Saturday, July 29, 2006

Sherman Responds To Requests For Suggestions About Memphis Music

A few weeks ago, in response to our post about the contract with the Memphis Grizzlies to build the FedExForum, we had a spirited conversation with readers about whether the agreement was a victory for Memphis (we voted yes). As part of that discussion, Sherman, who expressed his concerns about misplaced priorities such as music, was asked what he would do if he were in charge of Memphis Music.

Sherman Willmott’s answer was posted recently as a comment to our original commentary, but since it was awhile back, we’re repeating it here also to make sure the people who asked for his opinions see this. Obviously, these are Sherman's opinions and not necessarily this blog's.

To read his response, click comments for this post.

2 comments:

Smart City Consulting said...

Author’s note: These are my ideas on how to improve (and increase the revenue of) the Memphis music industry. For the past 17 years, I have worked in music retail; wholesale; distribution; promotion; booking; music tourism; running one of the most prolific record labels in Memphis since the days of Stax & Hi (40th release coming out this fall!) as well as publishing. I have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars of my own money into a Memphis record label and the Memphis music business. I have seen a lot of ridiculous ideas fail and a few good ones thrive in Memphis. The following opinions are not ones that have been tossed out idly without any basis. They are deeply rooted in my observations for the whole of my adult life of the Memphis market as it relates to itself as well as the world music industry. They have been shared in written form several times with the Memphis Music Commission. I have never seen any of these ideas implemented by the various commissions in their 7 or 8 year existence. My company has seen no benefit from--nor does it expect to-- Memphis Music Commission/Foundation activity.

How to Make the Memphis Music Pie Bigger

The music business has changed quite a bit since the day when Memphis was on top of the music world in the 1950’s, 1960’s, and early 1970’s. Historically, sales of 78’s, 45’s, and lp’s by artists or bands from Memphis on small, independent labels based in Memphis constituted the basis for the Memphis music industry, making Memphis internationally renowned in the world of music. Record sales did two things: 1) made Memphis known worldwide for its studio output, and 2) allowed the artists with the biggest sales to become national and international recording and touring stars. All of this history is fine and good, but the Memphis music “industry” no longer works that way. What Memphis needs to understand is how to grow its current music business as it has been crawling back from its deep malaise in the late 70’s and early 80’s since 1990.

Understanding exactly what comprises the current state of the Memphis music business helps to envision where scarce financial resources should or could be implemented. The Memphis music business is about live music and the people who consume it--along with beer, alcohol, meals in restaurants, hotel rooms, rental cars, and shopping. Once one understands and acknowledges this premise, then one can understand why Memphis should concentrate on improving its live music infrastructure and amenities in order to continue to build and grow the Memphis music industry. The wrong and often tried paradigm - especially in the last 20 years in Memphis - of trying to get major labels or “hot” producers to move to Memphis or trying to get Memphis acts signed to major labels--is mere fool’s gold for anyone trying to build a long-lasting business model in Memphis music.

The Memphis Music “industry” should recognize these changes and adapt a program accordingly. Currently, the money in the national music industry is spent on a relatively small number of acts that are hand-picked by the major labels, which are owned by huge multi-national corporations. These labels move their promotional machines behind their artist’s cd/mp3 and do expensive marketing and crossover promotions with their young artists with whom they have signed the lowest royalty rates. The “industry” has very little to do, proportionally dollarwise, with recording music any more, and everything to do with expensive cross-promotions by these major corporations: “If you put our band on your fast food cup, we’ll pay advertising for your burger chain…” etc. Studios are not where the money is made in the national industry anymore.

Where is the money made in the Memphis music industry? Hotels, restaurants, bars, instrument shops, record stores, beer distributors, and radio stations, as well as other media outlets that sell advertising for the Memphis music heard in the clubs, theaters, and concert halls. Far more money is made in Memphis in the live music industry than in the studio or record label industry. Studios have become commoditized. Currently there are probably over 500 recording studios in Memphis - around 30 or so commercially available - and none of them are booked full-time. Most of the commercial studios are available at steeply discounted rates whenever an artist or label needs the service.

One busy night at a Memphis nightclub can contribute far more dollars to the Memphis music business than a two-week session at a Memphis recording studio. The upcoming Tom Waits show is a perfect example of this. Expect at least 20 percent of the concert-goers to be driving (or flying) in to Memphis for the weekend. 600 people will be paying for hotel rooms for at least one night, possibly two or three. 600 people will be buying drinks all weekend. 600 people will be buying two or three meals a day. 600 people will be shopping in Memphis stores for the weekend. 600 people will be buying gas or renting cars here. 600 people will be spending money in Memphis who otherwise would be spending their money in another city except for the fact that the Orpheum booked the concert in Memphis.

Do the math. How much money do you think those 600 people will spend in Memphis that weekend? Far more than the impact of a $100,000 studio recording budget, which would be a pretty damn rare event these days anyway. Once one understands the vastly greater potential for live music dollars than making money through traditional music business paradigms, then one can understand how to improve the music business in Memphis.

How does this business work? Music fans come to Memphis to see and hear live music. They fly or drive in (plane tickets/cab fare or gas in town), book a room at a Memphis hotel, buy meals at Memphis restaurants, buy cover charges and drinks from the club, buy a t-shirt or cd from the band at the show, buy records at Memphis record stores, visit Sun Studio/Graceland/Stax/Gibson/RocknSoul/Civil Rights/Brooks/etc. That in a nutshell is the Memphis music business. The studio and record label business pales in comparison to the beer sales and cover charges clubs make. D. Canale and Jack Daniels are making far more money off the Memphis music industry than Young Ave. Sound.

This music business theory is no different than the premise that hosting large soccer tournaments for youth teams creates far more business than having a professional soccer team in Memphis. Enhancing the music scene costs a whole lot less than trying to convince or incentivize major labels to move to Memphis. Memphis already has the infrastructure of the clubs, hotels, and great musicians/bands in place.

In order to take advantage and improve this growing business, Memphis should do a few things to enhance the market.

1) Build (and Maintain!) a Great Website for Memphis Music events. Update it and keep it accurate. The closest example in Memphis is www.memphismojo.com or www.livefrommemphis.com, but these are privately-owned resources that need investment to improve the offerings and keep them current. Live from Memphis has the added bonus of promoting live footage of Memphis music as well as maintaining as complete a database of Memphis musicians and production resources as there is - a unique website for sure. This is the cheapest, most economical way to promote Memphis music, and it has been unbelievable to watch the Music Commission not work with this established organization.

2) Create a Satellite Radio Station Broadcasting Memphis Music/Events and
Incorporate Blues Caravan.
Broadcast from either Stax Museum, S. Main, Chisca Hotel, Sun Studio, or some other major Memphis music icon (Worst case scenario, have it on Beale St, where original Memphis music used to be heard and was made popular throughout the world in the 1930’s, 40’s, and 50’s). Play all genres of Memphis music 24 hours a day, continuously promoting and broadcasting Memphis music & cultural events to the world. Hire Memphis icons like Sam the Sham, Wayne Jackson, Sid Selvidge, Cody Dickinson, Al Kapone, Buck Wilders, etc., to d.j. (This idea could work with less impact as a Web Radio Station broadcasting Memphis Music/Events). This is the #1 initiative to promote Memphis music worldwide. Memphis does not need an “oldies” station; it needs the best of the past, present, and future.

3) Create a Nationally Distributed Memphis Soul Stew Television Show a la Austin City Limits—with Blues Caravan, possibly at Orpheum, Beale St., Cannon Center, etc. Live performances as well as feature pieces a la Behind the Music or Biography. Possibly work with WKNO or Library Channel studio (Cost estimated: weekly show--$750,000 (30 shows x $25,000); monthly show $480,000 (12 shows x $40,000)) Syndicate nationally/internationally with BBC. Broadcast from website. Not a valentine to the good ole days featuring past icons, but a hip show that presents the best of the past, present, and future.

4) Increase the Number of Live Music Options. Improve the budgets of current music events.

a) Boost current live music events/festivals to new levels by increasing budgets. Amounts as small as $5,000-10,000 would increase the quality of virtually every event already on the Memphis music events calendar.
Current Events/Festivals on the Memphis Music Calendar:
Blues Foundation Talent Competition—January
Naras Event or Awards Festival—March/early April
Memphis in May BBQ Fest—May
Memphis in May Music Festival—April/May Adding a second weekend (or 3rd or 4th) would be much better
Handy Awards—May
Dixon Garden Concert Series—Summer
WEVL Blues on the Bluff—July/August
WLOK Stone Soul Picnic—July
4th of July—Tom Lee Park & Shelby Farms
The Edgefest/Art Farm—August
Cooper-Young Festival—September
Center for Southern Folklore Festival—September
A Taste of Mid-Town—October
Arts in the Park—October
Indie Memphis Film Festival—October
New Year’s Eve—December
Elvis week (August)
Elvis birthday (January)

Give the above events more resources to book more local bands, better regional bands, and the occasional national acts to complement the overall event. By building up the smaller events, Memphis will continue to create stronger, more consistent (at least once a month, and ideally, far more often) reasons for people to come to Memphis and spend money on a more regular basis. Do this once or twice a month and the tourism market will see an incredible boost. Memphis becomes a “happening” music town when people can count on some sort of music event every weekend in which they come to Memphis. During the day, visitors will go to Sun Studio, Graceland, Rock ‘N Soul Museum, and the Stax Museum (as well as other retail shops, art galleries, museums, zoo, etc.). At night they will go hear music in the clubs or concert halls. Remember, Memphis is competing with Disney World, the NFL, Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville, and museum attractions in other cities for visitor’s attention and dollars. Memphis needs to offer the best music package possible to compete with other cities. There should be at least one strong, quality music event every month to attract visitors—many more if possible.

With the exception of Memphis in May Music Festival and the BBQ Festival, these are small events which could become much bigger. There are other smaller events, not listed here, which could become bigger as well. Other events could and should be created in off-season months (January, February, July, August, and November/December need more music events) to enhance the slower seasons. This work would take the drive of an aggressive music promoter, but the rewards would be visitors who could always count on music happenings in Memphis—all year round.

The Folk Music Alliance gathering in Memphis in February, 1996, was a huge, much-needed boost to the usually slow February visitor season. This music convention will return in February, 2007, for what should be another banner music-related event for Memphis, Memphis clubs, and Memphis retailers, restaurants, and hotels. This event is an example of the type of event that a strong Music Commission could help recruit to permanently host in Memphis. Hosting events like these in slow seasons like February increases the value of the event to Memphis since business is normally down then.

For all of these events, spend resources communicating with and attracting the vast numbers of media music and travel writers and reporters who will readily come to Memphis given a musical opportunity or excuse. The publicity Memphis generates through embracing the media becomes a massive payoff in national/international tourist awareness of Memphis thus creating new visitors to Memphis.

b) Create new music events/festivals for off-season activity in January, February, March, August

c) Create world-class Memphis Hip/Hop, Gospel, Blues, Rockabilly, and Soul/R&B Festivals (or tie in more intensely with Helena, Arkansas, or even Clarksdale, MS. Blues festivals) All of these genres emanated, thrived, or are known to be heavily based in Memphis. Why are there no major festivals featuring these genres here? Each of these genres has its own distinct, different fan base. Bringing diverse groups of music fans to Memphis for each different festival increases the income for the city. Book music symposiums, book signings, special tours and events around each music festival--as the Ponderosa Stomp did in May and South x Southwest has done with its new music festival in Austin.

d) Add a 2nd weekend to Memphis in May Music Festival a la New Orleans Jazz Festival. The current Memphis in May music festival is broken. Instead of enhancing Memphis in May, Memphis as a music destination, or the Memphis in May music festival itself, the bookers have been aiming for the lowest common denominator music fan for several years. The bookers have been more concerned with not losing money than with taking chances and making the festival an international destination like Jazzfest is in New Orleans. Their idea seems to be, “If it rains, folks from Arkansas will still drive up for the day, drink beer in the rain, and watch Styx or .38 Special and then go home.” If the festival were booked with a better quality of music in mind, the fans would come from all over the world (and have!) and be here rain or shine. This selling of Memphis short hurts the long-term viability of the festival.

A major overhaul is necessary. I would recommend, at the very least, making the festival two weekends in a row to give people two great weekends to choose to come (or stay the whole week in between, which is normally down time for hotels). Ideally, the festival would spread the budget (and the music) out over four or five weekends beginning in late April, booking a better quality of reggae, world, blues, folk, alternative, jazz, Afro-Cuban, etc., mixed in with the best of Memphis’ talent.

Memphis’ downtown would be better served having the music spread out over the month rather than this one-and-done, wham-bam, let’s-fill-up-the-park-and-destroy-it-with-drunks-one-weekend-thank you ma’am approach. The risk of one wet weekend ruining the festival would be diminished. The ruination of most of downtown for Memphis residents for one whole weekend would no longer be an issue. Overall, Memphis would increase its income if the music were to be spread out over 4 weekends of quality, smaller concerts. (Make one weekend Memphis hip-hop, the next Memphis gospel, the next Memphis blues, the next Memphis Soul/R&B, then Memphis rockabilly…that’s just one idea. You get four or five different music fans coming to town). If the festival is taken to the next level, people will come from all over the world to visit Memphis and spend money. If it stays as it is, they will drive home to Osceola after getting drunk in the mud and spend zero dollars in Memphis. Memphis in May is not enhancing the Memphis music industry.

5) Create an environment where “local” music is not a bad word. Memphis bands need radio play to be successful. The almost complete dearth of Memphis music heard on commercial radio has been a stranglehold on a potentially major business that could be thriving in the Memphis market. Blame it on Clear Channel radio station consolidation; payola; poor understanding of the market; or whatever scapegoat you want, but the lack of radio play for current Memphis music has held the Memphis music industry back. Memphis radio has not understood nor caught up with the revitalized new legion of Memphis music that is currently thriving on independent labels and in Memphis clubs—as well as on satellite radio stations and clubs and stages all over the world (Has one Memphis commercial radio station played the new Cat Power record, which was recorded at Ardent Records in Memphis last summer with some of the hottest Memphis musicians? The band is one of the hottest tickets in alternative rock ‘n roll these days. Cat Power & the Memphis Rhythm Band features some of the best Memphis musicians going and has been on David Letterman, headlined Coachella and Bonaroo Festivals, played on the BBC-TV as well as theaters in N.Y. and London and is receiving critical acclaim from stages all over the world, but they are not even heard on Memphis radio!)

A major awareness campaign must be undertaken immediately to convince skeptical radio programmers why it is great business to promote Memphis music on the Memphis airwaves. This needs to be done publicly in a grassroots/billboard/bumper sticker campaign and privately behind the scenes by taking program directors and key advertisers to lunches and educating the often from-out-of-town programmers who do not understand the market here and why playing Memphis music on air is good business. If bands can sell enough cds from Memphis radio play to help build a bigger base, then they can start touring regionally and nationally with the sales from the Memphis market aiding their tours.

A corollary to all of this is that the Memphis Arts Council, a major funder of the arts and one which has ignored non-classical Memphis music funding for my entire life, needs to understand that Memphis music is an art. Memphis music needs to be incorporated into their long-term budgeting as well as their live art displays, openings, and events. Much like the controversial UrbanArt budget, which has allowed art projects to be incorporated into new public architectural projects, live music needs to be budgeted into the fabric of Memphis lifestyle if Memphis is to grow its music industry.

There should be live music at the airport greeting visitors every day. There should be live music outdoors in the South Main arts district every Friday evening. There should be live music in the Pepsi Pavilion (formerly W.C. Handy Park) every day. The Overton Park Shell should have live music three or more nights a week. There should be live music at the proposed Beale Street Landing every weekend. The Arts Council needs to step up to the plate on Memphis music, if only to engage its wealthy patrons to hire more Memphis bands for their private parties. Memphis musicians need more opportunities to ply their trade. This is not charity work for musicians; having Memphis music permeate the culture makes Memphis a greater destination internationally and pays off when competing for tourist dollars. For the corporate folks who don’t get it, having Memphis music played live everywhere helps to “brand” Memphis as the music capital of the world.

Finally, the Memphis Convention and Visitor’s Bureau needs to catch up to the 21st century and begin ardently promoting current Memphis music and musicians. The MCVB has made a nice living for the past 15 years promoting Memphis’ incredible heritage of the 20th century. It is time for them to change gears and begin promoting what is happening now with the untouchable coffers they receive from the hotel tax. A great example of how the MCVB could step up would be by financially supporting the company that has done more to promote Memphis’ current arts scene worldwide in the last five years than any other group: the Live from Memphis people. Not only have they been promoting live music and arts events, but they also made the best promotional tool Memphis has seen in years: the My Memphis tv show, paid out of the pockets of the company, but benefiting tourism, Chamber of Commerce, Downtown stakeholders, etc.

These two organizations, Memphis Arts Council and MCVB, have large honey pots of money and are not supporting and promoting the current Memphis music renaissance as they should be. If Memphis is to increase its music business, then these two organizations, with all of their taxpayer funding, need to step up and get with the times.

All of these ideas and events would emphasize (and benefit) Memphis music and Memphis musicians—past, present, and future—but would also build more toward the future musicians than the past. Also, hosting the events with quality promotion by the various entities putting on the festivals will greatly enhance Memphis’ reputation to the music world. The increased amount of live music will enhance the likelihood of visitation for future festivals as well as focusing Memphis on potential visitor’s itineraries for the occasional weekend visit. The more gigs the current Memphis musicians have, the more incentive there is for the best musicians to live in Memphis. If the musicians can make a decent living playing in Memphis, they will stay in Memphis--or move here if they don’t already live in Memphis. Once located here, the amount of recording opportunities for the musicians/bands will naturally increase by demand/supply.

A couple of minor tweaks to the system…

6) Fix the Musician’s Health Care ProgramThe health care plan designed for Memphis musicians is a great pro-musician incentive the music commission created to get bands to be able to live in Memphis with affordable healthcare and is probably the most useful, practical program the Music Commission has ever come up with. However, if a musician cannot make at least half of their income from their music - which is the case with most Memphis musicians currently - the health care plan means nothing as the musician does not qualify for the program. To be useful, this program needs to be more amenable to the reality of working Memphis musicians.

7) Fix the public transportation situationThere is no reliable way for visitors to get around town or to mid-town clubs esp. in late night hours. Trolleys don’t get to mid-town clubs and shut down too early to be effective for late-night tourism in the downtown area. Memphis cabs don’t exist when you need them. Solving this situation for tourists would also benefit Memphians who have a mutual interest in safe, reliable late night public transportation.

So, where and how does the infrastructure of Memphis Music industry benefit from these new music platforms and programs?

The bands take their gig money and use it to (in addition to paying rent) buy new instruments and equipment, spend more money promoting their band (print shops, web sites, poster designers, etc.). When visitors from out of town hear bands they like, they buy cd’s, records, dvd’s, and t-shirts from the bands. Visitors go into record stores and spend money on their cd’s or download them from a site like I-tunes. If the band has nothing to sell, as they build up a following, the band goes into a (Memphis) studio, cuts a record, and releases the record - either with their own gig money or money from a small, independent record label. The record label spends money on design, printing, advertising, a web site and pressing the record. All of a sudden, you have a small music industry. This small, cottage industry has been growing for over 15 years and the number of independent releases from Memphis bands and labels has increased every year. With each additional strong record release, interest in Memphis music grows. As interest in Memphis music grows, major labels and major “hot” producers come scouring for talent. It is a demand driven industry. If there is interest in Memphis music, the money will come in the form of labels/producers/recording budgets etc, but the demand has to be built. It starts with the music and musicians, not by bringing in producers first.

The ripple effect of these expenditures is extraordinarily strong. Soon you have people who can actually make a living in peripheral businesses to music: printing, design, promotion, distribution, etc. This organic growth makes a big impression quickly in a city as small and insular as Memphis. The energy becomes infectious, and other people get involved when they see success of others (look at the growth of the indie film/video scene in Memphis since the success of Craig Brewer’s P&H as well as the interest in Memphis as a filming location). Other musicians see the success of Memphis musicians and bands and want to move to Memphis to become part of the creative atmosphere.

Eventually, when the “local bands” have built large followings thanks to their increased exposure at larger Memphis events, they begin touring to other cities to promote their new record they have released. They buy vans, hire a manager, and the whole band effort moves to the next level. As more bands from Memphis hit the road and spread the Memphis Sound, other musicians and creative people want to venture to Memphis to capture that feeling and become a part of something successful. More people hear these Memphis bands on the road and become curious about the Memphis Sound. They then want to visit Memphis to hear the happening music live. The cycle continues and grows. Success begets success.

As the success and national/international reach of the Memphis bands increases, more media and eventually bigger record labels will come to town to cherry-pick the vast quantities of talent. The record business can be demand driven, but that demand has to be created by hard work. The best recent example of building up demand is what the North Mississippi All-stars have done. By playing all over the country before they even released their record, they built up a demand for their music. The promotion of the band and record had been done before the record even came out. Memphis currently has a track record of several successful bands, and the media has become aware that there is a “buzz” in Memphis due to the tremendous exposure given the Memphis hip-hop/rap/blues world in recent documentaries by Martin Scorsese as well as Hustle and Flow. Memphis is a great place to visit, drink, eat, party, and see bands. After visiting Memphis, music and travel writers go home and write about how Memphis has an amazing history as well as current music scene and is a fun place to visit. Memphis receives great free publicity to bring more people to town. The cycle continues and grows. It all starts on the grassroots level by making an atmosphere that is pro-musician.

It is important to note in this formula that in addition to being a catalyst for the musicians, the Music Commission needs to be a liaison with national media (travel writers as well as music writers). When music events are created or enhanced, a strong Music Commission should work with the MCVB and the hotel industry to make sure that writers are invited, feel welcome, and receive v.i.p. treatment. The hotels should get involved for obvious reasons. When these music writers have a great visit to Memphis, see great music, and sample some great local cuisine, they will write about their experiences in Memphis nationally and internationally with major payoffs for Memphis. Currently, writers come on their own volition, but they need constant urging by the Commission to visit here more regularly. They have expense accounts for these junkets; they just need to be informed and encouraged to visit.

What Not to Do

Getting Memphis acts signed to major label deals should not be a priority for Memphis. Why? Because, outside of a few Nashville lawyers and maybe one studio and a producer from L.A., no one in Memphis really benefits long-term from a major label band signing. Once the advance from the record company is split four or five ways by the band (not much left after the fees the lawyers and managers take), the record comes out, sells nothing, and then the band is dropped by the label. Then it’s back to working at the used guitar shop for the band once that $30,000 advance is gone. Couldn’t even buy a house for such little money. With these deals, the long-term effect on the Memphis industry is nil. If bands build up their following as Lucero and North Mississippi All-Stars have—as well as others—creating a fan base with demand for recordings, there will be no shortage of record labels - both big and small - wanting to put out their records, as seen with the recent interest in Memphis rap.

Following up on that idea: is it the charge of the Music Commission to try to get Memphis bands signed to a major label (or any label)? I ask, does the Film Commission exist to sell Memphis films made in Memphis to major film companies? I do not think we should have the music commission “brokering” record deals with taxpayer money. It would be great for the Music Commission to set up a platform in Memphis for bands from Memphis to get better exposure (satellite radio, festivals, local radio play, etc., as listed above), and let the marketplace handle the rest. By setting up record deals, the commission involves itself in a situation where the music commission is using tax dollars to “play favorites,” and that type of activity does not give it much credibility from every other band the commission is not pushing to get signed (and is supposedly helping).

Trying to convince major name producers to move to Memphis or have “showcases” in Memphis is equally as ill-advised. Don’t bother trying to bring in “producers” from out of town to sign bands to contracts. The only ones making the money are the producers who will “legitimize” the already incredible Memphis music scene. This has happened time again in the last 20 years in Memphis music. Exhibit A: Chips Moman. What did the Memphis music industry get from that boondoggle? 2.5 mediocre records, much embarrassment, and an embittered business community! Memphis has held dozens of showcases over the last 15 years, with the only real result being thousands of bands have paid someone a $15 entrance fee.

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Because of the nature of the size, scope, and financials of all of the above ideas, one Memphis music business on its own cannot undertake the proposed programs. All of the above recommendations could or should be undertaken by an organization like the Memphis Music Commission, an organization created to increase Memphis music business. As of today, the commission/foundation has been in business for over seven years and has spent well over a million dollars in public money, not to mention untold private funding Memphis Tomorrow has contributed. In seven years of the commission, I have seen no real change or improvement in the Memphis music industry affected by the commission despite the quantity of money it has had access to. (Mis)understanding the marketplace has been the key factor in this lack of change.

A recent concrete example of the lack of understanding for the Memphis market the Music Commission is its new website, which took over three years to create. When it came on-line last month, it featured (and still prominently features) one of the bands the Commission helped to get signed and only 3 other acts out of all of the other hundreds of currently working Memphis bands. One of those other acts featured currently lives in New York. Needless to say, this type of self-dealing, half-ass effort does not endear the Commission with the Memphis music community.

Anonymous said...

What he said!

- Live From Memphis!