The Social Freelancer: Media, Music, TV & Film

Let’s face it. Nothing is easy, especially trying to promote original music in a world of shrinking budgets, a stagnant live music scene and the proliferation of free online music sources. If you are trying to make music, record it and get people to listen, it’s clear you have to work a whole bunch of channels (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc…) to make anything happen.

Vocalist Tracy Ready, Photo by Rick Moore

HERE”S THE DEAL FOR INDIE MUSICIANS AND BANDS: Read more…

June 22, 2011 – Trace Relations Debut – For Immediate Release

In today’s San Antonio Express-News, Music Writer Jim Beal wrote this story about the project > The Music Beat: “Prosperity Street” beckons

A project 12 years in the making, Trace Relations sets to release their debut studio CD “Prosperity Street” on November 2, 2011.

Trace Relations - The Band

Debut tracks “Prosperity Street” (with music video) plus a Trace Relations original “Open Mind, Open Eye” were released June 15, 2011 and are available now at> Trace Relations official site.

The song “Prosperity Street” and the video feature the band and special guests Augie Meyers and San Antonio’s famed West Side Horns.

SEE VIDEO “Prosperity Street”, READ ON, GROOVE ON… Read more…

“Sittin’ on the corner of Prosperity Street, wonderin’ where my next meal’s coming from, Yesterday I was rakin’ in the coin, today I’m just a poor old bum.” – Augie Meyers, from “Prosperity Street”

A lyric so timely for the economic conditions of 2011, who would guess it was written in 1975?

Trace Relations debut with their arrangement of “Prosperity Street” with special guests Augie Meyers and The West Side Horns:

This track available for download now > Trace Relations Official Site

About Prosperity Street
READ ON, GROOVE ON>>> Read more…

Having worked in “traditional” media (television) for more than 20 years, I have been astounded at the growth of social media and it’s impact on how we do business as freelance media professionals. It’s also apparent to me that many of my colleagues in television and music production are not taking part in this revolution, often because of a lack of understanding of how it all works.

Social media is about people sharing information and learning from each other, not directly pitching products.

READ ON and see 3 concise videos that lay out the basic concepts. >>> Read more…

Wishing the great Augie Meyers a very happy birthday, today May 31, 2011.

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Augie since I was fifteen years old (a long time ago…). He’s been a good friend and constant source of inspiration and motivation for me in music. Now, on his birthday (I won’t say which one), with Augie doing well after a kidney transplant last year and a tour with the Texas Tornados in the works, I give you this post; my thanks to legendary Texas musician: Augie Meyers.

Happy Birthday to Augie

READ on, help us celebrate Augie’s birthday and see the preview of the documentary in progress: South Texas Soul: The San Antonio Sound >>> Read more…

For all you trumpet aficionados out there…
Read more…

A music memory: Jackson, Mississippi, 1970 or so…

Vintage Tony Joe White photo via Rock's Back Pages

Riding in the back of my parents Ford station wagon I remember hearing Tony Joe White’s swamp boogie stomp “Polk Salad Annie” sliding out of the little am radio speaker. Something about it caught me, made me pay attention.
It was the GROOVE, I realize now but at the time I just knew I liked it. I was just a kid, soaking up all kinds of music.

Years later I heard the song again and it grabbed me again. So I dug deeper.
What I Found Out Read more…

The life of a freelance video professional is a strange one, no doubt. It’s “feast or famine” as the old saying goes. Financially, it was a dreadful ending to 2010 and a sluggish awakening of the business starting this year. Now, at last, things are starting to look up (fingers crossed it continues).

Hong Kong Night - Image courtesy TravelGent

Last week I was shooting a health education PR piece on the west side of San Antonio, Texas. This week I am traveling to Hong Kong with my good friend and colleague in the business, Max Warren of Imagemax Productions.

An international trip opportunity doesn’t pop up in my world very often, so it’s quite exciting. Thanks Max!
Read more…

As a kid, I was into music. I was fortunate to grow up listening to a musical stew brewed up by my older brothers and their friends whose taste was, let’s say, “diverse”.
The Beatles, Cream, Harry Chapin, Led Zeppelin, Zappa, and Little Feat shared a room sometimes with Count Basie and his Orchestra, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and BB King. Out back on the patio? Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, ZZ Top, Charlie Daniels Band and the Edgar Winter Group.

Willie Dixon courtesy of The Willie Dixon Fan Club

It’s been a long time comin’… – David Crosby

Trace Relations - The Band, logo design by Clay Meyers, cdmgrafx

Greetings,
While I keep The Social Freelancer ™ updated on a variety of topics related to Music, Media, TV and Film, 99% of them NOT a self promotion, I hope you’ll indulge me here for 2 minutes (!) to show off a bit. This video is a new demo of our HD stock footage offerings from CityB-roll.com, edited to a short instrumental track from my band project Trace Relations ™. The song is an advance track from our upcoming debut studio CD release.
Check out the video and the MUSIC>> Read more…

Broadcast television as I have known it for the last 20+ years has changed. The business as we knew it is mostly gone.

“Money’s tight, times are hard, here’s your damn birthday card…”

Trace - Promo for Trace Relations CD ~ Photo by Stephan R. Lewis, all rights reserved

That’s a bit rude but it makes me laugh. I like the sentiment because it’s reality based. The fact is you might think you’re “special” but most times very few others do. I find that it pays to be original and re-invent yourself and what you do every ten years or so.

I am striving to re-invent myself business wise to being more active as a writer, producer, speaker, documentary filmmaker, vocalist and songwriter in addition to keeping the video production business going.

So What’s Up?
That doesn’t mean I am not working as a Director of Photography – I am. It is my primary source of revenue. I love shooting and producing for good clients who appreciate the skills I bring to the table for their video projects. But the long term business reality is that lower quality and cheaper rates are what syndicated TV shows and corporations are wanting and, in fact, demanding. There will only be downward pressure on day rates for freelance media professionals as I see it right now.
Why? Check out the rest of this post from The Social Freelancer ™>>> Read more…

The great Freddie King hailed from Dallas, Texas and tore up stages all over the world with his blistering brand of electric blues before his untimely death at age 42 in 1976. His vocal and guitar prowess were without match and have now influenced a generation of players. Often imitated, never duplicated – Freddie King!
This video of “The Texas Cannonball” is Freddie at his best, live onstage in Sweden, 1973, performing “Have You Ever Loved A Woman.” This one is on my top 10 best electric blues songs ever written list, for sure. Enjoy the video…> Read more…