Author Archives: Mike
Author Archives: Mike
Mike Ragogna: Do you have any advice for other artists starting out in this business? Jimmy Webb: Go home! (laughs) Just kidding. You need to have a lot of material and you need to spread it around. You also need to make as many contacts as you can, because I would say 90% of my […]
Continue readingMike Ragogna: What advice do you have for new artists? Allen Toussaint: If you love what you do, do it every day. And learn that there’s no such thing as defeat. Any report you get, whether favorable or unfavorable, is a part of this process. Just stick with it and it will work. Your day […]
Continue readingMike Ragogna: How do you feel about tonight’s adventure? John Bettis: Oh, I’m extremely excited. I brought my kids along with me so they can finally figure out what I do for a living. (laughs) MR: What advice would you give to a new artist? JB: These days? Really stay true to yourself. That has […]
Continue readingMike Ragogna: How does it feel to be at such a gathering to honor some of our great songwriters? Billy Joel: I think it’s great. I’ve done this a couple of times now. Songwriters don’t always get the recognition they deserve, and that’s actually the toughest part of the job. MR: What was your reaction […]
Continue readingMike Ragogna: How does it feel to be making your debut as chairman of the Songwriters Hall Of Fame? Jimmy Webb: It’s great. I’m very honored. MR: How long will your term as chairman last? JW: It lasts as long as I last. (laughs) In the history of the Songwriters Hall Of Fame there have […]
Continue readingMike Ragogna: What’s your advice for new artists? Cousin Brucie: The very first thing I would say is never give up. There’s an Elvis Presley song that was one of my favorites that says, “Go follow that dream,” and I believe you should. There are times when it’s gonna be tempting to give up and […]
Continue readingMike Ragogna: What would be your advice for a new artist? Neil Portnow: Well, new artists have to be focused on honing the craft. But the most important thing to an artist is to have a vision and a sense of themselves–who you are, what you want to say, what your approach is to things. […]
Continue readingMike Ragogna: Sam, what advice would you give to new artists? Sam Moore: Stay away from pornographic material when you’re writing. Take the time to write about love, peace and happiness, no more hatred or bullying. Put your energy into something that makes us want to listen. People don’t write that way anymore, but hopefully, […]
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