"Imagine what a harmonious world it could be if every single person,
both young and old, shared a little of what he is good at doing." -- Quincy Jones The Music Mall is the epicenter of the music business. This is the place where people gather to create and document their musical expressions. Not all music made here is good. Matter of fact, most of it is quite average. Only a very small percentage is universally considered great - and of these, a smaller percentage actually makes it to the ears of it's admirers. Music is a gift of God - but there is a vast majority that shouldn't be given Him the blame. The results are documented in various forms: records (33 ⅓, 45s), cassettes and 8-tracks (in throwback days), digital downloads, CDs, and videos today. A few magical recordings have become greater than the sum of their parts and have grown to have a life of their own. But I believe that the true essence of music is not just about records, CDs, videos and digital downloads - it's about people. People expressing in their creative zone - speaking the language of music. ...So listen.
There are many people here: people who produce the music, people who market and promote the music, people who distribute the music, and of course, the people who write and perform the music. It is primarily the latter group that we will explore here. I have been around people who make music most of my life, and for this my life is richer. For all admirers of music, weather you are in the business, a fan, a professional musician or a weekend warrior, these stories are sure to warm your heart, give you heartburn, and possibly make you laugh out loud. Enjoy! -Ralph Burnett "'Studio musician' .. to us, there were no grander words in the English language than these" - Walter Becker, Donald Fagen (Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic) "If you smile, you stay around awhile; if you pout, you're out!" - Hal Blaine (The Wrecking Crew) |