music industry and the entertainment community called “Music City.”
( Read the rest of Jame’s story in damngoodtunes.com today! )

Backfire Band on the DGT!

Backfire Band Interview now online at our web magazine!
Hello everyone and thanks for stopping by! Our lady Firelyn is back after a little vacation…well I guess that’s not what a kidney transplant is now is it? Yes she was actually not well for a long time and was unable to concentrate on the writing for a while as you might imagine. However, Not only has Firelyn just completed and awesome interview and review of one the the Northwest’s premiere new bands, Backfire Band, but in between April 19th and now she has also earned her Washington state Real Estate License, gone back to college full time, and…. found time to go out and meet and listen to bands all over the place! We’re happy that Firelyn has returned and with this super great interview under her belt she seems determined to take on the world! We are happy to have her back and most pleased with this fine article she published tonight in the DGT.

End of October

The Autumn season has brought us lots of great news and recaps of the past Summer’s events. Not all the news is fun to report as was the case this last month when the world lost two more artists who were either on the cutting edge or the head of their genre as we reported to you in the recent damngoodtunes.com. Eyedea, or Michael Larsen as known to those who knew him the most, a young American lost his life at a tragic early age while Gregory Isaacs of Jamaica who although had a good life with many records and world wide fans, was also way too young to die. But then, that’s not up for us to decide now is it? We never try to go into the preachy side of life or sway one way or another politically however we feel it is important to acknowledge the passing of artists and writers who have helped to shape our world with music and beats.
And so onward we must go and positive we shall be to bring you the news of all things music and particularly Indie.
Why you may ask should this matter? Why do we do this? What if not for money would we possibly call consideration in our mission. Simply the answer is that I had a vision saying there was a way to level the slanted playing field for songwriters and performing artists all over the world, and that was to provide free press and exposure for as many as we might. We began our journey in 2007 working in a small office slightly appointed , yet free from the hustle and bustle of Urban chaos. In that room we reached out to the world VIA this medium, our friend, the internet. And you responded. Bands, producers and engineers from all countries and all walks of life took notice of the fledgling DGT and found that we were real, accessible and ethical. We won your trust. Now we are read from all corners of the globe and you the fans and readers, the artists and bands and countless others who support the industry – you have given us the strength to carry on and take this publication to the next levels. And that we will do.
Watch this coming week of November when we bring you brand new articles and features. Peace to all!
Bruce J Maier
Publisher
damngoodtunes.com
Damngood Tunes

Create Your Badge

NEW FEATURE: ” JUST DISCOVERED “

HELLO EVERYONE AND WOW! ARE WE EVER HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE OUR NEWEST LATEST FEATURE CALLED ” JUST DISCOVERED ” !

Kicking us off into full swing is new artist discovery, Alice Evans who hails from Seattle WashingtonAlice sings of love and pain and joy and creates a soundscape of emotions while accompanying herself on the piano quite well. I was most impressed by the well-written ” TANGO ” and would love to have you all check out Alice Evans today in damngoodtunes.com !

New PSA

Two Great New Bands

Today we feature two excellent new bands from the Pacific Northwest and both are excellent!
From South Surrey BC just outside of Vancouver comes the Compound Blues Band, a hot Blues-Rock group that’s been around for a long time and still approaches the music with passion- as it should be!
Next we have The Paul Keller Band from Napavine Washington. Paul’s excellent vocals and stage presence is complimented not only by his guitar playing but also by the great original songs he produces and performs live, every night.Paul’s CD is already out and you can find out more about the record and The Paul Keller Band right now.Go to damngoodtunes.com for the whole story today!
THE PAUL KELLER BAND