A songwriter or singer about to record a demo or CD intended either to garner industry attention or for direct sale to the public needs to be cognizant of this: not all producer’s are created equal. Some producer’s do little more than manage a recording session and take whatever is given them from the musicians and the vocalist. They may do a decent mix and create a CD that sounds professional. But in my opinion that is not producing, at least in most cases. Sure, there are times when an artist has a voice and style where staying out of the way and simply capturing the magic is the right approach. But most singers, songwriters and bands, even though they may be highly talented, are not unique enough to garner a deal as-is. It’s the producer’s job to bring it out.
I’m going to toss out a few names: Dolly Parton, Neil Young, Jennifer Nettles, Louie Armstrong, Michael McDonald, Josh Turner…If you hear any of them on your radio, you instantly recognize who they are. Know this, if you can’t create that same kind of instant identity, you are not very likely to get signed to a recording contract- you’ll be one of hundreds of soundalikes vying for that same deal- and if you do get signed, your latest pair of shoes my well outlast your career.
