AboutPenny Nichols Expertise I can answer all kinds of questions regarding singing techniques, practice, performance, vocal recording technique and harmony vocal arranging.
Experience I have been a professional singer/songwriter and vocal arranger and teacher in the music business since 1965.
Organizations BMI, Folk Alliance, SummerSongs, Inc. (I am the founding director)
Publications Singer Magazine
Education/Credentials I have a doctorate in Music Education from Harvard.
Awards and Honors Platinum record for my vocals on Jimmy Buffett's Son of a Son of a Sailor, 3 times nominated for a Grammy in the background singing category, MVP in the motivational singing category of the Assoc. of Multi-image Assoc. Annual awards two years in a row.
Past/Present Clients I have sung with, recorded with or opened shows for Mort Sahl, The Byrds, The Dillards, Dillard and Clark Expedition, John Kay
(Steppenwolf), The Association and Big Brother and the Holding Co. (Janis Joplin), Steve Miller, Quicksilver Messenger Service, 13th Floor Elevator, Chocolate Watchband, Jefferson Airplane, Dan Hicks & his Hot Licks, Cream (the Santa Monica Civic auditorium 1968),
Little Feat in concert. I wrote and performed commercials for Toyota's campaign to plant a tree for every car bought, Carnation Dairies, and produced a public service announcement for the
Navajo Nation called "Black Mesa" to protest the misuse of the land around the Four Corners power stations in Arizona.
In 1977, while working with Emitt Rhodes on a record for Elektra, I joined Jimmy Buffett & the Coral Reefers. I appeared in the movie FM with the band, toured the U.S. and earned a Platinum Record for my singing on Son of a Son of a Sailor. Also, I've recorded with Art Garfunkle (Fate for Breakfast) Suzi Quatro, Danny O'Keefe, Yvonne Elliman, Jennifer Warnes, Albert Brooks, The Credibility Gap, Steve Gillette and earned a Grammy nomination for my work on Arlo Guthrie's album The Power of Love. In addition, I have recorded a series of singing lessons which have been sold world-wide by Homespun Tapes since 1985.
Question What role does a producer, publisher, and manager play in the music making process?
Answer Hi Donna:
Each of these roles are only helpful in certain situations. If you are very focused, experienced and highly motivated, I would suggest playing all these roles yourself. It could save you years of frustration and heartache. With that caveat, let me add that if you have a breaking song or CD and some real chance of a hit, a manager can run interference with other business entities that might want a piece of the action, a music savvy lawyer would also be helpful.
A producer is a person with more experience in making records than you have, who gets a portion of the royalties from the sale of your records or you pay him/her in lieu of royalties for producing your record. They would hire the musicians, oversee the engineering, mixing and final mastering of the record. They might want to be involved with the actual picking of songs and arrangements. This can all be very helpful or very annoying or tragic, depending on who you are working with.
A publisher will own 1/2 of the royalties collected from licensing organizations and sales of your music. Lots of people form their own publishing companies and keep any money that comes in for themselves. It's pretty easy to do and there are lots of online resources out there to show you how. The benefit of a publisher other than yourself is in whether they will actually push your songs and get covers. Lots of pub.s say they will in order to get a piece of the publishing and then they don't do a thing, just wait for you to hit it big and collect their percent.
As will all things in the music business, proceed with caution.
