Independent Singer/songwriters Are Enjoying A Renaissance
Ever since the turn of the millennium, there hasn’t been a hotter trend than that of acoustic guitar singer/songwriter. Around 2002, John Mayer really opened up the door for this phenomenon by putting out his EP Inside Wants Out on his own and built strong local followings, and then created a huge splash and label interest at South by Southwest. When the song “No Such Thing” started getting radio play and he achieved superstar status, it was like turning yourself into an acoustic singer/songwriter was suddenly the coolest new thing.
Also, the advent of the internet has made it a reality for thousands of singer/songwriter hopefuls to strike out cross-country with nothing but some original songs and their trusty guitar and make money, many times quite a bit of money, going around from clubs to bars to coffee shops coast to coast. They sell posters and T-shirts and independently produced records. They promote themselves with internet radio and myspace pages and sell digital downloads of their tracks and ringtones. Now that the big labels don’t control distribution of musical material anymore, independent distribution has taken off and this has put much of the control back into the hands of the individual artists.
Take a look at some great new artists who have utilized independent ways of promoting their material to create names and careers for themselves.
Tristan Prettyman – Tristan is a native the North County area of San Diego, and her material embodies that fun, easy, beach-music style. Her sweet, positive lyrics and cheerful fingerpicking guitar playing style make it the ideal soundtrack for either a sensual, warm bubble bath while candles flicker in the soothing darkness or a cheerful summer afternoon backyard barbecue. You may not be able to make it down to the beach, but all you have to do is pop in Trizzy P’s CD to feel like you’re there. Tristan’s concerts give you the feeling of having spent that time spending time with one of your best girlfriends, gossiping about guys and celebrities, rather than attended a concert. Her debut EP (The Love EP) was self-produced, and her two subsequent efforts (twentythree and Hello…x) have both been studio produced.
Ernie Halter – Los Angeles based singer/songwriter Ernie Halter sprinkles a bit of Soul into the acoustic mix. He self-released the home-recorded “Lo Fidelity,” and later studio recordings “Congress Hotel,” and “Starting Over.”
Matt Nathanson – Matt is the product of relentless independent promotion and touring, building a strong, even fanatical, fanbase built from years of touring and above-the-call-of-duty efforts to personally connect with fans. His lyrics are symbolic and poetic – they go far beyond the standard Pop ABAB rhyme schemes and “You’re so amazing I love you so much,” themes that dominate the airwaves on mainstream radio. His initial effort was the independently produced “Please,” released in 1993, while Matt was still in college. Over the next ten years, his independent releases included, “Ernst,” “Not Colored Too Perfect,” “Still Waiting for Spring,” and “When Everything Meant Everything.” He then released, “Beneath These Fireworks,” on Universal and “Some Mad Hope,” on Vanguard. He also released a concert recording entitled, “Live at the Point.” The combination of his winning material and hilarious, personal banter in live shows have made Matt one of the favorites among the singer/songwriter fan community.
