2. How do I get an "artist" deal with a major label? Your chances of getting an artist deal with a major label in Nashville, New York, or Los Angeles are about as good as winning the Belmont Stakes or better still the

National Lottery for a $100 million dollars. You have to crawl before you walk, walk before you run. Spend some time with a reputable Nashville producer getting a competitive master tape made to approach the labels or publishers. This is going to cost you about $7,989.14 (Seven thousand nine hundred eighty nine dollars-US) per individual presentation in studio time, engineers, producers, and a limited number of sound tracks and songs.

A "great" Nashville producer is going to charge you about $12,500.00 for a "master session" on three/four songs. An award winning Nashville producer who is currently producing major label acts is going to charge you $35,000.00 for a master album of ten/twelve songs. That's just the going rate for doing work here with Nashville's top people.

In order to get started, you "are required" to send your producer a deposit to his trust fund. You are going to have to send your producer at least $2,000.00 (Two thousand dollars US) of the total amount by wire transfer to establish what's called a "deposit" against the total. This should be sent to a recording trust fund (each producer will have set up his own recording fund at a local bank), and a production contract will be mailed to you "after" the deposit arrives at your producers bank.

Why send money prior to the contract? You should have gotten a "sample" contract ahead of time. Once you are serious about doing business, then you will need to send a deposit so that he can draw a contract up with all the details of your production deal included.

The least amount that any producer will accept as a non-refundable deposit to get started is $1,000.00 and once you've had some experience singing in one session, you'll know if you want to pursue a serious recording career in the music business and go further with it.

3. Should I seek management advice before I submit my tape to a major label? If you don't have a solid producer working for you in the studio, who assists you in getting great, commercial songs, that hires the right players and people for you; you are never going to get through the "back door" much less the front door of a major management company. Whatever the cost of getting someone to take the time to educate you, introduce you to the right people, and work with you, will be worth it. Don't think you are going to come to any of the music capitols and compete with major label acts working for tips at a local restaurant. Get ready to spend some serious money if you want to capture the attention of a manager, record label, or entertainment law firm. Being a star is not cheap!

4. What is the cost of getting a "great" presentation tape made by a reputable producer? The average 3/4 song master presentation tape, where the producer has hired the best session players, worked in a 32 track digital studio, spent time searching for songs, and creates with the artist, a tape that can get the attention of a major label A & R director is going to cost you about $12,500.00 even at "limited pressing" scale. At master scale, the cost is going to be even higher. A major label album in Nashville on a new country artist now costs $150,000 (basic) to start and can go as high as $500,000 (Faith Hill) per album according to recent articles in Music Row Magazine, and The Tennessean.

5. If it costs that much, then I can't afford it! That's the problem with great talent in the music business. Wherever you find great talent, you also usually find poverty. So, in order to get the money that you will need to do a simple cut four/finish two songs $5,864.33 demo tape or a better master, presentation tape, $7,989.14 you have to find a financial sponsor to help you record, that has money, or even find an individual to put up part of the money, and take a small percentage of your career, and then there's the tried and proven way. Start a fan club, and raise the money.

Either way, you are going to need about $15,000 (Fifteen thousand dollars US) to get started and then don't get any stars in your eyes. If you think that's the end, well there's pictures, and a press kit, and promotion, and product to create, and a bus to buy, and equipment, and a tour to set up, and a manager to hire, an accountant, a publicist, and a whole lot of other people like "roadies, drivers, scheduling, tour support, image development consultants, video producers, directors," and the list never ends. If this all discourages, you then please don't come to Nashville. You have to be the type of person that is not overwhelmed with your dream. It costs a lot of money to get started in the music business. Being a star is not cheap.

6. Obtain Professional venture capital!You can obtain professional help with your career funding needs by reading the Artist Survival Manual and getting a complete list of budgets, fund raising ideas and other information that will help you make this giant step of starting your career.