Erie’s Own Soul of Motown
By Jenna Croyle

When you hear the phrase “The Soul Of Motown”, you may think of popular artists like James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and Ray Charles or even the very popular stage show, “The Soul Of Motown.”

In 2007, the concept of the Soul of Motown show was developed and has since toured, not only the county, but the world as well, filling theaters with enthusiastic fans who love the Motown sound, just waiting to relive the greats of yesterday and swing and sing along with the dynamic show.

Erie may not have James Brown, but whenever this week’s featured band, Crosstown Rhythm & Blues takes the stage, that true Motown sound hits you like a freight train.

Crosstown Rhythm & Blues was started way back in the 70’s, but still has two of its founding members, Bill DiPlacido and Dick Buckel along with the songs and the sound of that old-fashioned soul and rhythm and blues music that made Motown great.

With exceptional talent and close attention to quality of music, Crosstown Rhythm & Blues has entertained literally thousands of fans over the years. As bands come and go, this band has more than weathered the storms that the music business can pummel upon you, like a fine wine, they have gotten much more refined and certainly remain a powerhouse of a band, as they are the finest Motown review in the land.

Crosstown Rhythm & Blues is a seven piece band that include members Bill DiPlacido on Trumpet, Dick Buckel on Guitar, Mike Kedzior on Saxophone, Joe Salorino on Percussion, Paul Grenberg on Bass and Paula Holmes on Vocals along with perhaps the most charismatic lead singer to ever hit an Erie stage, Roy Hollis Jr on Vocals.

Roy Hollis Jr is a true entertainer in every sense of the word. To say the least, it's inspiring watching his performances, whether he is dazzling you with his smooth and sexy voice or his magnetic and captivating stage presence as he moves through the audience drawing all who watch and listen into every word and movement as though he were performing the song just for you. Hollis is truly the most energetic and enchanting local musical stage artist I have seen in Erie to date.

Among the many accolades Hollis has earned is 2009, 2010 and 2011 winner of the Duet Talent Quest National Karaoke Singing Contest and has been a featured judge of the famed Erie Idol Karaoke Competition and has performed in many Karaoke nights around town, particularly at Hunter Jack’s in Girard Pa. Hollis alone is worth the price of admission to see Crosstown Rhythm & Blues.

The voice and style of Paula Holmes is, without doubt, keeping the legacy of R&B alive in Erie. Holmes’s raw emotionalism and vocal power and slick delivery enhances the overall experience of this band as Holmes charms her way into the audiences hearts.

The horn section lead by Mike Kedzior and Bill DiPlacido add a unique sound to the band unlike that of any other in town. Their distinctive approach to driving riffs and musical creativity is a constant source of listening pleasure and excitement for their audiences.

Paul Grenberg provides such a strong presence in the music, while never being overstated, his bass lines could arguably be considered the best in Erie, giving the band an overall presence that rivals the bands who have played Erie, even many of those who have performed at the Warner Theatre and the Civic Center.

The finger work of Dick Buckel definitely shows that his talent is a level above most others, putting him at the heart of an elite, small cadre group of local musicians who overwhelm us with each note they play.

Joe Salorino is an innovative Percussion artist that truly rounds out the total sound of Crosstown Rhythm & Blues. Salorino’s chops have distinguishing elements combining classic R&B, soul, jazz, and even a hint of rock, all with a contemporary feel. Joe Salorino is definitely beats above the rest.

Though they don’t play out much, Crosstown Rhythm & Blues is very tight, very in sync with each other and above all else, Erie’s R&B Kings.

With a multi-cultural combo of cross generational music, Crosstown Rhythm & Blues is the most energetic, talented, get you up and moving, won’t stop till you can’t rock no more band on the scene today.

If you’re into Motown, hot sounds with cool grooves, sweet inspirations or just the best damn night out, check out Crosstown Rhythm & Blues.

For more information on Crosstown Rhythm & Blues and their show dates, please visit their Facebook page.

The Grammys Go ‘Indie’ With Bon Iver and ‘Dubstep’ With Skrillex

Arcade Fire stunned everyone when they won the Album of the Year Grammy Award for “The Suburbs” in 2011. Beating out big names like Eminem and Lady Antebellum, the indie rock group from Montreal tweeted: ”OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD. Thank you EVERYONE.” Needless to say, even they were shocked by the win. The indie victory spurned internet backlash from viewers who genuinely had no idea who Arcade Fire was and welcomed a new demographic of fans (dads!) that could relate to the album’s overall message.

Last week, a new wave of nominees were announced for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, held in Los Angeles on February 12. While top-40 artists like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry dominated the categories, there are many notable indie nods. In the Record of the Year and Song of the Year categories, Justin Vernon a.k.a. Bon Iver is representing the indie folk genre. In the Best Alternative Album, Mr. Vernon is joined by Foster the People, My Morning Jacket, Radiohead, and Death Cab for Cutie. Although true indie music fans will probably scoff at this list of borderline mainstream independent music, the nominations point to a larger awareness of bands that are often left behind in a business that is dominated by formulaic pop songs.

While it is unlikely that Bon Iver will pull an upset with the self-titled album like Arcade Fire did last year (Adele is expected to take the award for “21″), the nomination is alarming many popular music publications like Pitchfork and Spin Magazine that work primarily in independent music news and reviews. Pitchfork gave “Bon Iver” an impressive 9.5 out of 10 on their notoriously critical rating scale. Reviewer Mark Richardson said of the album, “It’s a rare thing for an album to have such a strong sense of what it wants to be.”

But did the album want to be nominated for four Grammy Awards? Apparently not. Months before the nomination, Vernon told The New York Times , “I kinda felt like going up there and being like: ‘Everyone should go home, this is ridiculous. You should not be doing this. We should not be gathering in a big room and looking at each other and pretending this is important’.” Responding recently to this controversial statement, Vernon tweeted: “Everyone now knows how I felt back last February about the grammies [sic]. Room to grow, but I agree mostly.” This not-so-remorseful tweet may not fair well for the Grammy Awards, but it is safe to assume Vernon doesn’t care. He wrote his 2007 album “For Emma, Forever Ago” in the woods- the red carpet is likely the last place he wants to be.

Other surprising nominations are in the Best Dance/Electronica category, proving that certain electronic music has transcended its underground roots in 2011. Popular “dubstep” artist Skrillex was nominated for “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” along with Australian foursome Cut Copy, Deadmau5, “#1 DJ in the World“ David Guetta, and Robyn. Skrillex, the 23-year-old producer from Los Angeles, is up for five nominations, including the coveted Best New Artist nomination. ”I just hope it opens more doors for next year, not only Grammy nominations, but just everything in general,” he said. (Aside: follow the hilarious @Skrilleyshair on twitter, a meme account inspired by Skrillex’s unusual hairdo.)

In a world where music is becoming increasingly accessible, it is not surprising that these seemingly underground artists have infiltrated mainstream outlets and have ended up on several Grammy nominee lists. Artists like Skrillex blew up overnight through Facebook posts and internet buzz. Bon Iver played sold-out shows in huge venues around the U.S. on his 2011 tour. “Sharing” music is spreading music, and with social plug-ins on every music platform, spreading music is now easier than ever.

Film Producer Launches Canadian Indie Distribution Company
By Mike Cohen

When Avi Federgreen was nine he vividly recalls going to say goodnight to his dad one evening and being captivated by the movie on the TV screen, House of Wax with Vincent Price.

“I told my father that this is what I want to do one day,” he shared with the Jewish Tribune. “I wanted to make movies.”

Growing up in Edmonton, where he attended the local Talmud Torah School in his primary years and Camp B’nai Brith in Pine Lake, Alberta, during the summers, his path to the film industry actually began as a doorman and then an assistant manager at what was then the first movie theatre to open in the West Edmonton Mall. While the urge to find a career in film still remained strong, his hopes were dashed when he was not accepted into a film school. Instead he used his talents with computers to find a well paying job in Toronto.

Federgreen had a friend in the film business in Toronto and he asked whether he could help.

“I was 31 and I really wanted to make a go of it,” he said. “My friend warned me that the pay was no good. I was making $70,000 a year. He told me I’d be lucky to crack $20,000. I did not care. I started at the bottom and moved my way up to the top.”

These days, as the founder of Toronto-based Federgreen Entertainment Inc./Avi Ronn Productions Inc., Federgreen maintains he has one mission: to make films that affect people.

From music videos to feature films such as Score: A Hockey Musical, George Ryga’s Hungry Hills and Moon Point, his pride and joy these days is the creation of Indiecan Entertainment. This new Canadian distribution company aims to bring the best of Canadian independent filmmaking to market. His target is not only up-and-coming Canadian filmmakers, but also those indies making films in a lower budget bracket who have otherwise virtually no chance to shine in a market of big studios, distributors and exhibitors.

“We make many independent films in Canada every year and not even 10 per cent of these films get distribution,” said Federgreen. “Whether they are made by first-time filmmakers or those with low budgets that never see the light of day, this is the situation I would like to change.”

With Indiecan Entertainment, Federgreen is targeting films made with imagination and vision for under $1.25 million.

“I want to create a home and a life for these films,” he said. “They are the key to filmmakers realizing their second films, third films, and so on. Seeing Canadian films should become a regular occurrence and not a one-time event. We need to not only support Canadian production, but also encourage the viewing of Canadian films by Canadian audiences. We owe it to our industry, our culture and our country.”

Federgreen has a most interesting project with a Jewish twist set to begin filming in Montreal next spring. The film, Bridging, directed by Sara Goodman, tells the story of a 12-year-old Chassidic boy walking with his family across the Jacques Cartier Bridge. When he sees a 17-year-old girl standing on the bridge ready to throw herself over, he stops in his tracks and eventually becomes separated from his parents. The two spend the next 24 hours bonding and trying to get him back home, with the boy claiming he is lost.

In development is another film he hopes to shoot in Montreal called the Mac and Watson Spring Referendum Show, an offbeat look at the 1980 Quebec referendum on sovereignty.

As for long-term goals, Federgreen confesses: “Before I die I want to make a movie in Israel.”

Log on to www.federgreenentertainment.com where you can also see clips from some of his previous films.

Soul Singer Howard Tate Dead at 72
Onetime Atlantic Records artist was recently rediscovered

Soul singer Howard Tate, who was effectively lost to fans for years after his once-promising career was cut short, died December 2nd of complications from multiple myeloma and leukemia. He was 72.

Tate, who was born in Georgia and grew up in Philadelphia, was a highly touted young singer in the Sixties and early Seventies, when he recorded for Verve, Atlantic and other labels. A favorite of the producer Jerry Ragovoy, Tate had six Top 40 R&B hits and sang an early version of "Get It While You Can," later covered by Janis Joplin.

After an initial splash, Tate's career sputtered. His 1970 album (reissued in 2003), Howard Tate's Reaction, sold poorly despite co-production from fellow singers Lloyd Price and Johnny Nash. After a self-titled follow-up on Atlantic Records also failed to sell, Tate dropped out of the music industry. He worked in the financial industry before a drug dependency landed the singer on the streets in the late 1980s. When he recovered, he worked as a counselor and a preacher.

Located by a Jersey City disc jockey in 2001, Tate played his first show in decades that year in New Orleans. A 2003 comeback album, aptly called Rediscovered, featured covers of songs by Elvis Costello and Prince. Tate continued to perform and record on and off until his death.

A Season of Music - World Music

This year we are celebrating the American Holiday Season with music in our boom box by artists who are some of the most successful, independent artists of our time. Not only have they been nominated for numerous awards in different music genres globally, they have won numerous Grammy Awards, Aboriginal People’s Choice Awards, Academy Awards, Native American Music Awards and a host of other awards.

Christmas Time – Keith Secola
Oh Holy Night & Telling You Now – Joanne Shenandoah
Homage to the Ancient Ones – World Renowned Flutiest R. Carlos Nakai
America the Beautiful & Easy Like the Snow Falls Down – Buffy Sainte-Marie (The First Lady of Pop Music)
What Are You Doing & Entertaining Angels – Mark Wills (Platinum Recording Country Artist)
This Night of Peace – Okefenoke Joe
Spirit of America – Tommy Wildcat
Only in Dreams – Songwriter A.R. Kessinger (performed by Donna Ray)
Reservation Blues – Jim Boyd with Sherman Alexie
What the World Needs Now & One More Sunrise – Jan Michael Looking Wolf
Isn’t Anything Sacred Anymore – Chipa Wolf
Wisdom through Fairy Tales – Songwriter L.J. Coon
The Brothers - Jim Boyd (A Tribute to Harley Riders)
Alaskan Woman – Jim Boyd (A Tribute to Little Miss Disney Actress Irene Bedard)
My People – Bill Miller
Your Love, My Medicine (Fabians’ Song) – Shelley Morningsong
Captivated (Charinas’ Song) – Clay DuBose
We Are Sinixt – Jim Boyd (A Tribute to The Lakes Band)

We are also featuring the entire album of Christmas music by Robert Mirabal. The album “Pueblo Christmas” won Mirabal "Best Male Artist" of the Year at the Native American Music Awards with the album also nominated for "Record of the Year." The album includes the rock infused "Green Chili Christmas" a contemporary song celebrating the Southwest Pueblos during the winter months and "Christmas Eve" about an old Taos Pueblo man who returns to the Christmas Eve celebration after being gone for many years, both originally poems by Robert Mirabal set to music.

Mirabal took the time to research "Classic American Christmas Carols", their origin, the time period in which they were written and what was going on in the world during that time. His research became “Pueblo Christmas” filled with an array of classic American Christmas carols. All of the songs on the album were specifically arranged using an array of Native flutes, tribal percussions and cello; and all were recorded at Taos Pueblo, New Mexico. A must have for any collector of Christmas music.

“People ask me why I’ve made a Christmas album after all the struggles between Indigenous People and Christianity.” says Mirabal. My answer is I needed to address the contradictions. Our Native religion is based on Nature, and is a 24/7, 365-day spiritual concept, but then there is a Catholic church on the corner. For many Americans, Christmas is a time when they become conscious of their spirituality, and I wanted to connect our cultures at this special time.” No matter what the politics were like when these songs were first heard, the music was created to fill the listener with love, hope and joy. They show that beauty can go beyond conflict to a place where music is the hero.” As you listen, remember that many of these songs became popular during the 19th century, a time of great change in America. This wasn’t the music of the governments and armies, but the popular music of the people, beautiful, uplifting and inspiring.

We hope you enjoy the music we have selected for our holiday features. You can hear these songs and more by visiting www.Allindianz.com where you can also find links to purchase music, watch music videos and more. Thank you for supporting the music of independent artist.

Old Media Holding Its Own This Holiday Season
It was a familiar scene.

In the pre-dawn hours of Black Friday, a line of people formed outside a retail store and waited for the doors to open.

But, this wasn't Walmart or Target.

This was an independent music, movies, games and books seller.

"We did very well," said Todd Maheu, manager of Bull Moose Music in Waterville. "It was better than expected, and better than last year."

About 20 people stood in line for the store's 4 a.m. opening, he said. More than 1,000 shoppers coursed through the store's narrow aisles throughout the day.

Across central Maine, many retailers of printed books, CDs, LPs, DVDs and Blu-rays reported strong sales on Black Friday. The sales are unexpected in an era when physical media is steadily losing ground to digital media -- e-books, mp3s and streaming video.

Granted, Black Friday weekend sales were up overall for all retailers in 2011. According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, U.S. consumers spent a record $52 billion, up from $45 billion in 2010.

But, some retailers of old media say holiday sales figures in their stores signal an impending cultural shift in Maine, and perhaps nationwide.

Digital media

According to 2010 statistics from industry sources -- the Association of American Publishers, the Digital Entertainment Group and the Recording Industry Association of America -- digital media represents a significant portion of U.S. entertainment sales: e-books represented more than 8 percent of total book sales by trade publishers, digital downloads represented more than 13 percent of movie purchases and mp3s represented nearly 39 percent of music sales.

As recently as five years ago, the landscape was much different: digital portions of sales were .05 percent for books, 5 percent for movies and 8 percent for music.

Nationwide sales figures of old media in 2011 aren't yet available, but Maheu said Bull Moose figures fly in the face of conventional wisdom.

"We're really bucking the system," he said. "I think everyone is saying sales are down for CDs and DVDs, but we're just not seeing it. Every year, we do better than the last year."

Bull Moose has a strong presence in Maine. In 1989, it opened its first store in Brunswick. Today, the store has nine locations, including Bangor, Lewiston and Portland.

Chris Brown, head of marketing for the company, said holiday shopping had increased this year throughout its stores, and it demonstrates a growing shift in the entertainment marketplace.

"This was our biggest Black Friday ever, and it was strong throughout the weekend," he said.

Books

The impact of e-books on the marketplace wasn't apparent until after last Christmas, said Lisa Hassam, a sales clerk at Mr. Paperback in Waterville.

"Last year our Christmas sales were pretty much on target, but after the holidays people returned the books because they got e-readers," she said.

According to the Association of American Publishers, e-book sales grew by more than 164 percent in 2010.

But a bookstore proprietor in Winthrop thinks the move toward e-readers will be short-lived.

"A lot of our customers are saying, 'I tried the Kindle, but I really didn't like it,'" said Rita Moran, part owner of Apple Valley Books in Winthrop.

Last month, Moran saw a 61 percent increase in store sales compared to November 2010.

"This year has been enormously better than last year," she said.

If e-books pose a threat to printed books, at least one segment of publishing is somewhat immune to e-books, said Ellen Richmond, owner of Children's Book Cellar in downtown Waterville.

"Even parents who read e-books want paper books for their kids," she said. "There's something about picking up a book, looking at it and feeling the pages that you don't get with the electronic readers.

"If you sit with a kid in you lap and read them a book, you don't want to do it on a Kindle. It just doesn't have the same feel," she said.

Books appeal to the senses, even unexpected ones, she said. "I get loads and loads of people who come in here and say, 'Oh my God, I love the smell in here. It smells like books.'"

Downstairs from Richmond is another bookstore -- the used bookseller Re-Books. Owner Robert Sezak isn't convinced the popularity of e-books has subsided.

"It hasn't worn off yet, and it will take a while for it to settle out," he said.

Sezak opened his business 18 years ago on Black Friday. He's not sure how this year's sales stack up against his opening day, but he said sales were decent.

"Generally, Black Friday isn't all that good for me because people go off to the big malls, but this year was better," he said.

He attributes improved sales with steep discounts on his inventory. Many of Sezak's books are 80 percent off through Christmas.

Sezak is eight years from retirement and he's not sure if printed books will remain desirable through then.

"It's like the Babylonians said way back in the day: 'What do you mean you're going to use papyrus? We have cuneiform clay tablets. Those will last forever,'" he joked. "So here we are. We're caught in the same dilemma."

Movies and music

Chris Brown said there's a simple reason sales continue to rise at Bull Moose.

"Buying stuff in a physical medium is still the best way to get movies and music. It just is. If you want the best quality, you've got to buy the physical version," he said.

In terms of DVD and Blu-ray discs, Brown contends there's one particular market force that will ensure their continued viability: the rising popularity of high-definition, flat-screen televisions.

"If you've just spent all this money on a big TV, streaming (video) doesn't make a whole lot of sense," he said.

According to 2010 data from the Digital Entertainment Group, a Los Angeles-based industry-funded nonprofit organization, sales of DVDs and Blu-ray discs dropped by $3.9 billion. Sales of physical music dropped even more, by nearly $6 billion during the same period.

Brown, however, sees a bright spot.

"The trend has reversed," he said. "Year-to-date sales of physical music are up this year versus 2010."

Another music and book proprietor in Waterville has seen increased interest in physical media. Bob Richard has operated The Record Connection at the same location for 31 years, and he takes the long view. Vinyl was king when he opened the business, and he contends it might someday regain its throne, or, at the very least, respect.

"There are more and more people coming in (the store) because they're getting tired of the digital age," he said. "They have nostalgia for things you can actually put your hands on.

"I can't say there's going to be a long future for CDs, but records come back more and more all the time."

He has a point. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, U.S. sales of vinyl increased by 44 percent in 2010 to $87 million, its highest level since 1990.

Richard also predicts a similar trajectory for printed books.

"I think books are going to drop to a certain point and then they're going to come back," he said. "People are always going to keep some of the old things, sort of like an anchor to the past."

Peter Cooper On Music: German Fans Say Danke Schoen for Country Music
By Peter Cooper

If you’re searching for a fascinating little country music hotbed, you’d do well to do what I did over Thanksgiving: Locate your passport, fly over an ocean, land in Munich, Germany, rent a car and drive west for about an hour and a half.

Then, of course, you’d be in Koetz, and you can ask around until you find someone who knows Peter Wroblewski.

“Hank Williams died before I was born on this earth, but that’s the music I love the best,” said Wroblewski, who for 29 years has headed up a club called Country & Western Friends , a group of Germans largely devoted to the music that hails from Nashville.

Country & Western Friends sponsors shows in Germany, bringing artists including Country Music Hall of Famers Emmylou Harris, Jean Shepard and Charlie Louvin across the big pond, and also traveling on occasion to the CMA Music Festival, the Station Inn and other hallmarks of Nashville’s sounds.

Wroblewski was born in 1953, less than a year after Hank Williams’ untimely, booze-addled demise, but it is the songs of Williams, Bobby Bare, Waylon Jennings, Don Williams and other country troubadours that speak to him. While serving in the military in the early 1970s, he heard country songs from other soldiers, and he saw a movie called Cisco Pike, one that starred a young and charismatic Kris Kristofferson.

“I see this and I think, ‘I must have a record of this guy,’” Wroblewski says. “I went into a record store and said, ‘Please, The Silver Tongued Devil & I, for me.’ They ordered it, special.”

Language is no barrier

Since then, Wroblewski has listened to country music with appreciation and no small measure of devotion. He has helped to galvanize a geographically unlikely community of like-minded music fans. Those include disc jockey and country music historian Walter Fuchs (who penned what folks who read German tell me is a fine encyclopedia, called Das Neue Grosse Buch Der Country Music) and Friedrich Hog of Radio Free FM in Ulm , a town that boasts the world’s highest church steeple and, when Hog is on the air, a wonderful country music program.

“When I have guests from Nashville and from other places in America, I interview them in English and translate it to German,” says Hog, a member of Country & Western Friends and a contributor to the Friends’ Country Times magazine. “The country music I play is good quality, and it is authentic. Many people here can speak and understand English, but the ones who don’t understand English can understand the feeling of the music.”

Neither Hog nor Wroblewski find it odd in the least that the music they hold most dear would spring from a city 4,700 miles away, or that it would be sung in a language other than their own.

And they aren’t concerned that Americans don’t typically take the time to seek out German music to see if it appeals. (Show of hands, dear readers ... How many Udo Lindenberg fans out there?) They just enjoy country music, and they seek it out in concerts, through import CDs and through historical reissue releases from country-friendly, German-based Bear Family Records. (That label just released a four-disc boxed set devoted to the first 10 years of Grand Ole Opry star Bill Anderson’s career).

“I first heard country music on a Bavarian radio station in the late 1970s, and they played Don Williams and Waylon Jennings, and it sounded good to me,” Hog says. “I heard pop music before that, but this was different: It was more heartfelt, and the songs told stories that were so touching and interesting.”

Keeping music alive

Wroblewski’s only music concern is that many of his country and western friends are graying and they aren’t being supplanted by a youthful wave.

“I worry that the real country music is vanishing,” he says. “I am looking for new artists, but they should have the basics of country music in their sound. I like also good rock music, but if country music goes too much rock or pop, it’s not so much my favorite. Too much of the old music, also the old stars, is gone now. You have not young people interested as much, but we do all we can to keep this alive.”

In Koetz, thanks to Wroblewski, the old music is very much alive. It lives and breathes, like Bobby Bare, Don Williams, Bill Anderson, Jean Shepard, Kris Kristofferson and Udo Lindenberg.

Going in Business for Yourself, and Making Work

For years, Burnaby resident Emiko Abe did what her parents expected.

She went to university, and got a good “real job” as a project manager for a computer software company.

Then a few years ago, she decided the time was right to do what she wanted, to pursue her love of music.

But going it alone as a self-employed DJ and music consultant was a bit more difficult than she expected.

Not the business end of it. Abe (djemiko.com) made fast connections and was soon able to leave her old job to undertake her new venture full-time. She now compiles and manages music for places such as spas and upwards of 700 hotels, along with traditional DJ duties at weddings, fashion shows, hockey games and other events.

But the hardest part, she said, is being alone.

“Working in a corporate environment, it was a bit of a shock going from 5,000 people to just me,” said Abe, 35.

“It was a little bit difficult at first to get my mind around the fact that my new co-workers or peers were actually other people out there doing exactly the same thing, that were by themselves, trying to network and trying to actually get contacts for business as well.”

In other words, her peers were now also her direct competition.

It took about seven months for Abe to feel comfortable about being by herself and having to “approach total strangers to actually give them my elevator pitch”–promoting her business in no more time than an elevator ride would take.

And she soon learned the value of networking, making a point of meeting people in other industries.

For instance, she might attend a women entrepreneurs group meeting and talk with jewelry makers “because at some point, they’re going to have a fashion show and they might give me a call.”

Networking key to success

Networking is key to the success of any small business, particularly one-person ventures where people often are working out of their homes, said Tej Kainth, founder of Network Engage Excite Transform (NEXT) New Westminster.
In contrast to their parents’ generation, when people felt they had to work a safe, secure job to put food on the table, young entrepreneurs today see countless opportunities, said Kainth, 30, of the increase in one-person businesses.

“The world’s your oyster almost. You’ve got endless opportunities out there.”

And, Kainth said, more people are choosing to follow their dreams.

“People are following what their passion and ambitions are, more so than just getting a job, they’re actually making it their career. And there’s a lot more pride in what they’re doing. Personally, that’s what I see.”

NEXT New Westminster serves as something of a social group in which members are exposed to what the city has to offer, including other local small businesses, and networking is a byproduct of every event.

Kainth noted that networking and community involvement are really forms of advertising where business people get to promote who they are and what they have to offer.

Another resource designed to support sole-proprietor businesses are office-space rental services such as the Network Hub which opened a couple months ago at River Market at Westminster Quay.

The new facility is the second for co-owner Minna Van and her two partners, after their first location in downtown Vancouver opened in 2006.

The Network Hub offers rentals of offices and desks at monthly and even hourly rates. They can provide a mailbox and reception services for people who don’t want to meet clients at their home offices.

Van, 30, said she’s noticed an increase in one-person businesses and a resulting greater demand for Network Hub’s services since 2008 when the global economic downturn led to many layoffs.

The idea of “one job I’m going to have for 25 years until I retire doesn’t exist anymore,” she said. “A lot of young people want to take control of their destiny.”

In addition to taking charge of their own careers, young parents also want the flexibility to spend more time with their children.

A couple decades ago, starting your own business included the high overhead of having to find an office.

Nowadays, anyone with a cellphone and a laptop computer can go into business for themselves. In fact, go into any coffee shop and anyone using a laptop computer there is likely either a student or a self-employed business person, she said.

Van noted that the challenge of the coffee shop office is the need to keep buying food or drink to stay welcome and the lack of security resulting in the need to pack everything up just to go to the washroom.

Van and her two business partners started Network Hub when, working as young web developers, they couldn’t find a landlord who would rent to them due to their youth and their lack of a line of credit.

They saw a market for shared office space which could also serve as a networking centre of sorts, noting several times they’ve had people in the high tech business at their Vancouver office decide to team up and start their own ventures together.

In addition to the networking opportunities, shared office space also helps home-based business people get out of the house and focus on the task at hand.

At home, beckoning distractions can include children and chores, not to mention the television and snacks in the fridge.

“When you work at home everything blends into one long workday,” said Van.

Good to separate work and home

Abe agrees and is a regular at the Network Hub where she escapes to do the administrative side of her business when she’s not in her home music studio.

“It’s too easy to get distracted when I’m in my home,” she said with a laugh. “It’s nice to have a place I can go and have a desk without any of my music stuff around me and laundry looking at me when I go around the corner.”

She’s also learned to market herself through social networking, although she noted that it’s somewhat indirect in that people don’t usually start off communicating with her to find out about her business.

“Becoming a personality in the Twitterverse has paid off. People actually do call and say, ‘You know what, I have this friend and they mentioned you, do you do weddings?’”

Abe said the support of family is important, since being self-employed can often mean long hours.

“The problem with being a one-person job is you don’t get to leave at 5 o’clock, it’s still there ... Especially with my husband and my son, occasionally they’ll look at me and say, ‘It’s 10 o’clock why are you still working?’”

Her days of self-employment also took some getting used to for her son, now 19.

“At first he hated it. He was like, ‘why can’t you work like all the other moms and be out of the house when I get home from school?’ But once he told his friends, they’re like, ‘That is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard.’ He started to warm up to the idea.

“He started to understand how other businesses work because of what I do.”

Cyndi Lauper Teams Up With MAC to Give LGBT Youth a Voice

Singer (and "Celebrity Apprentice" contestant) Cyndi Lauper has worked with MAC makeup's Viva Glam collection for many years, and this December, she took the opportunity to promote the MAC AIDS fund on World AIDS day.

The MAC AIDS fund, supported by Lauper, Lady Gaga, and Ricky Martin, among others, has collected over $224 million to prevent HIV/AIDS and further the search for a cure. Proceeds from MAC Viva Glam lipstick go toward the fight.

Now, Lauper is encouraging parents to share the lipstick -- and the message -- with their daughters, as HIV/AIDS is a disease that can impact anyone. "We have to communicate with our kids," Lauper tells People. "Give your girls lipstick, and remind them that every time they put their M.A.C Viva Glam lipstick on and go out, to protect themselves."

On World AIDS Day, Lauper worked at the LGBT Youth Center in NYC, giving at-risk teens goodie bags with MAC products as she discussed the AIDS epidemic. The at-risk youth hold a special place in Lauper's heart. "A lot of people are feeling bad about themselves, and when you're a teenager you're self destructive," she explains. "But what seems terrible now won't be terrible 10 years down the line. It's not as bleak as it looks. You'll get through it. You are precious. Protect yourself."

She spoke to the kids directly, warning them of the dangers of unprotected sex -- stressing that half of new HIV infections appear in people under 24, and that bisexual and gay men are at risk for the virus as young as 13 years old. ""If you get yourself sick with AIDS, you'll either be dead or living with AIDS," she says. "It's hard to go through life with a compromised immune system. AIDS is 100 percent preventable ... but it's 100 percent not curable."

Drue Mitchell Rides the Airwaves From DFW to L.A.
By Alan Ayo

Welcome to Local Music 'Mericans, where we get to know the people behind the scenes in Dallas/Fort Worth music.

Drue Mitchell has worked for 97.1 KEGL in promotions, as on-air jock at (old frequency) 94.5 KDGE and 89.7 KVRK, and now does television for a Christian music network in Los Angeles. He also tours with an artist named Manafest, who's signed to Tooth & Nail records, as the band's onstage DJ.
And, like so many folks that ended up making the music industry their careers, he started as an overzealous fan and paid his dues at the bottom of the totem pole. Mitchell's story is reminiscent of local radio success Josh Venable. Like Josh, he called his radio station (Mitchell's was KEGL back in the day; Venable's was the earliest incarnation of KDGE), talked to the DJ like crazy, and ended up an intern and a part-timer. What's funny is, his first Dallas radio experience was KVIL and Ron Chapman.

Mitchell didn't listen to KVIL by choice, but it caused him to join the first generation of iPod listeners as a kid. These kids, of course, were known as Walkman listeners. Cassette collectors. (It's OK, youngsters, if you have no clue what we're referring to. A Walkman was the first iPod. )

What's also ironic is how he started to show signs that radio was his path before he even realized it was. Mitchell would make tapes of new music for his friends. He'd record himself talking about the artist before he played it. He started out being all about the metal, but his tastes these days are as expansive as his CD collection.

Let's start with where the interest in music and radio began.

I started listening to Dallas radio and collecting music because of the commute to the private school I went to called Shelton School. The school was at Lovers and Inwood and we lived in far North Dallas. So, riding the school bus 25 minutes back and forth, the bus driver would listen to Ron Chapman on KVIL every morning. I hated it; the music was terrible, and I thought that guy was such a nerd! I couldn't stand listening to it, so I got a sports Walkman. I'd listen to pop and rock albums over and over and just memorize them. I used to ride my bike up to Bill's and buy used cassettes or trade two old ones for another one. But back then, music stores, radio, MTV and magazines were the only ways to find out about new music. The other thing I used to do was make my friends mixtapes of songs, and I would record myself talking before the songs explaining to them about whatever new band I found. That was how it really began for me getting interested in broadcasting, radio and DJing.

Who were some of your earliest local music influences?

The first local musicians, besides my mom's Willie Nelson albums, would be the classic rock artists I heard on Q102 and KZEW, like ZZ Top and Stevie Ray Vaughan. I blame my cousin Brandon, who was a few years older then I. He would play Q102 all the time. He loved those triple shot Thursdays. But the album Texas Flood changed my life. I really think it's one of the best pieces of music to ever come out of Texas, period. My own discoveries and early favorites were always more of the hard rock and metal, and Z-Rock. The first time it was on in Dallas, not the second.

Another thing I have to mention would be the guys in the metal band Morbid Scream. I think the bass player, Todd, or singer Trent worked at Mama's Pizza and my friends and I would see him driving around delivering pizzas blasting metal. We thought he was so tough! We would go up and bug him when we were at Mama's Pizza and play video games. One time he invited us to the band apartment for a practice since we were too young to go to any of their shows. They told us about bands like Rigor Mortis and Pantera, and the record store Underground Records. It was really magical for me finally being able to see the music come to life and to be played live.

What's your earliest recollection of supporting DFW music in some way?

I was at J.J. Pearce High School when the KDGE signed on. I would hear some Dallas bands on there and the first one that really grabbed me was Tripping Daisy. I got my copy of their album Bill at the first CD Warehouse on Beltline and Monfort because the big Sound Warehouse down the street didn't have it! The first real local concert I went to on my own was Reverend Horton Heat and Hagfish on New Year's Eve '92 at Trees. I really went to see Hagfish, because they were on the same label as Tripping Daisy. I'd never heard of the Reverend, but someone told me he was like a surf-guitar version of Vaughan crossed with Ministry. So, I was very interested. During Hagfish, they invited Casey Orr onstage to play bass on a song, and introduced him as a member of Gwar. I couldn't believe that one of the guys from Gwar was from Dallas! I was flipping out! Hate to say it wasn't until a few years later that I drew the connection to Rigor Mortis.

For my birthday that year, I used some money I got to get a fake ID to go see some local hair metal bands at the Basement. I felt so cool that I was only 20 but able to order a couple beers and watch rock bands. In between sets they would draw a big curtain, and I remember as the last band came on I heard the lead singer shrill from behind the curtain, "Are there any screamin' chicks in the audience tonight?!" All seven people in the club cheered. The curtain drew open to reveal the band No Respect. They all had on matching Lip Service jeans with super long hair and blistering fast hard rock music. They looked and sounded like a cross between Bang Tango, Skid Row and Vain. In fact, they covered a Vain song and I think I was the only dude there who knew what it was. So, after the show I went to talk to them and they invited me to more shows and began the friendship I had with those guys and Jason Wheelington until he passed. [Editor's note: Wheelington, who passed away earlier this year, went on to be a part of a pretty successful local mainstream rock act called Supercell.]

Tell us about the point when radio entered your career path.

When KEGL flipped from pop to a rock station with Howard Stern, it was like the apocalypse had happened for me. I loved the format so much; I used to call the then-night DJ T.C. McGuire and bug the crap out of him every night. One night he tells me that they were hosting a meet and greet with Bret Michaels of Poison, at what was Red Jacket on Greenville Ave. They did a drawing at the club for a private screening of Poison's new music video on Bret's tour bus, which was parked behind the club and by some miracle I WON! So back my girlfriend and I went, and I should've known that they were more interested in her then me. I was thanking some of the station staff as I left and they said,"Dude, you should work for us!" I went to Brookhaven College that next year and getting a internship with KEGL because my number one priority. So my first job was as promotions intern under Clo Rayborn and the amazing late Cindy Coyle, R.I.P.

Working with Russ Martin, Duane "Bones" Doherty, Dangerous Darren, Chris Ryan, Cindy Skull, Robert Miguel and Donna Fadal was greatness. I owe everything to them for giving me a chance. I really feel like that internship and those times helped me get to where I am today. A year and a half later, I went to college in Minneapolis. While I was there they flipped a country station to rock, similar to KEGL. They did a food drive and had a live broadcast. I went down and took some canned food, while I was there I talked to the promotions director and told him I was an intern at KEGL, and he offered me a job on the spot.

Fill us in on what exactly you're doing in LA. All I know is it involved television.

I am the music director of the network cable channel JCTV. We play a variety of movies, action sports, comedy shows, reality shows and music videos 24 hours a day. We play about seven hours of music videos a day. I'm in charge of the library, programming and acquisitions of all the music videos. Plus, I book talent for the shows shot in-house at our studios, and even do a little bit of directing and scriptwriting for some of our shows. I'm not an on-air talent like I used to be, but I do work on the shoots and assist wherever it's needed. I also do live DJing, turntablist-style, and play events of all kinds. I do solo shows and have been touring with Tooth & Nail recording artist Manafest for a few years now as his DJ.

How well have you been keeping up with local music back in DFW? Who are a few acts you're really championing right now?

I love local music and dove into the scene in Orange County, but there is no place like home. Since I moved I have been able to come back for a weekend here and there almost every few months. Every time I'm home I try to catch a show, scour the Dallas Observer, or make a pit stop at Good Records. I still keep up with Adrian Hummell, who took my spot at KVRK 89.7 PowerFM, and listen to some KHYI & KKXT online when I get a chance.

I saw Telegraph Canyon, The O's and Doug Burr just in the last few visits I made to DFW. I love that new act on Good Records called New Fumes! And my longtime good friends in Fair to Midland put out an incredible album this year. I've been a big big fan of anything Erykah Badu or The Old 97's do and follow them closely. The underground metalcore Denton band The Famine have a new record produced by Braxton Henry. It's really brutal! I believe that local and independent music is one of the most important genres someone can follow and listen to because they are your direct peers. The art and music they are creating is a direct reflection of the environment you live in. I have a great love and appreciation for the Dallas music scene and the musicians involved. The wish I have for the home team is: Never quit. Someone, somewhere, will get it and love what you are doing. Utmost mad respects to you big D, and thank you so much for letting me tell my story.

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Band Hungers for Guitarist

Requiem For Oblivion is still seeking a guitarist. If you have the madness or know someone who does send them to these animals to feast upon. We must bring Requiem For Oblivion back to life with the blood of a young virgin & bow down at their feet as they hypnotize us with their lyrics.

Steve-814-392-2321

***Passing on Message From  E Lisa Froncillo-Bower ~ Please Contact Her if Interested**

I have openings in October and November for radio interviews on COOL 101.7 fm. Thursday mornings. You would need to be in studio (Meadville) by 7:45 am, out by 8:30 am. (Catching the driving to work listeners and businesses) It's a great chance to promote your upcoming gigs, cds and more. Family friendly, we need to keep within the studio's programming guidelines. Cover bands/artists welcomed as well as original. Metal bands must be not too heavy... no gutterals, etc. Rock/classic is fine. One band member can come with a CD, or bring everyone and do something live. COOL 101.7 supports local music and reaches from Erie to Slippery Rock (and below on a good day) west into Ohio, and also includes a new Cory station, and more. Good exposure. PLUS you can listen live via your computer anywhere!

Message me with links to your:

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Contact Lisa on her Facebook Page or email her Lisa@dirtydoglive.com

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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2012 Nominees

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced the nominees for its 2012 induction class on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Leading the way this time around are such worthy first-time nominees as Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Heart, the Cure and Guns N' Roses. Other artists appearing on the ballot for the first time include Rufus with Chaka Khan, British rockers the Faces (aka the Small Faces) featuring Rod Stewart, '60s R&B group the Spinners, bluesman Freddie King and hip-hop duo Eric B. and Rakim. The ballot also includes several artists who have been previously nominated but never inducted: the Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, War, Donovan, Donna Summer and Laura Nyro.

To vote on who you think should be inducted from this year's class, visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website.

Jimi Hendrix Park to Open Next Year

A new park celebrating the life and music of Jimi Hendrix is set to open in the guitarist's hometown of Seattle, Washington in 2012 to commemorate what would have been his 70th birthday.

Jimi Hendrix Park, which will be located in the city's Central District, was revealed last week at a public meeting at the Northwest African American Museum. The 2.5-acre park will include stepping stones featuring his lyrics, rain drums, a sculpted butterfly garden, a performance area, a sound garden and ample green space.

The park is being funded by donations from Jimi's sister, Janie Hendrix, as well as money from the Parks and Green Spaces Opportunity Fund and the Neighborhood Matching Fund Award in Seattle.

Ukulele Star Bill Tapia Dies

Popular ukulele player Bill Tapia has died at the age of 103.

The star, who was believed to have been the world's oldest performing musician, died in his sleep at home in Westminster, Calif., just four weeks short of what would have been his 104th birthday.

Tapia, who was born in Hawaii, began his career performing for World War I troops in 1918 and went on to play with stars including Billie Holiday, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong and Elvis Presley. He also taught the instrument to a number of celebrity pupils including Clark Gable and Shirley Temple.

Tapia released a number of albums throughout his 90-year career and he was still touring up until in 2010. Earlier this year, he released his final album, a live recording of his 100th birthday celebrations.

Winehouse's Father Says Album has Raised Thousands for Charity

Amy Winehouse's father Mitch has shared his pride after the singer's posthumous album raised $224,000 for charity in its first day on sale. "Lioness: Hidden Treasures," a new collection of Winehouse's music was released just months after her shocking death in July.

A portion of the proceeds from the release is being donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which was set up in the singer's memory - and her dad Mitch is delighted to learn of the album's first day sales success.

In a series of posts on his Twitter page, he writes, "Just been told. Amy at number 1. 140,000 sold = [$224,000] to foundation in one day. Well done baby. My heart is sad but bursting with pride."

Blues Guitarist Hubert Sumlin Dead at 80

Hubert Sumlin, the longtime collaborator with Howlin' Wolf whose playing on such songs as "Wang Dang Doodle," "Spoonful" and "Backdoor Man" influenced generations of guitarists, died Sunday in New Jersey. He was 80.

Sumlin was ranked number 43 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time and was a mainstay of the Chicago blues scene. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2008. Sumlin influenced Keith Richards, Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa, among others.

Hubert Sumlin was born in Mississippi, raised in Arkansas and moved to Chicago to play with Howlin' Wolf. After Wolf's death in 1976, Sumlin continued to play with the rest of Wolf's band under the name the Wolf Gang.

He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2002 and had a lung removed. In recent years Sumlin continued to perform when his health permitted.