A Mad Texan…
***WARNING RANT***
I want to know when did this country get so low that making fun of a Veteran for being injured in war is ok???? I am NOT being political. I am PISSED OFF. My uncle is STILL MIA from Vietnam. My son is a Veteran of the Navy. My sister is a Veteran of the Air Force. My brother is ACTIVE MILITARY in the Army still serving this country. My other brother is a Veteran of the Army. My other brother is a Veteran of the Marines. My uncle is a Veteran of the Marines.
I can go on and on and on about my family serving this country to protect the very freedoms that give each of us the right to say almost anything without fear of punishment. Just because we have that right, doesn’t mean we should always use it. The Saturday Night Live skit about a Texas Veteran losing his eye to an IED in Afghanistan was NOT FUNNY in the least. You don’t have to be politically motivated on EVERYTHING you do, sometimes it’s ok to BE A DECENT HUMAN BEING.
I have seen and heard so much hate during these elections. One thing we can all agree on is we are Americans, and we are HUMANS. I do not know how anyone can think that making fun of an injured Veteran is funny. I do not care the hows or whys or anything else. There is a place down deep that some of us call a soul, some call it our conscious, and some call it our “gut feeling.” Evidently some people DO NOT CALL IT ANYTHING OR THEY SIMPLY IGNORE IT. I AM MAD THAT WHAT WAS DONE ON SNL IS THE LOWEST, SORRIEST THING I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
Just had to get that out there. I am disgusted, disappointed and most of all, embarrassed that HUMAN BEINGS ARE SO CRUEL.
CHANGE DOES NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE CURRENT SITUATION BECOMES TOO UNCOMFORTABLE TO REMAIN THE SAME! WELL, THIS SNL SKIT MADE ME TOO UNCOMFORTABLE!
Love, Loss and The Power of Music
Everyone has experienced the loss of someone they love. I certainly have experienced this more times in my life than I can even recall. The passing from this world can be unexpected and tragic. It can be expected and merciful. Whether losing a loved one that has lived a long, happy life or losing one who’s life was tragically cut short, the pain remains the same for those of us left to grieve. The impact of loss knows no boundaries, follows no rules and has no time table.
So many emotions fill the emptiness left by the death of people we love. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are the “acceptable” emotions we are expected to go through. I, however, disagree. The void left can sometimes just remain. Depression is the hardest emotion to battle. It clings to your soul and becomes your own worst enemy. When your world is turned upside down, all you can do is hang on. Breathe in; breathe out; repeat.
It is alright to be angry. Sometimes we feed this emotion the most. It is easier to remain angry than to accept the reality of loss. We tend to push away the people in our lives that do the best they know how trying to “help” us. Grief has no mercy on the soul. It is up to us to dig deep into ourselves and find our way. We have so much more left in us than what death has taken. We just have to find it.
Some choose to turn to family or friends for comfort. Some seek professional support. Some walk the path alone. Some find strength in places they never knew before. I find my solice in the power of music. There isn’t anyone who knows the rollercoaster going on inside my head and heart like I do. No matter how hard I try to explain, there will never be full understanding. I never have to explain myself to music. I find the songs that reflect my emotions and just get lost in them. I may never be able to explain how I feel, but I can find a song that can.
Music is my therapy. Some songs are so powerful, they can change what direction I am headed. Listening to the right song is so powerful that it’s like a reflection of myself. When I hear that reflection, I can find my way. Music touches my soul. Music heals my soul. Music makes living with the loss of a loved one easier to do. Carrie Underwood sings it best: “You can’t cry pretty!” Martina McBride gives you hope in “I’m Gonna Love You Through It.” Brandy Clark sings what my soul is screaming in “Since You’ve Gone to Heaven.”
We must search for a way to live beyond the loss to honor our loved ones. To just survive is not what they want us to do. When they left this world, they left it up to us to keep their memory alive. Out of grief and tragedy can come strength we never knew. We will find this strength in our own time and in our own way. Our life and story continues….
Ten Minute Country Special – The Problem With Women in Country Music – SoundCloud
One Day She Looked Around and Realized…
Success is only achievable by great planning. You must have a plan in place before you move forward. Start planning what you are going to do with your life. Plan today what you want to achieve tomorrow.
Somewhere in our lives, we have been taught to have a plan. In some degree of variation, we have all heard the advice above. I want to challenge some of this traditional wisdom, if only for today. Let me play Devil’s Advocate if you will.
My life’s goals have always been to strive for excellence, never settle for mediocrity and always find a way to improve someone else’s life every day. I still live by those goals, but have a new outlook on some other ways I live. I was always the planner. I would plan a certain amount of time for studying. I would plan my vacations down to the minute. I would have spreadsheets, notes and backups so I would never get off track. Well, something happened at some point that made me throw all of those things aside.
Maybe I realized that the best moments in life just happen. Maybe I realized that spontaneity is more exciting. Maybe I realized I just want to live my life to the fullest, instead from a checklist. Most importantly, maybe it is because I see so many of my friends missing out on living because they are too busy planning to live.
So many people create a vision of what they want to achieve or accomplish in life. They start planning what to do first. Then they put a backup plan in place. Then they plan the next stage of their goal. It keeps going and going. What they haven’t realized is that all of the planning being done is actually keeping them from living. Before they realize how much time has passed from planning, life has also passed. Time has passed that they can never get back.
I have learned that we only have so many moments, so much time and only given one life to make what we can of it. We create beauty in song, poetry, art, family, etc., yet we hide it from the world until it is perfect. We keep others from seeing our beauty because we have a plan. We want perfection before we allow anyone to share in this beauty. The problem is beauty is rarely perfect. It is the imperfections that really create beauty. It shows our connection with humanity.
So why do we continue to plan instead of live? We have become this way from years of experience and practice. Practicing patience, self control, and delayed gratification. One day we will be ready to share our beauty with others only to find they have moved on from us. Waiting for that perfect moment just to find those moments were there all along, and we just ignored them. We have to start living again, and not just existing.
I just want my life to mean something. When I am gone, I would rather someone say they are glad they experienced something with me; rather than saying we had planned on doing that. Planning is a must for certain aspects of life. Living is a must for all aspects of life.
Don’t be afraid to share your beauty with others. Don’t be afraid to live because it’s not perfect. If you actually perfect all you are doing, who will still be around to share it with? Will you still be around to enjoy it? Life is here and now. Don’t lock yourself away planning on living, get out there and live.
Find your passion. Find your purpose. Make a difference in someone’s life. Find a reason to smile every morning before you get out of bed. Stop and look at the beauty of nature once in a while. Share your beauty with others. Stop being afraid to live. Change does not occur until the current situation becomes too uncomfortable to remain the same. Get out of your comfort zone and try something new.
IF YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS DONE, YOU WILL GET WHAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS GOTTEN!
Sure, life is scary. Sure, life is hard. Sure, life is not fair. BUT I PROMISE, IT IS WORTH IT!!! We don’t always have things go our way. Disappointments are a part of life. I believe my friend, Jessica Meuse sings it perfectly!!
“Thank God It Didn’t Work”
The Night I Met Kathy Bee “The Ambassador of American Music” and She Gave Me HOPE
“Whatever you do, don’t get discouraged!”
There are some opportunities that come once in a lifetime and when you least expect them. I was asked if I would like to go to New Orleans, Louisiana because “someone” would be there who knows the struggles of being a woman in the country music industry. My colleague and I left Southeast Texas on Friday, August 3, 2018 bound for New Orleans. I had no idea how much this trip would change me.
The night before we left Texas, I finally had to ask who this “someone” was. My colleague revealed that Kathy Bee was flying from California to New Orleans and would try and fit us in her very busy schedule. So on a wing and a prayer, we took the opportunity and drove to New Orleans.
We checked into the hotel around 7:00 PM, after a grueling drive through road construction and Friday traffic. My colleague said, “Kathy wants to meet at 8:30 PM.” We rushed to change into fresh clothes, touch up hair and makeup, and try to navigate The French Quarter on a Friday night. When we arrived at The Marriot on Canal St., Kathy was waiting in the lobby for us.
When I introduced myself to her, she hugged my neck and made me feel like she had known me my entire life. My nerves were already worn from the drive, having to change hotels when we arrived, and the excitement of meeting this icon. All of my anxiety ceased at that point. The lobby was full of people and noise so she invited us up to her room. She only had about 15 minutes before her next event. Those 15 minutes turned into the best 45 minutes I could have ever imagined.
We admired the beautiful view of New Orleans from her hotel windows. We talked about how eventful her day had been. We took pictures and she made us feel at home.
Kathy Bee invited me to sit in the chair and she she sat on her bed. This wasn’t a “formal” interview. She said this was for us to meet and just get to know each other. “There will be plenty of time for formalities later!” All of my time and conversations with her weren’t recorded or written down, it is all from memory. She gave me permission to write about our amazing 45 minutes, and I knew I had to share Kathy Bee with you.
I shared my passion of advocating for female artists in the country music industry. She shared her own experiences within the industry. As she explained why she left the country music industry, I began to understand just how large the problems have always been. Kathy shared her experiences of working for mainstream radio. She wanted to see the innermost workings of this “machine” that decided who got airplay and who did not. Kathy said that women have always had a disadvantage within the industry, but when there is a will there is a way. She told me of the day fate was by her side.
Kathy Bee was ready to be crowned as the winner of a statewide talent program. She had beaten thousands and was down to the finale. When she arrived for the final night, she read one of the programs that was handed out to the audience members. Kathy’s name was nowhere in the program. She knew then that “they” had already chosen the winner, and it was not her. Kathy was not going to remain there knowing this was not right. She was on her way out, and for some reason she decided to sit in the back. A man sat beside her and asked when she was performing. He told her that she was the only reason he was there. She showed him the program and let him know she was not in there, and she knew she would not be the winner. The man’s name was Lawton Jiles, the songwriter for Patsy Cline. History was made from there.
Kathy Bee did not play the victim of the country music industry; instead, she was motivated to achieve her dreams. Her career is something to be proud of. Kathy has changed the lives of so many people. From her days with performing with Chrystal Gayle, Tanya Tucker and Smokey Robinson, to becoming the CEO of Touching Lives Multimedia, Inc, Kathy Bee is still on fire and talented beyond words.
Kathy’s phone began going off, because we realized it had been 45 minutes and she was late for another event. She ignored the phone, and she looked at me with the most compassionate eyes and smile. Kathy said, “Whatever you do, don’t get discouraged!” Those words lit a fire deep in my soul. She told me another quick story about how she became discouraged, but she refused to take no for an answer. Kathy Bee encouraged me. She told me to keep fighting for women in the country music industry. She said she supported all of us 100%, and will take whatever action we need to further our goals. She offered us another platform through her television show.
I knew I had taken up more of her time than was planned, so I thanked her for everything. All I could do was hug her neck and let her know how much she had just given to me. As we walked to the elevator, I asked her about the amazing women she sang with. She smiled and told me quick little details. Riding down the elevator, I asked if she knew Brandy Clark. Kathy said, “Of course I have heard of her. She is very talented!” I shared my stories of Brandy with her as we walked through the lobby. I hugged her again and thanked her for everything. Kathy reminded me to never quit and that she is always there if I need anything. I walked out of the hotel with the image of Kathy Bee, in her beautiful red dress and hat, waving goodbye. Although I was sad our time was up, I was more inspired than I ever thought possible.
Kathy Bee is known as the Ambassador of American Music. Her career is filled with achievements, awards, but most of all, giving back to her fellow Americans. She wants everyone’s dreams to be achieved. Kathy is a pioneer in country music and supports women in country music. Please read about her accomplishments at http://www.kathybee.com and what she still does today to support music.
It is all about the music. It always has been, it always will be. Unfortunately, this is not a true statement when it comes to mainstream radio and major record labels. To them, it’s all about the almighty dollar. It always has been, it always will be. Fortunately, we can make this statement false by taking action and finding alternatives to mainstream. If radio and streaming services want to continue the inequality for women, there is a whole new world to be discovered. This world is where I see artists, fans, and supporters all coming together for the equal opportunity for women in country music. #TimeForChange has been answered by #ChangesAreHappening. We have a long way to go, but we have come a long way. I will leave you with these words from Kathy Bee:
“Before your journey here is through, what kind of footsteps will you leave for those that follow you?”
MMA… No Songwriters, No Songs
With so much happening in the country music industry, we can add another piece of the puzzle to the need for change. The Music Modernization Act passed the House of Representatives 415-0; now SESAC is making a last-ditch effort to block the bill in the Senate. Putting this in terms we can understand, instead of the political noise, is simple. If amendments are made to the MMA in the Senate, the bill then goes back to the House of Representatives to start the voting process all over. Of course, this will prolong the MMA from becoming law.
I fully support artists, songwriters, publishers, and country music. Facts show that songwriters are not getting their piece of the pie. I personally know singers/songwriters that do not chase the almighty dollar. They do what they do because it is in their soul. It is who they are. But let’s face reality; they have to survive. It takes money to tour, collaborate, record, publish albums and EAT. Artists pay their rent/mortgage, water, electricity and phone bills like all of us. They deserve to be compensated fairly for the work they do. That is the bottom line to all of this. So how can we change this? I researched many sources to try and find the answer.
According to https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/author/presnikoff/, “…the MMA stipulates that all unclaimed monies collected by the MLC will be frozen after three years. Then, that money will be redistributed to the largest music publishers, like Universal Music Publishing Group and Warner/Chappell.
The unclaimed royalties will be divided by marketshare, even though none of those publishers actually have any legitimate claim to the works in question.”
This is not something that is in the best interest of artists. Someone else getting paid for your work??? I disagree with the time stipulation. That ammendment should have been made before it went to the House for vote.
From House.gov>lieu>lieu.house.gov>files:
Overview of the Music Modernization Act
The bill reforms the music licensing landscape in four main dimensions.
Section 115 Reform
This section of the bill ends the bulk Notice of Intent (NOI) process through the Copyright Office, which can prevent songwriters from being compensated or compensated in a timely manner for uses of their works.
Under the Music Modernization Act, the digital services would fund a Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), and, in turn, be granted blanket mechanical licenses for interactive streaming or digital downloads of musical works. The MLC would be governed by publishers and self-published songwriters. The MLC would address the challenges digital services face today when attempting to match songwriters and publishers with recordings.
The bill would also create business efficiencies for the digital services by providing a transparent and publicly accessible database housing song ownership information. Additionally, because the database would publicly identify songs that have not been matched to songwriters and/or publishers, publishers would also be able to claim the rights to songs and get paid for those songs. Songwriters and publishers would also be granted an audit right, which they don’t currently have under Section 115.
Willing Buyer/Willing Seller Standard
Section 115 of the Copyright Act has regulated musical compositions since 1909—before recorded music even existed. Section 115 allows anyone to seek a compulsory license to reproduce a song in exchange for paying a statutory rate. Current law directs the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB)—the government body responsible for setting the statutory rate—to apply a legal standard to determine rates that does not reflect market value.
The Music Modernization Act replaces the current flawed legal standard with a standard that requires the court to consider free-market conditions when determining rates.
The “Wheel” Approach
Currently, ASCAP and BMI are each assigned to a single, respective rate court judge. Every case must be adjudicated before each performance rights organization’s (PRO’s) respective designated consent decree judge.
Under the Music Modernization Act, a district judge in the Southern District of New York would be randomly assigned from the wheel of district judges for rate setting disputes. The “wheel” approach would enable BMI and ASCAP, as well as licensees, to go before any judge in the Southern District of New York on a rotating basis—rather than being assigned to a single judge—for the purpose of rate setting disputes. This “wheel” approach ensures that the judge will find the facts afresh for each rate case based on the record in that particular case, without impressions derived from prior cases.
Section 114(i) Repeal
Currently, Section 114(i) of the Copyright Act forbids the federal rate courts overseeing the consent decrees that govern the two major PROs from considering certain evidence when setting performance royalty rates for songwriters and composers. The rate court judges are barred from considering sound recording royalty rates as a relevant benchmark when setting performance royalty rates for songwriters and composers. As a result, the playing field is uneven, at the expense of songwriters.
The Music Modernization Act repeals Section 114(i), moving the industry to a fairer system under which PROs and songwriters would have the opportunity to present evidence about the other facets of the music ecosystem to judges for their consideration. This repeal creates the opportunity for songwriters to obtain fairer rates for the public performances of their musical works.”
The overview of the MMA looks great; and it definitely will benefit the people who have been neglected for their works. In order to achieve success in any profession, compensation is an absolute.
To alleviate writing all of my research, let me sum it up in my own words. PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH. DO NOT JUMP ON ANY BANDWAGON. READ THE FINE PRINT. REALIZE THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF ANY BILL PASSED, WITH OR WITHOUT AMENDMENTS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOURSELF.
All artists, singers/songwriters, publishers, and producers deserve fair treatment and pay. There are many, many people that stand WITH ALL OF YOU, no matter what decisions you make. It is your livelihoods and your choices. Just remember:
“CHANGE WILL NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE CURRENT SITUATION BECOMES TOO UNCOMFORTABLE TO REMAIN THE SAME”
Are We Seeing Results?
The call for change in the country music industry, known by most as #womenwanttohearwomen, has been heard by many across the nation. Female country artists, their counterparts, fans, radio personalities and the Twitter movement are using their voices collectively to demand action. Currently, female artists barely get 15% radio airplay while male artists get at least 85%. We all know the statistics, sources and ratings that have saturated social media, but has the attention brought to this inequality actually brought change?
Some say some progress is better than no progress, so we have to acknowledge that changes are being made. Male country artists have joined in supporting this movement, and they are not doing it silently. Some radio shows are giving female artists up to 60% airplay. Many articles, blogs and well-known reporters of country music are keeping this issue relevant and in the forefront.
Fans of country music have made their opinions known. Women want to hear women and this is definitely noticeable if you look at concerts where female artists are performing. You can rest assured that more than 15% are female fans. Men are also making it known that the female artists deserve the same opportunities as the male artists. While some say they do have the same opportunities, this is simply not true. THIS IS EVIDENT BY 15% vs 85%.
My hope is that supporters of this movement do not back down. They keep taking action. They continue to saturate social media so that collective voice being heard does not diminish. Supporters must keep shining a light on this problem. Every single word, conversation, action or opinion, no matter how small you believe it is, MATTERS!!!!
This is my opinion and my support for the change the country music industry needs. The bottom line is always the dollar. Try changing things and see if your revenue increases. My thoughts are that it will.
CHANGE DOES NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE CURRENT SITUATION BECOMES TOO UNCOMFORTABLE TO REMAIN THE SAME!
The Journey Begins
Thanks for joining me!
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
Change Doesn't Occur Until the Current Situation Becomes too Uncomfortable to Remain the Same 