 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Danny Kee, Director of A&R at Warner Brothers, Nashville (right) acts as a decoy as TAXI member gets pick-pocketed (lower right corner).
|
Dear Michael,
Howdy. This is member David Snow.
I spoke to
you at the rally. I was the guy who told you how I really could tell
you cared for your members like a "mother hen," and that that is the
reason TAXI has become a success. I told you that on day one and at
the end of it all on day two. I meant it!
I wanted to
thank you for a wonderful event and share some great news with you.
At the end
of the event, I handed a tape to a friend of yours and guest panelist,
Jim Long from One Music.
He called me
the very next day. As a matter of fact, I was the only person he did
call after listening to twenty-one reels!! As a second matter of fact,
he called me twice that day. He even gave me his address and home phone
number.
He is very
excited about my work, thinks I've "got it," and has given me exact
instructions on what to provide next for him in order to start to get
REAL WORK!!
This would
get me out of the bush leagues of doing demos for others and into doing
the instrumental music and song writing I really love best. I guess
that would be the "big leagues" if there is such a thing. I would suppose
the size of my house and studio would eventually be the barometer for
the league I am truly in. Or the size of my heart of course. Any how
...
I'll keep you
posted, and of course ... thanks again!!
David Snow
Gaithersburg, MD
|
|
Dear Doug:
Since I met you briefly at the Road Rally, I'll address this letter
to you. The Road Rally was fun, informative, and worthwhile. Especially
impressive was the caliber of the TAXI Staff and the invited guests.
All of you seemed like the kind of people one would want as friends.
If a person wanted an inside view into what the music business is about,
attending the Rally would be a way to get it. You get a feeling for
how good your music really has to be to be successful.
Thanks for
the show. Maybe we'll see you guys next year.
Sincerely,
Kyle Weed
Harrison Township, MI
|
|
| |
|
| |
Legendary A&R man Don Grierson (left) holds court with a gaggle of members.
|
Dear
Michael:
Just wanted to drop you a line thanking you and your staff for the Road
Rally.
I came to the
Rally with little in the way of expectations. I was impressed with the
folks on the panels, with the topics for the workshops, with the enthusiasm
of the staff and my peers, and with the showcases. I felt connected,
not to "connections" in the business, but rather to the reality of the
business. That has been the primary benefit of membership.
With TAXI I
believe there is a possibility of succeeding with my music (if not today
then tomorrow). Without TAXI it is hard to see how I could do that.
With TAXI I have hope, and I have been able to nurture my music and
my desire to do music. Without TAXI I doubt that would have happened.
So I picked
up some tips, met some nice folks, watched you and the rest of your
staff interact with members and the panelists. There was nothing earth
shattering, just the sense that this thing is do-able and that I can
do it. And for me right now, that is very important.
Thanks to all
the participants. They did a wonderful job.
Sincerely,
Dear TAXI:
I'd like to take the opportunity to thank everyone involved with the
Road Rally this past weekend! The panels were fun, informative, and
expertly moderated, and it was a real pleasure to be surrounded by so
many nice people...I just felt good the entire two days!
Please relay
my appreciation to each of the panelists. Not only did they offer their
time and expertise, it was evident by their thoughtful insights and
responses to questions that they were really there for us. Without exception,
I was tremendously impressed by their willingness to share so generously.
I think it speaks beautifully of these folks that one of the most-heard
quotes from the panels was "... If I could say just one more thing ..."
Their enthusiasm, warmth, and openness are things I will carry with
me for a very long time.
Working as
a computer professional (damn day job...), I've attended my share of
conventions and seminars. The Road Rally was by far the most well-organized,
well-paced, and engaging event I have ever attended. After basically
spending two full days sitting in someone else's chair, my fellow TAXI
members seemed to have one unified concern. It wasn't sore backs and
butts, it wasn't dread at the thought of some very long plane rides
many were facing, it wasn't a mad dash to the bar (not that there's
anything wrong with that) ... it was what we're gonna DO when we get
home! Congratulations to the TAXI staff for putting together such an
effective gathering. Your hard work and effort really had an impact.
Thanks!
Michael and
Doug, I'd like you to know how impressed I am with your skills as speakers
and moderators. You kept things moving, and the questions you asked
of both the panelists and audience capably demonstrated the breadth
of your own knowledge and experience. You did a great job of getting
to what we need to know, and asked the questions we needed asked ...
some of which were quite pointed. Also, as brutal as it was, the idea
of having the members rate tunes along with the A&R Pitch panel was
gold. I get it now. I think s...
Again, thanks
for a great weekend. I really feel blessed to have aligned myself with
your organization. I'm feeling kind of proud to be a musician again.
You're good people in a really cool game... thanks for helping me play.
Sincerely,
Dear Doug & Michael and TAXI Staff:
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, for putting me in a position to meet
so many beautiful people such as yourselves--and all the different A&R
panels, other musicians, producers and the wealth of information which
I received with open arms. I am totally rejuvenated and now I know exactly
where I stand as an artist in the music industry.
I was very
lucky to get critiqued on one of my songs and realized that I need to
work on my song structure. John Braheny asked me if I learned anything
from being at the convention. Are you kidding? Hell yes! Before, I doubted
myself, now I know what it's going to take for me to get there. I got
to meet Rex Benson and Tony Ferguson who were very approachable and
encouraging, and although I have never had a song forwarded, just being
a member of TAXI gets you into the gateway of meeting people who can
help you.
Good luck to
Fab who won his ticket to meet with an A&R person. When its your time,
its YOUR time man. I'll be at the next TAXI Rally even if I get signed
before then. See you when get there.
Cheers to everyone,
it was great meeting all of you.
Karrisa Lewes
Mareval, Trinadad
|
|
 More Road Rally Info!
|
|
|
|
|
|
"It is most certainly my honor to be a member of TAXI. Thank you again."
|
— Sharon Weinbrum,
TAXI Member
|
|
"This is the 3rd Rally my wife, Amy, and I have attended and once again you have outdone yourselves."
|
— Jimmy & Amy Muffin,
TAXI Members
|
"As always, a great Rally! I really can't believe that anyone serious about making it in the music business would even consider missing it."
|
— Roy Flower,
TAXI Member
|
|
"You all put a lot of hard work into the Road Rally and it showed. Thanks again for caring so much about your members."
|
— Cher Klosner Lane,
TAXI Member
|
"Thanks again for a terrific conference, and for doing an outstanding job in "environmental damage control" in the world of music. Thanks to you, some good music can survive that otherwise would be dead and gone."
|
— Kubilay Uner,
TAXI Member
|
|
"The critiques of my submissions have been most helpful. I have learned so much during these past six months that I find it hard to believe."
|
— Gary Bonura,
TAXI Member
|
|
|
