The Changing Music Business

This Old House, the new CD, is now available at CD Baby!! Visit the site to listen to samples and to purchase the CD.

This is really exciting. Nine years ago, when I released Going Over Home, the idea of selling CDs through an internet store was very new and was limited in scope. Now the distribution of music is changing, making it easier for independent and unsigned artists to find avenues for distribution.

In addition to buying CDs, songs are available for download. Consumers build their own music libraries to satisfy their own tastes. Music is no longer a product; it's a service. The consumer, not the record company, is in control. And I like that.

So download songs, buys CDs, stock up on the music that you like. It's a new day in an exciting, wonderful, changing world!

The New CDs Are Here!

This Old House, my latest CD, arrived from the manufacturer yesterday. It's been several months since Steve (producer) and I first started pre-production, but now the finished product is stacked up in the dining room. (It will get moved, Sweetie, honest!) We invested a bit of money in doing this, and now we see the results.

After the time and money invested, and after questioning whether I should even do it, yesterday I got to open up the first one, put it in the CD player and decide if it was worth it.

I'm proud of it. It's a good piece of work, if I say so myself. Steve did a great job of production, not letting me settle for good enough. We worked really well together, and I look forward to doing another project with him, although the first priority is distribution of this one.

That said, here comes the commercial.

Do you need a last minute Christmas gift? This Old House is available on my web site, www.goingoverhome.com. On the site, you can also listen to samples. There are some full-length songs on my MySpace page, and on the latest music site I've found, ezFolk.com.

If you like the music, the CDs make a great gift. If you don't, they make great coasters!

We now return to our regularly scheduled program.

I hope you'll stop by the site and give a listen. If you're moved to buy a CD, thank you. Either way, I hope you find something in it that makes you say, "That's all right."

A Following of Friends

Last night in Indianapolis, the storm that dumped a foot of snow on St. Louis was pouring rain over Indy. I was booked to play at Boulevard Place Cafe, and the weather had me believing that it would be a short show. "Nobody's going to come out on a night like this," I thought.

But what to my wondering eyes should appear, but most of the members of Roots and Branches, a Disciples pastor from Anderson with her husband and some folks from Middletown. Not only had these folks come out, but they'd made an hour's drive through nasty weather to be there.

We had a great time, probably the most fun show I've done in years. Everybody sang along, and the four-part harmony on Marching to Zion was, well, heavenly. I don't know if I'll be able to do that song without a choir again.

What a wonderful thing friendship is! Everyone told me how much they enjoyed the music, and I know they were sincere.

I recall the story that ends with a young boy telling his teacher, "Long walk part of gift." I received a special gift last night, and I don't know how to begin to say "Thank you."

Blessings,
Dean