It is Friday….rainy and cold here in Minnesota.  So I thought I would help warm you all up with a free download of a hot remix.

Feel free to download, and share with friends….if you enjoy the music, come back and purchase some CD’s or downloads at Sharpmusic.com

“Know About You” - Dance Remix - written, produced and performed by Chad Sharp

Dayna Jones, a great singer/songwriter I have worked with for years was here in Minneapolis recording this weekend. We had alot of fun. We cut two songs. One of them was a song we started from scratch and finished while she was here. It is called, “Keep the Change.” I have not had a chance to do a mixdown of the tracks yet…so no samples yet. BUT… I got to mix the other song we recorded called, “Beautiful Mess.” It has a neat fresh, fun feel to it. It is a joint work of C-Sharp and D.Jones…D-Unit!! I am putting up a little high quality sample for you to check out. You can also listen to the full song in lower quality at Dayna’s MySpace.

Download a sample of “Beautiful Mess” - written by Dayna Jones and Chad Sharp (c)2008

Dayna Jones MySpace Music Site

Many years ago I read a book that has turned up to be an invaluable tool for me as I tread the music industry waters.  It was written by a guy who is a big-time music attorney. His name is Donald Passman. The book is called, “Everything You Need to Know About the Music Industry.” It is an awesome book if you are looking to pursue any sort of business with your music.

If you are a band, solo artist, songwriter or musician there are parts of the book that would apply directly to you. It is a good idea to know as much about all of the aspects of the industry as you can.

Many of the emails I get from people are artists looking for record deals.  I assume that many of these people do not really understand what a record deal is. This book explains it in a very detailed way, and it may change the way you think about your music career.

“Everything You Need to Know About the Music Industry” by Donald Passman

New Pop and R&B Music

This weekend I had the opportunity to perform at the Home Design Expo in Blaine, MN.  It was at the National Sports Center.  It seemed like a great show to be at if you were in the market to build or remodel a home.

I performed from 11am til Noon. I did about 11 or 12 songs. They were all original, mostly from my CD, “Personal.” It was a good time and had a nice bunch of people hanging out watching and walking by as I sang.

After the expo we came back and worked on writing a new song called, “Keep the Change” for Dayna Jones’s new CD.  This weekend Dayna and I got 2 songs recorded. I will be mixing them and posting some samples very soon!

- Chad Sharp

I am really excited because this weekend Pop singer/songwriter Dayna Jones is coming up to record here in Minneapolis.  I have worked with Dayna over the last few years. We cowrote her first CD that she released a few years ago. You can listen to tracks from that CD at Dayna’s Myspace page.

This weekend we will be writing and recording for the next installment of her music. Dayna has a great, smooth voice. She is also such a blast to work with. I have a feeling it is going to be a fun few days of work.  We want to get as much done as we can….or as much as we are inspired to do. I sent Dayna some music tracks a few months ago to write lyrics and melodies to.  So we will try to tweak those and maybe get some cut. I work that way with quite a few arrtists. I make tracks, they write to them, then we tweak them together.

I will post some pictures and sound samples from this weekend here on the blog….so be sure to check back for those.

HAPPY WEEKEND! — Chad Sharp - songwriter, producer, singer

For those of you who are into Gospel music and great voices, I want to introduce you to a singer by the name of Robert Robinson. He is simply incredible.  I first heard Robert sing back when I was in high school in the 90’s. I was living in Mitchell, SD at the time, but I came up to Minneapolis to hang out with my aunt. She took us to a gospel brunch at the Fine Line Music Cafe.  It was the Twin Cities Community Choir and Robert was singing. I always remember a song called, “Trouble Don’t Last Always.” That song has popped into my head many times when I am having a bad day.

Fast forward now to 2008. I am introduced to Jim Foltz who is the owner and founder of Tyrol Hills Music, another independent record label here in the Twin Cities. Jim and I got to talking and he said he had just signed Robert Robinson! How cool is that. Then a couple weeks after Jim and I met, Jim got Andrew and I tickets to go see Robert sing in Saint Paul. IT WAS AMAZING!! Robert performed with almost a 100 person choir and had the place rockin’ with great gospel music.  Robert has such an amazingly soulful voice….you really can’t do justice by describing it, you need to feel it.

The new CD that Tyrol Hills Music has put out is a CD filled with inspirational easy-listening songs performed by Robert Robinson. Tyrol Hills just put out the CD you can get it at their website, and Robert has just put up a new website of his own. You really should check it out.

- Chad Sharp Pop, R&B singer, songwriter, producer

Another interesting article on the music industry is out. It says that by 2012 digital downloads will be 40% of overall music sales. In 2007 it was 10% of music sold.

Read the music industry info here.

- CHAD SHARP (R&B, Pop Recording Artist)

This weekend I was able to attend a songwriting seminar put on by Jill Holly. Jill lives in the Twin Cities and has been a songwriter for many years. She has toured both the US and Europe and is a great songwriter.

It was very interesting and educational. Jill showed all who attended how to write better lyrics and better melodies. It was a combination of classroom type learning as well as actually writing songs.
I would highly reccomend people who want to dive into songwriting to attend the workshops that Jill Holly puts on. Check out Jill’s CD or Visit Jill’s website.  Jill is very helpful and a great teacher. She always has a great attitude and makes it fun. She does workshops throughout the year and she is also a member of the Minnesota Association of Songwriters.

- Chad

Thank God it is FRIDAY!!!

It has been a busy, busy week….so in celebration of the weekend I am giving away some music!

Download the full Mp3 of “Know About You” — from the CD ‘Personal’ by Chad Sharp

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Ah yes, the music world is changing.  It was announced this week that Jermaine Dupri (aka, Mr. Janet if you’re nasty) has been “tagged” to head up a brand new record label venture.  Nothing really newsworthy in JD starting a new label, right?  Not quite…the new label is a joint venture with Tag Men’s deodorant and body sprays.

I personally find it extremely exciting to have these new types of deals being brought up.  Being an indie label myself I am always looking for ways to build artists and revenue.  Music is becoming more and more a lifetsyle statment more so than just an audio experience.  It is kind of like when you have a favorite perfume or cologne.  In reality it is just some chemicals that do something to your sense of smell….but after you see the commercials and pitch person, it makes you feel like you are part of some elite group.  You associate that smell with that lifestyle. Music is doing the same thing.

I have believed for some time that in order to develop success in entertainment you need to develop a culture. You have to create something that people can feel like they are a part of.  My examples would be Janet Jackson starting her own “Rhythm Nation” and Prince has his “New Power Generation.”  Janet was out to change the world. She had great videos, imaging and branding.  It was easy for people to feel like they were part of the Rhythm Nation.  Prince did the same thing. 

So now in 2008 Tag body sprays and Jermaine Dupri are looking to do the same things. Tag has marketing muscle and can use music as part of that….now when you smell Tag you will hear music and when you hear the music you will smell tag.

Read what MTV had to say.

- CHAD SHARP