JoMusik sponsoring, judging, performing at Texas Independent Music Expo

November is here and time for the Texas Independent Music Expo http://texasindependentmusicexpo.com/ Jo-Musik will be there as a sponsor and I'll be judging and performing at 4:30-short set. Special Thanks to Lisa Byrn for putting it on. Lots of bands, exhibitors, and seminars. Come on down!

Open Heart Musicals has a new musical in production "Land Of The Lost And Found"-look for it early next year. http://openheartmusicals.com  

I've been co-writing and producing a number of tunes with Roger Russel-check the new music folder. Featuring fiddle on some by Mike Horn, steel on some by Larry White, and so far-all sung by yours truly.

Time flying by

My how time flies-our summer camp was a great success and produced a pretty cool tune by the participants. I spent Saturday morning at the Rodeo City Music Hall in Mesquite-a great venue for up and coming singers and even for some already there singers. It is under new ownership, and they are auditioning everyone that wants to perform or has in the past. They have added a live band, to put them on par with the other Showcase venues in town. Should be a great new beginning. I was judging the auditions, and saw some very good singers. And it's on the east side, as is JO-MUSIK.

I haven't written any news since we went to Atlanta for the Dove awards. We (OPEN HEART MUSICALS) did not win, but the nomination was quite an honor, and it was a great show. There is a new musical in the works-we will soon be hunting for talent to do the CD. Several clients have been having some good movement on their tunes-Roger Russell and Andrew Boyer have had half a dozen tunes chart or get radio play in several places-even England. Russell Willard is in for a new EP.

I have been doing a lot of work with various members of Dallas Songwriters-lots of good stuff coming out of there! In this self promoting Indie World, It makes since to have some professional help somewhere along the production line. I am going to make an effort to go on Facebook more than once a month, to help promote all the great talent I get to see and work with. And maybe get out the news every month! Keep an eye on the new music folder on the music page of this website.

Full house for our workshop

We had our workshop - SO YOU WROTE A SONG, NOW WHAT? Had a full house and a great time. Greg Alan's tune, LETS GO MAKE SOME is moving up the Texas Charts-at # 78 this week. Go Greg! Recorded, produced, and most parts played by yours truly!

Robert Baitinger,  a client from Germany, has found a label and will release tunes from his Helping Hands album. I will be the featured artist on the first release-Desperate Moves. Thanks, Robert. A very good month so far.

2 Summer camps coming up, and more...

We will be doing 2 summer camps this year-have not yet set the dates. I encourage writers and artists to come on in and work on those songs-we will help you finish them as well as record and produce them. No need to wait for summer.

There has been some great talent coming through. Country Artist Greg Alan cut 5 tunes. Just heard 1 of them-"Lets Go Make Some" is charting. Its up on my music page.

Dalton Rapattoni and Fly Away Hero cut 5 tunes in December-Great young band, and Dalton is currently in LA working on tunes for Simon Fullers Boy Band project. Working on a CD for a Christian vocal group called Evergreen-5 talented female singers and some great tunes.

I will be judging the pop and rock catagory for Dallas Songwriters Assc. song contest-get you submissions in now. It is one of the older and more established contests-good one to enter! Looking for some votes for our play "Whats Up Zak" to get a nomination for the Gospel Music Association Dove awards. If your a member, vote for us-catagory 5. Check out http://openheartmusicals.com.

Not last or least, I cut 20 new tunes for my mother, Genia Milton. She is 84, and still an amazing piano and organ player. Check out WFAA's recent story on her.

2010 - What a great year

Lots has happened in 2010

First off- I had the good fortune of meeting a wonderful and talented woman named Kim Ingram, who brought me on board to do the music for some songs to a Christian children's play she had written. After an inspiring performance at her church, she decided to do another, and we again collaborated on the songs.

"Whats Up Zak", the second one, was published almost immediately, which involved a huge recording of the entire play, both music and dialogue. Experience in film and TV sure did help me during the recording process. With the extraordinary success of "Whats Up Zak", we revisited the first play, which was renamed "Breaking News-Baby Born In Bethlehem", and was picked up by Kimpke's and JW Pepper publishing before the recording was even finished. Now we are "Open Heart Musicals", and we have a wonderful group of young and very young singers, who are being heard around the country, and hopefully, the world. Visit http://openheartmusicals.com and have a listen.

Amber Carrington from Rockwall did a great job singing all the guide tracks for "Breaking News" and parts in most all the songs. She is also featured on one of my songs, "I Wont Cry" which is on the music page.

2010 has brought a lot of younger talent to Jo-Musik, not only to record, but also for help in song development. We offered 2 summer camps this year-songwriting and production, and studio recording for singers. We are just beginning to offer an ongoing artist workshop which combines songwriting, production, and recording with some guitar, piano and voice.