James Lee Stanley

It’s Tuesday, February 16, 2010, and I’m in LAX waiting on a plane to Memphis for the Folk Alliance International Conference which begins tomorrow.

I have board meetings the next three days but will still try to give you a daily report on the doings and how they might benefit you.

I have one formal showcase in the round with two other writers and three informal showcases, one each night and one on Friday afternoon.    I only did these few so that I would have  the opportunity to network with other artists, venues, presenters, publicists, managers, etc.

Do not over book yourself at these things.   The networking is at least as important as showcasing.   Paul Barker has written a wonderful “how to”  paper that can be accessed at the FAI site and I will be putting some of it up here on datamusicata.

I had intended to do it before the conference, but I had so much studio work and touring I simply couldn’t get to it.   Embarassing and a blessing at the same time.   Work!   Who can turn it down?

Last night I went to bed early and I slept about ten hours.  This is a good thing to do before a music conference as you will end up doing more awake time than asleep time.

Took my vitamins, am drinking plenty of water and will attempt to have fewer cocktails than I had last year.   Not that I hurt myself, but it’s too easy to drink too much when you keep running into old friends, make new aqcuaintances and do the schmoozing that makes up a great deal of time spent at these things.

And if I may make another suggestion, ask people that you don’t know about themselves.   there’s plenty of time to talk about yourself after you’ve actually established a connection.

First find out about everyone else.  What they do, where they are from.  Who or what they represent.    Then you can speak to the places where your common interests intersect.    That’s the best way to get to know anyone and that’s what you want to do here the most.   Get to know your peers.   They will inspire and help you and hopefully you will do the same for them.

The classic, if rare, win/win situation.

Talk to you tomorrow.