Today, I want to share some valuable advice for indie artists and indie singer/songwriters. Yeah, I know. I’m not an artist or even a decent singer. Not to worry, I’ve called in an expert.
Anthony Orio is a good buddy of mine. More importantly for today’s purposes, Anthony and his band, The Goodfellers, are the reigning FOUR-TIME winners of Taste of Nashville’s “Best Local Band” as voted upon by the readers of The Tennessean newspaper.
Apart from winning a four-peat as Nashville’s best local band, they are far from a local band. Anthony and the boys play over 200 dates a year- ranging from Toronto, Canada, to Spring Break in Panama City Beach, Florida. Anthony’s also had a few singles featured on Sirius XM’s “The Highway” (“Those Nights These Days” and “Walkin’ On Whiskey”).
His fans are loyal, and his live show is great. He’s even had Goodfellers members turn down gigs with major label artists to stick with him.
Obviously, Anthony’s doing something right.
I asked him to give some advice about how to become a successful indie artist, and here’s what he had to say:
“1) Be prepared to wear all the hats- writer, artist, producer, booking agent, publicist, and the list goes on and on-especially in the beginning.
2) You’re gonna have to give up some sleep. Before I was able to tour and make music full time, I was holding down a day job, a part time job, writing and playing at night, and then waking up after 2 hours sleep, and doing it all over again.
3) And the number 1 and MOST important thing to remember, that no matter how much people “in the industry” want to talk about how much the music business has changed or continues to change, it’s all about one thing- the fans. Cherish the ones you make. Give them 150% every night you step on stage. Give them some of your time when you step off that stage. Treat them each as if they were precious pieces of gold, because they are the ones that allow you to do what you do.”
If you get a chance to see one of Anthony’s live shows, I highly recommend it. It’s killer. You can also find him online at www.anthonyorio.com.
What about you? Are you an indie singer or singer/songwriter? What advice do YOU have for your fellow artists? What mistakes have you seen artists make? Leave a comment- I’d love to hear from you!
Anthony’s a professional artist, and he thinks like one. And if YOU want to become a pro at songwriting, you need to think like a pro, too. In my FREE e-book, “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” I not only reveal several of the mindsets which separate the pro songwriter from the amateur, but also…
- How to get on a music publisher’s radar
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- Six simple ways to make your songs more commercial
- And more!
To get your FREE, INSTANT download of “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” just click on the image below, or CLICK HERE!
God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,
Brent
Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.
