Matt 'Songbird' Jones at NYC's Sidewalk Cafe Matt Jones visited New York City for the first time in a long time over the weekend, and before he came, he’d arranged a gig at Sidewalk Café on the Lower East Side.
So how did a singer/songwriter performing gigs in Fort Worth, Texas, get on a New York stage? Matt had a pretty simple answer: “I just kept bugging them.”
Actually, it only seems simple. Because he really didn’t mean that. “Bugging” equals “aggravating” in my book, and that’s exactly what Matt did not do. He was appropriate, focused and persistent.
Let’s look at each of those because this is the three-step process to put anyone on the right creative track.
Appropriate--Songbird Jones is a popular singer/songwriter in Texas. He leans toward country but it’s an indie crossover kind of country. So he wasn’t asking to do a trained dog act at Sidewalk. He fit the venue. Don’t waste your time going for auditions or submitting your material where it doesn’t “fit the venue.” I promise, when a contest or a call for work says, “Hip, Barrier-Breaking, Punk Rock Musicals Wanted” . . . I don’t submit.
Focused—Matt knew what he had and what he wanted. He had a free night in NYC. He had shared a Texas stage with our mutual singing/songwriting friend Sandel. And he wanted to play here. She had played at the Sidewalk. So he zeroed in and the venue and went through the process.
Persistent—And went through, and went through, and went through the process. He made his contacts and stayed on them. It was neither fast nor easy. They have a lot of people who want on that stage. A lot of them really don't have the talent to be wanting there. Matt did. Some those that do don't have the "stick with it." Matt did. And not all of them get on stage. Matt did. And it was a great night for Matt, Sidewalk and the audience. Win-win-win.
Give it a try. Figure out—among all the opportunities for you—where you fit. Narrow down what you’ll go for. Then go for it.
OK. That’s it and that’s enough.
So how did a singer/songwriter performing gigs in Fort Worth, Texas, get on a New York stage? Matt had a pretty simple answer: “I just kept bugging them.”
Actually, it only seems simple. Because he really didn’t mean that. “Bugging” equals “aggravating” in my book, and that’s exactly what Matt did not do. He was appropriate, focused and persistent.
Let’s look at each of those because this is the three-step process to put anyone on the right creative track.
Appropriate--Songbird Jones is a popular singer/songwriter in Texas. He leans toward country but it’s an indie crossover kind of country. So he wasn’t asking to do a trained dog act at Sidewalk. He fit the venue. Don’t waste your time going for auditions or submitting your material where it doesn’t “fit the venue.” I promise, when a contest or a call for work says, “Hip, Barrier-Breaking, Punk Rock Musicals Wanted” . . . I don’t submit.
Focused—Matt knew what he had and what he wanted. He had a free night in NYC. He had shared a Texas stage with our mutual singing/songwriting friend Sandel. And he wanted to play here. She had played at the Sidewalk. So he zeroed in and the venue and went through the process.
Persistent—And went through, and went through, and went through the process. He made his contacts and stayed on them. It was neither fast nor easy. They have a lot of people who want on that stage. A lot of them really don't have the talent to be wanting there. Matt did. Some those that do don't have the "stick with it." Matt did. And not all of them get on stage. Matt did. And it was a great night for Matt, Sidewalk and the audience. Win-win-win.
Give it a try. Figure out—among all the opportunities for you—where you fit. Narrow down what you’ll go for. Then go for it.
OK. That’s it and that’s enough.
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