The Yukon makes moments...

I was recently in Whitehorse Yukon. Amy Wolter and I were there working with some of the top bands in Whitehorse. The bands we worked with will be showcasing at the WCMA's next month. We had the privilege to spend 3 hours of one-on-one rehearsal and than working with all 8 bands the last day.

The diversity in music was very intriguing. We had everything from Folk, Pop, Rock to Rap! The one thing that I wanted to emphasize was that rules never changed. Each genre of music had the same goal...an emotional connection with the audience. Working with the rap artist really helped reinforce that. We had no instruments to work with, no back up singers, nothing to manipulate other than the rapper himself (Kelvin Smolers)!

Every artist had to find a way to create a connection. We had singer songwriters with either a piano or guitar, we had full bands in costumes! I was once again reminded of the simplicity of our goal. Create Moments, Capture and Engage, and see lives moved to change by the power of your music...by the power of the CONNECTION. Tom explains this so well - check out this DVD Series: ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE STAGE The DVD series is the most comprehensive in the industry. No one else explains our reason for performing like Tom does. No one can give you the insight as to why and HOW we do what we do as musicians.

Without an emotional connection there is no way we can communicate our music to it's fullest potential! I relearned that while working in the Yukon! We do not hit the stage to play music!! We hit the stage to connect with a group of people, the method for this is the music!! I challenge you to take off your musicians hat and place it to the side while putting on the hat of a performer. Allow yourself to be transformed into a communicator, a story teller, an emotional conduit! Allow your audience to feel what you felt when you were stirred to write the song, or the feeling you had when you decided to sing that song!

Tom always says, " People do not buy songs, they buy moments!" GO CREATE MOMENTS!!!

Kevin Pauls

Please!! Do not use that 4 letter word!!!

WORK!!!! There I said it! This is worse than a swear word to many artists...now you might think I am overstating it. Not all artists are lazy! I am not saying that artists are lazy at all (Well than Kevin, what are you saying??) Thanks for asking!!

I work with artist's that are signed to a major label, have #1 hits, and are just starting out...and the same issues are there. They often think they are working, but they are focused on what they like...They love to "work" on the music, the chords, the beat, the tempo, the lyrics...the MUSIC...Artist's often think they are working...but when you cut through all the smoke and mirrors you find they are continuing to "work" on what they like...not what they need! The tedious nature of repeating and going over the same thing and making sure the entire band knows their roles, their placements, the arrangement change...this is the WORK!! Once you are happy with your show...once you think you like the live arrangement of the tunes and how it is looking...you now need to play the show in rehearsal...10, 20, 50 times!! This needs to become second nature. This kind of rehearsal is called "muscle memory". When the nerves kick in, and when the monitors go down, when the lights don't work, when you lose focus you need to have your muscle memory. You need to build a show that will play itself! If you know the show cold, when you have a bad day, the show will still work, because your muscle memory will take over! If you have a great show, but dont work it until it becomes second nature...when the nerves kick in you will return to what you always did.

I know this sounds like a blanket statement, and it can also sound a little harsh. I do not mean to be unkind, but I want to shed the myth. The MUSIC is not the only thing...The music needs to be communicated. The best band in the world playing the best music - without focusing on how it is "landing" on the audience will not be heard by the masses. In fact, the only people that get that kind of performance...is other musicians - and we all know that they never buy your music or pay to see you perform!!

Now let me clarify...The music is VERY important, the ability to play is VERY important...BUT the MOST IMPORTANT THING = did the audience get it!!!

So, once you know the music, you have to spend time WORKING on the show!! Rehearsal must take on a new look. Watch the Tom Jackson Videos

You need to take the time to rehearse the show, not just the songs. If you do have great musicianship, and great songs...combined with a GREAT show...this will equal - UNSTOPPABLE!!

Work on your show...Work on your show!!! Create moments and make fans...THAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO WORK ON!!