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November, 2006

"Acoustic Music"

by Webmaster

The Intermountain Acoustic Music Association (IAMA) is an organization for acoustic music. In their monthly magazine, Intermountain Acoustic Musician, Mike Evans, the president of IAMA, wrote:

Acoustic music is a form of artistry that we love and enjoy, and one that gives us comfort and joy in our lives. If you play instruments and compose [acoustic music], you have a gift and a skill. If you just listen and love it, you are fortunate to be able to experience it any time you get a chance.

Recently, J.J. Fraser JJ Fraser: Bands, Singers, Songwriters / Composers, Solo Performers, Sidemen, Instrumentalists, Performers, Entertainers, Musicians, Cowboy Poets of the band South Jefferson County, asked Bob Turner if it's possible to make a living performing acoustic music. Bob replied that he put two daughters through college, performing acoustic music, but the last seven years or so have been pretty lean.

I like to tell funny stories, and I get a lot of laughs when I tell fellow musicians about the vice president of a company who had to terminate my contract 5 years ago. I was Computer Consultant. The vice president told me that he wasn't worried about me because I had "music to fall back on."

The sad news is that because of the current economy, it's much harder for musicians to make a living. They have to augment their income from performing by producing and and marketing CDs, teaching music lessons, and working day-jobs. They have to work a lot harder at getting gigs. Clubs are going out of business, and the ones that survive can't afford to pay the musicians as much. Fewer clubs are investing in live music. They can pay less for one person to run a Karaoke machine and that may bring in a lot more people than a 3- or 4- piece band. Bands are working gigs with fewer people in the band. That affects their sound.

This web site is dedicated to promoting acoustic music, the musicians who perform the music we love, and the businesses who sell goods and services to acoustic musicians. I assume you wouldn't be here, reading this article, if you weren't an acoustic music fan.

Please help support the music you love. If your favorite musicians are performing, make an extra effort to go hear them. Support the clubs that hire them by buying food and drinks. Buy CDs from the musicians.

Please, please, do all you can to keep live acoustic music alive.

Thanks for visiting AcousticByLines.com.

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