How to Promote Your Favorite Performer

Folk music resists commercial cliches - and commercial media channels. Instead it depends on word of mouth. So how do you as a fan help subvert the system and spread the word?

Difficulty Level: hard     Time Required: years

1. As a fan, remember you are your favorite artists' main publicity agent.
2. Name recognition is a key problem - so even mentioning them is helpful. If I call a club and the owner says, "Oh yes, someone just mentioned you the other day," it can mean the difference between "Call me back in a month" and "Let me get my calendar."
3. Call your local radio station/folk show and request songs. If they play something you like, call in and let them know you appreciate it and hope to hear more.
4. Request your favorite artists at clubs and festivals.
5. Ask for your favorite artists' CDs at local record stores. If they haven't heard of it, they assume no one else has either. If they stock it, it might sell.
6. If you have a webpage, mention them there and link to their site. See also How to Build a Fan Site.
7. Now this gets tricky. Depending on your favorite artist's situation, it can make a big difference when and where you buy the CD and when you request it on the radio. CD releases, even on small labels, have a "street date" and the sales during the week following tracked closely.
8. Radio stations have an "Add date" when they start putting a CD in light, medium or heavy rotation. Your requests during that time can be crucial.
9. So how do you find out this kind of arcane information? Ask the artist at a concert. They probably know and can let you know what will help them the most.
10. Some record labels and management companies will give out this info. You can contact them through the internet.
11. Call your record store or radio station and find out when the album is coming in. Often they'll get advance publicity about upcoming releases.
12. If you want to get really into the muck, find out which of your favorite radio stations report to Gavin. This is a ratings service, like a national poll. Getting played on these stations can make artists visible on this national survey.
13. Find out if your record store reports to Sound Scan. Similar concept to Gavin.
14. All this stuff turn you off? Here are more folk-friendly approaches: Learn a song and perform it, even just for friends.
15. Bring friends to concerts with you
16. Make compilation tapes and give them to your friends. This is a controversial subject, but the bottom line is, the more this kind of music is heard, the better. Think of it as your own private radio show. Just make sure recipients know that if they like a song and listen to it a lot, they'll buy it.
17. Try to organize opportunities at the local level. If you think an artist would be appropriate for a school presentation or town library series or band shell, get involved.
    

Notes:

1. Don't be a nuisance. DJs know if you are calling in every week to request the same band.
2. Persevere. Pop acts come and go in 6 months. Folk artists' careers grow year by year. Every bit helps.

Related Features:

• How to Build a Fan Site
• How to Have a Great Night Out
• How to do a House Concert

Hugh Blumenfeld, Editor
hugh@balladtree.com