The music industry is constantly changing. With the decrease in CD sales and increase in the number of aspiring artists, it's often difficult for musicians to continue making music.
On the up side, there are some incredible resources available to teach musicians what they need to know to succeed in this challenging, but rewarding, industry.
For the second year in a row, members of The Recording Academy (GRAMMYs) are coming to Utah for Summer Jam West. These industry professionals recognize the abundance of talent in Utah and will be spending August 12–14 sharing the tools and knowledge musicians need to succeed.
I attended last year's workshop and came away inspired and anxious to put what I'd learned to use. The entire time I was in awe that for 55 bucks I got three jam-packed days of invaluable information from some of the best in the industry. Because of grant money from the city of South Jordan, they have been able to keep the cost low. It's rare to find a deal like that with such quality attached — which is why I'm writing this article. I want every musician in Utah whose heart is really in music to know about Summer Jam, so they can take advantage of this opportunity.
A few years ago Bobbi Hansen, founder of Summer Jam West, envisioned a workshop that would help musicians find the information and connections they need to make the most of their talent.
Hansen spent years on tour in a band with her husband. She noticed that many talented musicians in the Salt Lake area didn't know the business or have the resources to know how to succeed.
Hansen's daughter Kole (the co-director of Summer Jam) said, "I have seen a lot of success and a lot of failure. I was told that there was nowhere to play in Utah and that the music scene was garbage here. In the last year I performed nearly 100 shows locally and survived without a real job. Now I am eager to help teach others how I did (it)..."
Summer Jam will feature a variety of classes on touring, social media, building your fanbase, production, copyrights, legal advice, stage presence and more. Chaotic Moon's chief technology officer Whurley (William Hurley) from Austin, Texas, will be presenting on social media. Local celebrities Dean Kaelin (David Archuleta's voice coach) and performer Alex Boye will teach classes, as will many other industry professionals.
"You need this information in today's world," Bobbi said.
If I could jet back to Utah for this, I would do it in a heartbeat. Summer Jam West 2010 will be a launching pad for all attendees and a chance to learn from the best of the best.
For more information or to sign up, visit summerjamwest.com.