After two or more years of recording on a digital multi-track recorder in my basement, I finally released my first solo project The Way I See It a few months ago. The Bluegrass Blog was nice enough to do a post that talked about the project and about my plans for distribution, which mentioned the fact that the CD was being distributed to digital download services. The Blog Masters have suggested a follow up to help other unsigned artists with distribution, which obviously translates to sales and music getting heard.

Here is what is happening with my project, with a few simple suggestions that hopefully can make a project more successful. Chris Burton “? The Way I See It currently has been distributed to 19 download services. Some are very well known, some are not. It can take from 2 weeks to 3 months to get up and selling on any of these nineteen sites. It is available now on these popular sites: Apple iTunes, Sony Connect, Music Net, MSN Music, and a number of others.

How did I get the project sent to all of these services? It was easy. I signed up with CD Baby.com. For $35 they create what equates to an online store for your project. Bio, sound clips, a price that you set, accounting, etc. As a member, I can log on to the site and check any of the information about my project I want to (sales, hits which are listed daily, etc.). I can also change things (price, clips, bio) at any time. CD Baby keeps $4 per unit sold, and the rest comes back to me.

After setting that up, they asked if I wanted to distribute the project to digital download sites. Let”s see, do I want just CD sales or am I willing to take a cut of each song that is downloaded? The answer is pretty easy. The song downloading industry is certainly not in decline. After CD Baby”s cut, I receive about $.60 per download, depending on the site.

The CD is also available through the biggest Bluegrass distributors in the country, County Sales in Floyd, VA, The Record Depot, in Roanoke, VA, and at Barnes & Noble (Roanoke only). Some folks in Japan just ordered 5 units the other day from the Record Depot! It might not have been carried by these distributors or stores, but here is why it is:

First of all, the music is good (how could I not say that?). Secondly, the packaging is first class. The professional photo ($100), 4 panel layout ($200), and a price of $1.70/unit (1,000) or so for 4 color printing and CD replication through the wonderful folks at DMA in Canada is very hard to beat. Incidentally, DMA uses Sony-Canada for all CD replication. The project has a barcode, is with a record label (Slaughterhouse Music), has a number (0045), etc. which is attractive to retailers and wholesalers. These things add credibility. If you don”t have a Label behind you, make one up!

Chet Rhodes at The Record Depot told me he gets a lot of projects that people want him to carry but the production and details are so lacking, it does not make sense for him. The liner notes on my project are also extensive. To me, song explanations, who played and sang what, what the project is all about, and many thanks add another dimension to a CD. I think most people appreciate that these days. It doesn”t hurt to have a quote of praise from another artist on the back either.

Anyway, just some suggestions for artists to get their music heard. Remember, the musical package you produce is important, but the details are important also. If you are going to do it, don”t do it half way.

3 Fox Drive is a relatively new incarnation of The Fox Family. So while the band name is new, the members have been around the industry for some time. You can read the band bio and the member bios for more info.

I had the opportunity to visit with Kim Fox, the lead vocalist, via email and she shared some interesting background information about the video. But first, here is the text of the press release we received yesterday about their music video debut.

3 Fox Drive Media Alert

“This Little House of Mine” Video Debuts on Great American Country

Nashville, TN — October 4, 2005 — Koch Records Nashville”s newest bluegrass group, 3 Fox Drive, is proud to announce their first video, “This Little House Of Mine” will debut on Great American Country”s Edge of Country beginning Thursday, October 6, at 1:00 p.m. EST. [EDITOR'S NOTE: sadly the show's website has no mention of 3 Fox Drive] Edge of Country airs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 1:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m., Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 12:30 p.m. EST.

The single is already garnering critical acclaim as Billboard magazine exclaims, “Despite the blockbuster releases on the horizon for the fourth quarter, there should always be room for quiet little gems that make you sigh and thank God you’re in the music biz. Vocalist/songwriter Kim Fox and Suzanne Mumpower-Johnson co-wrote this heartfelt first single, a poignant ballad that tells the story of a family selling their longtime home. The lyric paints a portrait of the bittersweet feelings that swirl as the moving truck takes them away from the site of childhood memories. All that is left is a note to the new owner, sharing the little quirks that gave the home character. Production is understated and focuses on the lovely vocal and beautiful mandolin. It is one of the highlights on an album that offers much to enjoy.”

In addition to this cut, Kim wrote/co-wrote six additional songs for their debut Koch Records Nashville CD, Listen To The Music and “This Little House Of Mine” is the debut single from the project.

3 Fox Drive is rapidly garnering attention in the country/bluegrass world, as they made their Grand Ole Opry debut in August, have been chosen as a showcase artist for this year”s International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) convention, and Kim Fox will be part of an upcoming IBMA feature in Billboard magazine.

For more on 3 Fox Drive, visit their website at www.3FoxDrive.com.

Now don’t get busy reading this and forget to tune in and watch the video!

Thanks to the folks at The Mandolin Cafe, where we first saw this story about the rebirth of a stage show featuring the music and life story of Bill Monroe. The show is titled Back to Bean Blossom: The Life and Music of Bill Monroe, and will feature a mix of musical performance, visual images and live narration. It is scheduled to be presented on November 18, 2005 at the Basile Theatre/Indiana History Center in Indianapolis, IN as part of their Sounds Of Indiana concert series.

We were able to reach a number of the folks involved in this program for some background on its creation and evolution, as well as the “back story” of Bill Monroe and the state of Indiana.

This show is the brainchild of Indianapolis mandolinist Mike Butler, who was inspired to pursue this venture after he participated as a performer in a similarly themed presentation for Indianapolis area blues players staged by the Indiana History Center. He approached them about a program on Bill Monroe, and with an eye towards Monroe’s “Indiana connection,” they agreed that the show would go forward under their auspices.

Many people connect Bill Monroe primarily with Kentucky, and for good reason, but he also lived in Indiana several times, both as a young man in his twenties, and later in his life after his purchase of the Brown County Jamboree Park in Bean Blossom, where he also took up residence from time to time. In addition to regular shows in Bean Blossom, Monroe performed regularly all over the state, and was even twice recognized as a Sagamore of the Wabash by the Governor of Indiana, the highest honor that is bestowed by that office.

Back To Bean Blossom will feature live performances of 15 Monroe songs, and include three former Monroe sidemen on stage:

Roger Smith (fiddle) – a former Bluegrass Boy and member of the Brown County Jamboree Barn staff band who played with Monroe periodically in the 1970s, and also worked with Jim Eanes and Charlie Monroe.
Vernon McQueen (guitar) – also both a Bluegrass Boy and Brown County Jamboree staff player.
Dwight Dillman (banjo) – played as a Bluegrass Boy in 1974 before subsequently working with Jimmy Martin. Dillman purchased the Brown County Jamboree Park from the Bill Monroe estate in 1998.

Musical performers also include Mike Butler on mandolin and Joe Toole on bass, plus guest appearances by Aaron and Talmadge Law (a father and son vocal duet), and Homer Pass who will play guitar and sing tenor vocal parts.

Mike Butler wrote the basic script, and found photographs and short video clips to accompany the spoken portions of the show, while Mark Szobody of the Indiana Historical Society handled most of the staging and lighting design. They first presented this show to a sold out house in February of 2002, and Mike changed a few of the songs in the program for this re-staging. He has also modified the script slightly from the debut, and brought in some different narrators, but otherwise it remains intact.

Mike voiced particular appreciation for the support he received from the Indiana Historical Society, during the early development of the show:

“The Indiana Historical Society, by doing this show, proves they support roots and American music as well as the more “high brow” arts fare. I give Mark Szobody, Senior Director of Special Events, at the IHS credit for recognizing the importance of Bill Monroe’s music and the impact it has had, not only on Indiana, but on the entire world.

Because of the length of these features, only a brief synopsis of the content will display on the font page, along with this longform graphic and a link to display the entire article. In some cases, photos will accompany the longform piece and we may open them to comments if the content suggests it.

Like our sporadic audio podcasts, longform posts will be published as the opportunity arises, and not on any specific schedule or frequency.