tag:joannestacey.com,2005:/blogs/you-can-call-me-stacey?p=2You Can Call Me Stacey2018-12-14T20:47:34-08:00Joanne Staceyfalsetag:joannestacey.com,2005:Post/55551502018-12-14T20:46:49-08:002022-02-19T10:45:42-08:00Where Do Women Fit in Country Music?<p>I've been asking myself that a lot these days. In Canada, the problem is not too big of an issue, but in the USA, country radio seems to have all but banned women from their stations. It's so heartbreaking and absolutely ridiculous. </p>
<p>From an artist's perspective, it's devastating to work so hard on your album to then have to fight to possibly get any airtime on any major radio station. If you can't get your music out there, nobody is going to buy it. No one will care enough to pay for a ticket to come to your concert. Radio plays a huge part in an artist's success.</p>
<p>From a songwriter's perspective, when we are asked to write a song for a female artist, I really don't see the point. I mean, I'm a girls girl. I support other women and cheer them on for all their successes in life, but if I want to get a cut on somebody's album, I am better off to write for a male artist. My chances go up 80%, especially if it's an uptempo number. My practical side just likes the odds better.</p>
<p>But the point I am trying to make is that this whole female discrimination by country radio is not acceptable. I would never say, let's remove most of the male artists from radio and make it all about the ladies. I believe we need balance and fair consideration when it comes to choosing what music should be decreed worthy of radio airplay. This isn't the stone ages and I am pretty sure women were declared equal to men back in the 1920's.</p>
<p>Anyway, it is safe to say I don't like it, not one little bit.</p>Joanne Staceytag:joannestacey.com,2005:Post/34563332015-01-07T14:40:03-08:002022-02-09T19:37:24-08:00Talent!It always amazes how much talent is out there. I am a part of quite a few groups where the members astound me with the amount of raw talent they have! Seriously, it is kind of crazy to fathom it. Each one of those people has a dream, some chase it harder than others. Some eat and breathe music, some don't. There is often no rhyme or reason to why one person seems to gain momentum in their careers, when others, equally deserving just seem to be spinning their wheels. <br><br>Over the years, I have come to a few conclusions. The ones I see making a living and a name for themselves all do the following:<ul> <li>They leave their egos at home. </li> <li>They are consistent with the amount of time they dedicate daily to their craft and the business.</li> <li>They get out and network with others in the music business.</li> <li>They say "yes" to opportunities, even if it scares the hell out of them, and enjoy learning. </li> <li>They have an open and willing attitude towards supporting others.</li>
</ul>You could say I have been around the block a few times as I have been at this most of my life, with some success and lots of ups and downs. I have learned a lot, and if I could tell you one thing it would be: Don't compete. By this I mean, be yourself, try and maintain a healthy and balanced ego where you are secure with who you are and are happy for others successes in the business, even when your career isn't where you would like it to be. Understand that each of us has our own path to follow and let go of expectations that you are "owed" anything. Find joy and happiness in the little things and love yourself. If and when success finds you, you will be ready to handle that with grace and gratitude. <br>Happy New Year! I wish you many blessings and success in the coming year! Joanne Staceytag:joannestacey.com,2005:Post/33836002014-12-10T11:41:33-08:002021-12-27T02:48:46-08:00Christmas Blessings...I love to entertain! Usually, my husband and I will have 2 parties at our house a year, one in the summer and our annual Christmas party. Filling up our home with family, friends, food, music and laughter is what living is all about!<br>Christmas for me is also about reflecting on the past year, and let me tell ya, our past year was a doozy! So full of travel, music and family, it has reminded me how truly blessed I am!<br>So during this snowy holiday season, while we are sitting cuddled up by our fake fireplace, (haha) looking at our beautiful Christmas tree, perhaps enjoying a nice glass of wine, I will be thinking about all these things. I will be thinking about you - praying that you are blessed in the coming year as well! I know I have so much to be grateful for and want <em>you</em> to know that I truly appreciate all the support and love I have known, both personally and professionally that you have given. <br>So, if I don't see you in person, please raise a glass with me this Christmas, where ever you are, and let's toast to a fabulous 2015!<br>I just know it is going to bring some exciting things!<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/95770/a398fec28cf2d79f7fd95d1d0b2204c9c5d654ec/original/js-merry-christmas-2014.jpg?1418240288" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Joanne Staceytag:joannestacey.com,2005:Post/32773442014-11-11T14:51:04-08:002014-11-11T14:51:04-08:00What Excites You??I want to know what excites you. What makes you feel alive? Musically speaking, is it the groove or the melody or the lyrics? Or is it simply a combination of all those things rolled up into one? <br><br>I would bet you could tell me what doesn't excite you. What you damn well don't want to hear any more of. Personally, I hate too much repetition. Hearing that same song over and over on a radio stations' play list. That drives me crazy and the first thing I do is change the station to something completely different. I think as a whole, society grows bored very quickly these days, don't you?<br><br>But I have to tell you that the things in music that excite me are originality, singability and authenticity. I want to hear the truth in the artist's voice and their commitment to the song they are sharing with us. I want to feel their passion and have it infect me with a moment that makes me feel connected and alive. <br><br>So tell me what excites you in today's music. What gets your toes tapping and your blood pumping? I really want to know.Joanne Staceytag:joannestacey.com,2005:Post/32616462014-11-01T09:17:12-07:002022-02-19T10:48:44-08:00Women Supporting WomenIt seems to me that more women need to support women. In an industry where we are pitted against one another in various ways, what would happen if we just stopped the competition? What would happen if we just cheered each other on from the sidelines? Held each other up instead of putting each other down? <br>I think there is enough room for everyone here, don't you? Let's start this month with a commitment to change this mindset and start buying, playing and requesting more music from the women we love. The power is ours! Yay girlpower!Joanne Staceytag:joannestacey.com,2005:Post/32567412014-10-29T14:03:15-07:002014-10-29T14:03:15-07:00The Unique JourneyThe music business is like none other. Where there may be people who have found success by using one method, it is not going to work for anyone else, generally speaking. Outside of the common denominator of creating relationships with others in the industry, we all have to carve our own path. Someone told me this at the beginning of my career and the longer I do this, the more I see the truth in it. <br><br>Outside of creating music and performing, I have been very busy these past 20 some years creating relationships in the music business. Traveling to where the people I need to get to know live and being where chance meetings may occur has served me well. Setting goals and putting myself out there in my most positive manner and not letting my insecurities and fears get in my way has created many opportunities for me. As well, finding great people to help me achieve my goals and others to support my journey has made it easier to live the life of a <em>creative</em>. Giving back is important to me, so from time to time I mentor and help others with my knowledge and experience but at other times I simply let them find their own way because I know that is what they need to do.<br><br>And let me tell you why...<br><br>As a creative person, you need to OWN it; the experience must be uniquely yours. You own your successes and your failures. You own the heartbreaks and the moments of elation. You are the 'creator' and as a creator, you must accept that this is the only way for folks like us. It is your unique journey.<br><br>So if you are reading this and are at the beginning of your music experience, ahem, I mean career, please understand that this is the truth. It is hard to hear and even harder to accept when you are at the bottom of a huge mountain looking up, but it is for your own good. Please don't hate on those who have been climbing a bit longer than you, or those who went a different way and found success much quicker than you are finding it. Do not allow yourself to become bitter, but be happy for others you meet along the way, for they are also in the middle of their unique journey. Joanne Staceytag:joannestacey.com,2005:Post/32399372014-10-19T13:00:45-07:002021-12-21T08:12:25-08:00The Hats I WearWow, as a musician in todays ever-changing world, we have to wear a lot of hats. We have our entertainer hat; our recording artist hat; our recording engineer hat; our producer hat; our manager hat; our internet marketing hat; our radio promotion hat; our booking agent hat; our songwriter hat; our publisher hat; and our financial person hat: And that is just to allow us to do what we do as a professional.<br>As you can imagine, this is a bit too much for many of us and I think that in order to do our jobs well, which is to provide and play our music for you, the listener, we have to learn to delegate some of these things. But this costs money, and lots of it. So at what level are we actually able to afford to pay people to do all these things for us? And how much trust can someone, who has been doing it themselves for so long, give to another? It can be a difficult and scary thing in these shark infested waters we call the music business. <br>This past year I have been really immersing myself in the internet marketing part of this business, as it was the one hat that I was probably the weakest. I am now much more savvy in the ways of the internet tools we have at our disposal, but you know what I learned the most? I can NOT do it all myself. I want to lie to myself and say oh ya, I can, but the reality is that it is just too much for me. I need help. <br>So here I am with a new album to launch and looking for people to be a part of my team. I do have some folks already onboard, but there is much yet to do. It can be overwhelming to say the least. Which is sad to me as I look to my music for comfort and a release that I can share with others and don't like having to put it on the back burner while I continually change these dang hats. <br>And speaking of the hats I wear...there is also the wife hat, the daughter hat, the mother hat, the nanna hat, the teacher, coach and mentor hat that I also need to keep in balance with my music business hats. While my husband is very supportive of my music, he tells me I should just get a "real" job, one that I can go to and leave at the end of every day so that I am not driven crazy by all these hats. Hahahahah, very tempting...but it is who I am. Simple as that. So I will continue and endeavor to live the life I was meant to lead and try and remember that I love music and want to share this passion with you all. I will try to not get bogged down with the weight of all these hats! I may even throw a few off and see where they land. Cross your fingers for me because this is sure to be a crazy adventure!Joanne Staceytag:joannestacey.com,2005:Post/32318012014-10-14T09:49:56-07:002014-10-14T09:49:56-07:00Back to Reality or Whatever that Means...I am sitting here in my lovely home in Revelstoke, BC, Canada and it's a rainy morning. That is the norm for this time of year here, getting ready for the snow to start falling and falling and falling until we have around 14 feet of it. The skiers and snowmobile people love it. Me, not so much. <br>It is a bit of a shock coming back here from the south, where the weather is warmer and music is the biggest industry. Here, the biggest industry is CP Rail, logging and I suppose, tourism. We do however, have a wonderful arts scene with visual art exhibits, concerts, live music and a monthly coffee house. I am so thankful for those things. And I am thankful for the people here! They are some of the nicest, caring and interesting people I have ever met and it makes life here pretty sweet. (even with all this snow!)<br>Anyway, I have to get back to reality and today I start teaching again for the next 10 weeks. This is something I love to do and look forward to sharing what I know and watching my students become better in so many ways!<br>Of course, during the next few months, I also have to wear my promotions and artist hat and release my new CD "My September". I am very excited to share this with everyone! I know this is my very best CD yet and can't wait to give it the wings to fly.<br>More to come on that in the next few days...Joanne Staceytag:joannestacey.com,2005:Post/32174572014-10-04T08:16:32-07:002022-02-09T19:36:17-08:00Ideas and InspirationIdeas for songs can come from the oddest places. This past few weeks, we have taken them from conversations, book titles, even the wine we were drinking that night. Then finding the inspiration and letting your mind wander, twisting the word or words of that title idea into a story, and then a song can be so exhilarating but also extremely tiring! Every night it seems that I fall into bed exhausted from using all that creative brain power. Sorry to dispel any myths of Nashville life being one wild and crazy time! <br>I have been blessed to have found some great cowriter's from all over the world, especially Miss Lucy as seen below. Another Canadian songwriter like myself, who I have only ever seen here in Nashville! Funny how that works!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/95770/cfa08a560b18a986b5ffee88897436e80160e064/original/img-1485.jpg?1412435720" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Joanne Staceytag:joannestacey.com,2005:Post/32115942014-09-30T17:57:18-07:002022-02-19T10:52:56-08:00My fantasy about Vince GillWell, haha, that might sound sexual, but seriously, it has always been a fantasy of mine to sing with Vince Gill. There is just something about the way that man sings that makes me all melty inside and I am pretty sure a few other million women would agree! Last night, I had the pleasure of watching and listening to him sing a few songs with the Time Jumpers at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville and those old fantasy feelings rose back up. Every man on that stage was an award winning, accomplished musician and songwriter, so you can imagine the caliber of talent there. This happens most Monday nights for the small price of $20. You best get there early tho, to get a decent seat as the place packs up by 7pm, and the show doesn't start till 9! I heard there were people lined up around 3pm that day to get a front row table! <br><br>One thing that life has taught me is that nothing is impossible, so I think I will just keep having this little fantasy of mine until, maybe, one day it happens, and if it doesn't, that is okay too. I have been blessed in so many ways. That would just be the cherry on top!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/95770/96687b10fcc3a9c5e7a0cebc535e65e71be4b3e4/original/img-1555.jpg?1412124687" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Joanne Staceytag:joannestacey.com,2005:Post/32086602014-09-29T09:48:20-07:002021-07-04T18:58:44-07:00Against my better judgement...So, here I am sitting in Nashville, getting ready for another cowriting appointment later today. It is really nice for this Canadian girl to be somewhere that the weather is warm and the creative energy is high! <br><br>The truth is that I have been avoiding writing a blog. Never sure what the hell to say and if anyone would even care, but against my better judgement, my friend Penny assured me that this is a must-do. Ha! <br><br>So I will endeavor to write something funny, meaningful, or even just post a picture or two at least 3 times a week and see where that takes us. <br><br>Thanks for tuning in!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/95770/dcbe461a92a4bc4c50fab060d6a7bdff24432107/original/1481557-orig.jpg?1376578283" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Joanne Stacey