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Although big labels have long made money by poaching out the sound developed by indie labels, nothing in the history of music parallels the success they enjoyed by swiping the alternative style that developed in the ‘80s and getting it played on the radio. Suddenly, dozens of alternative acts were thrust into the spotlight, and hundreds of more began to imitate the dirty distortion that had up until now been under wraps in the garages of the nation.

Never before has a scene experienced such a bizarre mix of triumph and angst. The very foundations of indie at this time were on the basis of the anti-movement, and with the alternative suddenly becoming the main, thousands of fans lost their identities. This was soon reflected in the artists, as major acts such as Nirvana struggled to come to terms with their new commercial reality.

The indie scene was still around, to be sure, but if one is really honest about the music being churned out, you have to admit that it sucks. After all, when dirty music gets popular, what is the new alternative? Should Bret Michaels and company now be put proudly on display on the shelf as the new Dinosaur Jr? Or, should the indie labels become the last beacon of hope for a breed that for the first time in music was not making any money at all, the pop act?

The answers were not clear for some time, until artists such as Liz Phair and PJ Harvey once again changed the definition of what “indie” truly meant: now, instead of a type of music, indie belonged to the recording style. In this case, that was a style stripped right down, and if your voice or music sounded TOO good, then you had to make your record on the worst equipment possible. While artists such as Sonic Youth continued to put out good music (as did Liz Phair and even PJ Harvey, if we’re being honest) the grunge movement had meant a big change in the indie movement: the music found there was for the first time, actually total crap. There was nothing else to draw from.

Fortunately for the whole scene, artists once considered indie soon found out why the big labels were so detested by genuine acts. Stripped of creativity and forced to work on someone else’s schedule, many of the alternative bands began to try and buck the system. Pearl Jam sued their touring company and refused to bow to the demand for videos; Nirvana made a record so under produced it was mocked. Nevertheless, the major label’s money power would triumph and they were able to still the voices in opposition, one way or another.

Perhaps the fights with artists of integrity opened the eyes of major labels a little bit as to the difficulties in signing real artists, because by the middle of the 1990s pop had once again began to rear its ugly head. The Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, and N Sync meant that the indie scene could once again be thought of as musically credible, although the big labels had now decided to destroy long time stalwart punk music. Maybe punk was the last surviving genre in indie worth listening to at the time; whatever the reason, it was about to be rudely taken away.

Sarah Records in particular was to make an impact and a statement about the indie scene in the early ‘90s; the label was closed as owners declared that they had achieved their purpose in popularizing their music. Little did they realize that the scene would be revitalized in the near future, when fans began to ask themselves “what the hell is so ‘alternative’ about Oasis?”

Let's take an in-depth look at some different music producer information. A music producer is also known as a record producer. They have various job functions to perform, such as focusing on the recording sessions helping the musicians organizing and scheduling the promotions, productions, and the budget.

They also supervise the initial recording of songs, along with any mixing and mastering the process. The music producer also helps create, and make the music the best it can be and make sure it flows into the albums vision or designs. They are also responsible for the paid technicians, musicians, and can even choose music for an entire album.

The pay of the music producer changed rapidly after the first independent producer came along in the mid 1950s. Then the studios, which allowed people to come in and pay for an hour or two of time, caused even more change. Many of these were former record company employees.

Since the role of the music producer changed, so did their influence on the music industry, singers and songwriters as well. There are many famous music producers known today such as Don Kirshner, Mickie Most, Rick Rubin, RZA, Dr. Dre and Timbaland. Those are only a few of them and there are even hundreds more out there.

The salary of a music producer can vary depending on where they work, what clients they represent, and their location. The amount of time they have spent in the business also plays an important role on the salary as well. Once you have considered these parts in then you have to look at their education level as well and what schools they attended.

Some music producers only get around 20 thousand a year while others can make up to and more than 1 million a year. This can almost be compared to one single hit versus to a hundred chart topping singles and albums.

Deciding to or focusing on the music industry is a life altering experience and can be the difference between living well off for the rest of your life to barely making it or worse yet not making it at all. I hope this music producer information has been helpful.

Tracing the roots of independent artists is difficult, because there have been artists who have long bucked the trends put upon them by monied powers in order to do what they feel right. Minstrels in medieval Europe and poets in the Islamic empire risked more than their livelihoods if they did not kowtow to the demands of the tyrants in charge (the ancient equivalent of modern big labels); they stood a good chance of being killed and mutilated as well.

Modern indie artists do not exactly take their lives in their hands when they sit down at a piano and record a genuine version of a heart felt song, but they do embody the spirit of the rebellious minstrel, refusing to compromise for the sake of a bag of gold.

In fact, some of the musicians and composers known to us today were what could be considered indie artists. Mozart was laughed at for his style in many different countries; it was not until his death that his work began to be played first in Germany and then around the world.

When it comes to modern indie music, the scene began when the big labels started to monopolize everything that they believed could make money. Elvis’ generation got a bit of a free ride; the music was so new, and the energy so unexpectedly unbridled, that those in power had no idea how to tame it. The latter half of the 1960s would see that change, however. Bands played on the radio and the records sold in stores all had a common theme, if not a duplicate sound. In fact, the history of indie music, however much fans want to deny it, is shaped by popular music as much as the shape of popular music is changed by indie artists. Typically, there have been three music “formats” that you can find on the radio; although the formats may change, there will always only be three kinds of music. In the 1960s, the big format was pop, a little bit of R&B, and rock ala the Rolling Stones. Peace, love, and anti-war ruled the day, even among the “rebels”.

And into that scene stepped the band known as the Velvet Underground. This is one of the most obvious examples of a band that was way ahead of its time. The main members of the band, in fact, are still regarded as some of the most influential artists by musicians today (think Lou Reed). The music of the Velvet Underground was markedly different in message and in structure than that being produced by studios at the time; their songs varied from fast to slow, pulsating to melodic. Their messages switched from songs about drug use to individual takes on law enforcement. In short, they sang about everything everyone else did not. The band sold very few records, but a movement was under way. If you listen to a Velvet Underground song, you might be surprised that it was created in the era of the Beatles instead of the era of Cobain, and that is what indie music is all about; the pioneers.

It is important to note that independent labels have always been present whenever records have been sold, and perhaps now more than ever to recognize that there are artists in all genres of music that choose to turn their backs on the big business and focus instead on their music.

You know, there's much more to playing music than learning scales and chops. There's a whole other side to playing music that's in your mind and your heart. As a musician, if you create your own personal development plans and follow them, you'll be able to do much more than you every believed you could.

Setting Goals

This is first and foremost. You probably don't remember, but one year ago today, you didn't play nearly as well as you do now. You also hadn't heard some of the music that's influenced your playing. There were ideas out there in the universe that you couldn't have even imagined one year ago today.

So, where would you like to be next year on this day? Nobody ever gets anywhere without setting goals. Decide what it is you'd like to achieve in the next year, and then take the steps you need to achieve it.

But, don't set unrealistic goals for yourself. This is a real confidence killer. "I want to become proficient in six more orchestral instruments in the next year." Whoah, put on the breaks a minute! Think about what you realistically can do; take steps toward your goal, and each step along the way will be joyous and inspiring. You can do what you want, but some things take longer than others.

Keep An Open Mind

Every musician has a subconscious checklist. This checklist says, "I am this" and "I am that." It also says, "I can do this" and "I can't do that."

Everybody can benefit from exploration. Get out and check out new music you've never heard before. If you're a jazz player, get some hip hop records. What do you like and what don't you like about them? What is similar and what is different? You'd be surprised how different styles of music mesh together into something else. Don't restrict yourself.

If you're a classical musician, go the library and check out some CDs of music from some other part of the world. If at first it sounds jarring, give it a good listen. Maybe you can bring something unique to your music from a faraway place.

Turn Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities

One thing that holds everybody back, musician or otherwise, is focusing on failure. Regret is a terrible thing. When you make a mistake, reflect on it. Think about what went wrong and how you can make it go better next time.

This is especially important with your performances. When you have a bad show, you just want to go somewhere alone and stew about it. You might want to give the whole thing up and get an office job. But, it's really important not to think about it that way.

Whether you have a good performance or a bad performance, reflect. Think about what went well, and what went badly. What got the most audience response, and what could you maybe skip next time. This is all part of honing our performance skills.

Relax And Have Fun

Every performer has a certain mental zone that he or she gets into before the big show. This helps them play at their best and always give a good performance.

Even after years of performing experience, many people are nervous onstage. In interviews, professional musicians often say that this is the case. Everyone needs their own technique for relaxing before the show. If you're nervous, you just won't get your best results.

For example, when you play, imagine that you are in your room practicing. In your room, you want to do your personal best for yourself. If you fudge a note, it's YOU that has to listen to it. Imagine that you're back there in your room, and do your best for yourself.

Chops Aren't Everything

Finally, technique isn't everything. It's just a tool that helps you realize the sounds you hear in your head. Remember that heart, energy and soul are just as important.

We all play to the beat of a different drum, so find out what works best for you, and make that your personal development plan. In the words of the Beatles, "There's nothing you can do that can't be done..."

As writers, it’s often difficult to be objective about writing and any aspect related to writing and creating the demos that are used to shop songs. As a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency, I can tell you that with all of the vast array of talent and gifted writers, only a few make it to the inner circle. There are various reasons for this, but none that come close to what we will spend the remaining time in this article talking about. Many a hopeful writer and artist walked through the doors of William Morris only to find that the magic they thought they had come upon, vanished in a moments notice. Why is that? Why do some get the writers and artist deals with virtually no writing innovation, while others, with up in your face talent, not getting the due recognition and artist album cuts so richly deserved? Let’s spend a few minutes together talking through a few basic concepts to hopefully get you moving in the right direction.

would not ordinarily approach the idea of writing or becoming an artist now feel that they have to have their chance at stardom and so the A&R, managers, booking agents and all other ancillary music industry offices are flooded by material that is not even close to being a go. It’s a waste of everyone’s time. The thinking is just because so and so made it, I could make it to. Well that might be true, but for the every one of the so and sos that make it, there are thousands to possibly millions that don’t. Think about that. Go for your dream, but make sure that you have a decent plot to back up your artist story line.

Once you have established that you have credible talent, and the fact that you are reading this article is probably a good indication that you have some credible talent, you will want to figure out the best approach to selling your songs, artist deal or break into jingle singing, whatever the case might be. I will tell you, as I’ve stated before, that everyone has their own story to tell in how they broke into the music industry, but I will tell you that there are a few golden concepts that you should employ to increase your odds. Always remember that creativity coupled with authenticity will go along ways in your career. There are so many phony people out there inside the industry and out, that when individuals who are decision makers inside the industry find authentic and truly gifted talent, they are pulled to it. Do you have a record cut or a record deal, maybe, maybe not. But the fact that you now have an ally inside the inner circle creates a much broader platform for your career to take off from. The fact that now someone who holds some influence and who has taken a liking to you is strong – really strong. You develop these types of relationships whether at area writer’s meetings, artist showcases, or other various ins that you can find and think of in your area, and you will be well on your way to getting your demos not only listened to, but listened to with interest and on an inside path. Don’t be users. Figure out ways where you can have conversations totally outside the music industry where an individual truly thinks you care – if your career comes up the conversation great, but if not that’s fine to. And if it does come up in the conversation, don’t make a big deal of it.

Your song demos have got to be the best no questions asked. Your productions better sound better than what’s on the radio. Figure out the key musicians in your area and produce your song demos with no excuses. I’ve said it before and it’s worth repeating, that it’s better to have a slimmed down song demo version with an incredible guitar or piano player and vocals that just melt, than a fully produced song demo that’s pretty good. You hear that. Don’t produce pretty good demos – They’re not good enough. When you get the opportunity from a heavy weight in the industry to listen to your song demo, artist demo or jingle reel, it’s far better to have an incredible demo done with a few musical elements that just wow the listener. Chances are you won’t get another chance, and so your listener better remember that your demos not only sound good, but will make him or her look good when they go to pitch your material. Don’t hesitate to contact us at ReelMusician.com if you have any questions about demos, what you’ll need and your current writing and artist demos.

In closing, and I never feel like I have enough space to cover all of the relevant ideas in a given article, please take these few simple concepts seriously and implement them in your career goals. Don’t get all stirred up about the latest and greatest this or that or your having to be in the “in” musical crowd to get a record deal or to get your songs cut. Just develop authentic relationships and make sure that your song demos, jingle reels and artist demos are simply the best! Please feel free to contact us for any questions you might have regarding your song demos, jingle reels and artist press kits!

As a professional jingle singer, I have had the opportunity to work with some of the best singing talent in the business and I can tell you that there is a range of work and talent out there. Even as a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency, it became common everyday work looking for that special someone who would be the next star. Finding individuals with the unique quality, look and drive was, and still is, a relentless pursuit. As founder of ReelMusician.com, we are always amazed at the lack of both professionalism and preparedness that singers try to engage their singing careers on. I am a firm believer that talent does rise to the top, but the packaging and marketing behind the talent are key – And that still holds true for session singers as well. What does it take to break into commercial singing and obtain jingle work? How can you accelerate your singing dreams and catapult your talents into a real money making career. These are great questions – Let’s spend a few minutes and look at some opportunities and answers to these questions.

As a singer, you are undoubtedly inundated every time you sing at your church, in a wedding, the school choir, etc with compliments and the “You should try singing commercials.” While the thought has crossed your mind, you really wonder if you have what it takes. Quite honestly many who think they have the ability are fooled by either the lack of “real” competition surrounding them or are good enough to have some individuals close to them support them by being benevolent with confidence and compliments. Your first task will be to identify your real gifts and passions with your singing career a distance away from friends and relatives, figuratively speaking, and figure out if you really have the talent. Breaking into commercial singing can be accomplished, but there are a few areas that need attention and deliberating before you venture out. Your first assignment is to be honest with yourself and start asking the question, “Am I a commercial singer?” “Could I really deliver the singing goods in the studio?” Starting right here will eliminate a few who are reading and are honest, but there will be a number of you who will take the challenge and answer the question with an overwhelming yes. This leads us to our next question.

Are you willing to take the time, energy and financial resources to obtain the best possible singer reel or jingle demo reel? I’m not talking about the “home studio” singer reel, I’m talking about a top-notch, knock your socks off singer reel, sure to grab the attention of producers and other industry professionals. At ReelMusician,com we are amazed at the scope and in reality the dishonest frame of mind of singers out there trying to further their careers with a demo reel that would be considered by most as embarrassing at best. Now there are many extremely gifted singers who have proven themselves even with fair to poor demos, but with all of the competition out there, you can’t afford to be trying to play the game in the major leagues with a substandard demo. Your best bet is to have an incredible jingle singing demo – For any questions at all about this, you may contact ReelMusician.com for an evaluation and ideas.

Your next item in your game plan in becoming a commercial singer is to develop what I consider one of the most critical pieces of the game – Your ability to develop, cultivate and befriend other jingle singers, producers, writers, and a host of music industry professionals to start submitting your demo to. Thankfully, as a general rule, many singers, like a lot of musicians, have a natural innate ability with people skills and are good at developing those friendships and relationships. You will start looking at album covers, talking with other singers in your area, and locating the major music recording venues in your geographic surrounding and getting your reel out. I would start with other session singers who you are not going to be in direct competition with and ask them for advice and where you would go with your reel and maybe ask if you could meet over a cup of coffee. This will give you more than enough contacts and strategies to start dropping off your reel. I would keep a very detailed log of who, when, what was talked about along with contact numbers and any other misc info that will be helpful in your singing career track.

You will want to develop a CD cover that is not obnoxious but is eye catching and remember able. On the front of your CD will be your name, telephone and email along with the year and season the demo was released. You will include all contact info on anything going out. The inside sleeve will include what we just mentioned along with the order of jingles and with overall length. The actual CD should include your name year and season, telephone number and length of reel. Don’t get so artsy fartsy with fonts that nobody can read it. Better to have simple fonts like Arial or Times New Roman than something that is frustrating to get through. You will want to submit your demo via snail mail. I am aware that email is more affordable, but you don’t have permission to send your material via email and seeing your reel actually cross their desk and coupled with the ability to be put into their car to be listened to on the way home is significantly more effective.

In closing, your success in breaking into studio and commercial singing will lean heavily on the actual talent, your incredible demo reel and your ability to connect and more importantly follow up with individuals. Most singers don’t have a problem finding the key players in the music arena, but don’t have the discipline and follow up that is needed like in any sales to develop relationships, follow through and get the deal done. Don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any questions. We always like to hear about your singing success and we’ll try to help in any way possible to further your career!

File-sharing programs are the most controversial way to download and burn free music on the Internet, but file sharing has never been more popular. Programs like KaZaA, Limewire, Ares, Shareaza, WinMX, iMesh seem to be the most popular for gathering totally free music to download. Lawsuits by the music industry have slowed some of the illegal sharing of pirated music, but there are new file-sharing programs that use methods to allow users to be anonymous.

These file-sharing programs are also called P2P, or peer-to-peer programs. Unlike the old Napster network that ran all exchanges through a central server, this totally free music download software, using P2P networks connects users directly to each other allowing them to download and burn free music.

It should be mentioned that file-sharing programs are not illegal in themselves, and their creators like to point out their many legitimate uses. Some unsigned bands use the file-sharing networks to distribute their music through free music downloads and many organizations use them to exchange documents.

Many people are confused about what is legal.

* Are there places to download and burn free music on the net?
* Can downloading music put you at risk for legal action?
* Is file-sharing legal?

It's no wonder people are confused, because the Net is full of legal music download sites advertised as "napster replacements" which are 100% legal. Sites like Mp3 Advance, DownloadShield and MP3 Music Subscription are just a few that offer much more than just music downloads. The vast majority of totally free music download programs shared on P2P (peer-to-peer) networks like KaZaA, Limewire, Ares, Shareaza, WinMX and iMesh violate copyright laws because the music was posted without permission of the artist or label.

Since it's impossible to determine which free music downloads may be legitimate, the only sure way to stay legal is to avoid these type file-sharing programs altogether.

What is clearly illegal is unauthorized copying of commercial music. These totally free music downloads usually means songs that are made from CD's and then put on the Net by individuals who haven't sought permission from the artist or music company. What do copyright laws allow? To put it simply, you may make a copy of your own CD for your personal use. That means you may record it to a cassette tape or rip it to MP3 files. You may not, however, give this copy to another person. Many people believe that if no money is involved, then no law has been broken. This is false. Whether you give the copy away or sell it, this is still a violation of copyright law.

Music videos can be expensive items. It hurts spending thirty, fifty or even a hundred grand of your hard-earned money on something you - basically - give away for free!

So, it can be very tempting to save some money by shooting your own music video. I mean, video cameras come on cell phones nowadays, and HDTV is becoming less expensive. Cameras are everywhere. They're ubiquitous. And, deep down, everyone really fancies themselves a director - sorry, an auteur, don't they?...

So, should you consider going it alone and shooting your own music video?

The short answer: NO.

Directors, producers, cinematographers and production designers are all artisans. It takes years of study and work experience to become a decent film-maker. You wouldn't leave your cd layout to some guy you passed on the street, would you? So why even consider doing something as important as your first music video all by yourself? It may look like simple work, but believe me, producing and directing ain't easy!

Can you tell the difference between a lower budget independent movie and a Hollywood summer blockbuster? Of course you can! That's exactly the difference between shooting the video yourself and hiring a professional. You don't know how to make the movie look that glossy and perfect - but the professionals do! The best you could hope for is a decent indie flick. Sure, every once in a while a home-made music video comes along and does well. But, can you even think of one (and, no, Fatboy Slim's "Praise You" was NOT an indie video, the budget was actually massive). So, stick with the professionals. Let them do it all for you.

However, the single biggest reason I would dissuade you from shooting your own music video is probably not one you would have guessed:

Insurance!

Film crews often contain twenty, thirty, or even hundreds of people. There's typically massive amounts of power being run through thick cables (often submerged in puddles) up to precariously hung lights with a virtual windmill of large, exposed, sharp metal edges (and all this at about 600 degrees celcius). A film set is literally an accident waiting to happen.

Plus, adding to the inherent dangers of a film set, music video shoots tend to be even more dangerous (music video productions don't tend to have very much money for things like saftey experts and safety harnesses). Maverick directors love to put their subjects into harm's way. And, on low-budget shoots, you can often hear things like: "We don't need an expensive car-mount - let's just throw the cameraman on the hood! Don't worry, we'll tie him down..."

So, if you do decide to shoot your video yourself, just make sure no one trips over a light stand! It could cost you your life savings.

Legitimate production companies will have production insurance that covers the workplace (this insurance would cost you around one or two thousand dollars - just for the one music video).

Professional producers and production managers will have access to much better crew members than you will. If you only have a thousand dollars to hire a director of photography (cinematographer), I guarantee you I'll be able to hire a MUCH better DoP than you will! So, unless you have contacts in the industry, you should probably consider hiring a production company to do all the producing for you. You'll get a much higher quality crew that way.

And, one final note...

If you're shooting on 35mm film (which I strongly recommend - unless there's a VERY good reason not to), you'll need to rent a camera that's worth around half a million bucks! And, that camera doesn't come with any lenses (or tripods, or dollies, or film magazines, etc...). You'll have to rent all that separately. So, unless you have a VERY high limit on your credit card, the camera house might not even be willing to rent to you. You might even have to mortgage your house to cover the deposit!

Established production companies rent camera packages all the time (a decent music video package will be at least one or two thousand dollars a day), and often receive significant discounts from the rental house that you wouldn't be able to get. So, by going with an established production company, you'll actually be getting a considerably better equipment package than if you had done it yourself (producers also know how to get film at about a quarter the price you'd be able to).

So, overall, you'll get a much better bang-for-your-buck by hiring a professional producer or production company to shoot your music video for you. It will also save you an unbelievable amount of time and effort. And, in the end, isn't that what you want for your first video: The abolute best music video possible?

Robert D. Brooks

There are many people who think they may enjoy a career in the entertainment industry. However, most do not actually realize how many different jobs are available in this industry. A career in entertainment can be very exciting, and you do not have to be an actor to have a successful career in this industry. When you are considering careers, you want to pick the one best suited to you, so it is important that you understand the various career options that the entertainment industry has to offer so you can make the right choice. Entertainment Careers ( actor, producer, director, musician, singer, dancers, choreographers)

Within the entertainment industry there are many great careers to choose from and there are opportunities for people with a variety of talents. One of the most obvious choices in this field is to be an actor. Whether you act on stage or in the movies, you have the opportunity to portray various characters, and although it can be quite a demanding career, it is usually a great deal of fun as well. Some careers that are behind the scenes of all movies include the producers and the directors. If you enjoy directing and putting things together, a career as a director may be ideal for you. This allows you to orchestrate a movie and bring everything together to make it a success.

Another great career in this field is a career as a musician. Musicians have a variety of opportunities, from teaching music in schools, to playing in symphonies, to being backup musicians for popular singers. If you have a great voice, you may want to consider a career as a singer. While many do not realize it, a career in singing is actually hard work, but it gives you the opportunity to travel and entertain people all over the world.

There are many great opportunities for dancers and choreographers as well. A career in dancing may lead you to a position on Broadway, in a ballet troupe, or even a career as a dance instructor. Choreographers have great careers as well and end up working with dancer on Broadway and even dancers in movies as well. A new emerging opportunity for choreographers is in the music video industry, with many new vocal artists doing music videos.

Required Education

The education that is required for careers in the entertainment industry is dependent on many things. Some jobs require that you have a post-secondary training, while others are solely based on talent alone. Many people who have a career in this field start out with a bachelor's degree in some area of the entertainment field, and some even go on to get their master's degree in fine arts. There are some actors who go to an acting school and dancers often attend an arts university such as Juilliard. On the other hand, there are many successful people in this field who have no education beyond a high school diploma.

Salary Outlook

The salary amounts in this field are extremely varied as well, ranging from quite low, to very high. An actor that is just starting out may only make between $7.00 and $30.00 an hour, which is relatively low. Famous actors in Hollywood often make millions for every movie that they act in, but this is far from the norm in the entertainment business. Actors and dancers on Broadway can usually expect to make about $1000 to $1400 a week, but those in other off Broadway theaters usually only make between $400 and $800 each week, and sometimes even less. Some of the higher paid professionals in this industry are the producers. Their salaries are dependent on where they work, but most can expect to earn between $40,000 and $90,000 each year.

Companies to Consider

The entertainment is a great industry to work in, but it can be hard to get into this field and to find a job that pays the bills and offers great benefits. When you are considering this kind of a career, it is helpful to look around to find companies that do offer competitive salaries and benefits. Some great companies to consider within the United States include E. Networks, World of Wonder, and Universal Music Group. If you are looking for entertainment jobs in Canada, you may want to consider companies like Sony BMG Music Canada, National Film Board of Canada, or the National Arts Center in Canada.

As American Idol goes full swing into another season, it's easy to forget about some of the faces of the past. Sure, we are reminded of the Kelly Clarkson's each time we turn on the radio, the Jennifer Hudson's each time we watch an awards show, and the Corey Clark's each time we see an episode of Cops. But, what about those who don't make the press? Do they have other projects going on or have they simply become American idles?

There are no American Idol contestants we have forgotten about quite as much as those from Season 1. It was bound to happen this way: we often forget about the match that starts the fire. Yet, many of the contestants from Season 1 have found their own voices, some through music and some through other endeavors.

Justin Guarini: As the runner up in Season 1, Justin Guarini was arguably the most talented male vocalist on the show. Following his success, he went on to star in the ill-received From Justin to Kelly. His music seemed ill received as well and the record deal he procured months earlier busted when he was dropped from RCA. Refusing to throw in the towel, Justin continued to release his music through his own production company, Justice Entertainment.

Since 2005, he has released two albums and is working on a third. He is also going back to acting (as someone who saw From Justin to Kelly, I can only say "THANK GOD"), and has been cast as a race car driver for the upcoming movie Fast Girl. Leaving no media unturned, he broke into television by signing with the TV Guide Channel as a host for Idol Chat and Idol Tonight. Out of the spotlight, Justin serves as an advocate for music in the classrooms. Since 2004, he has been the national spokesman for the Support Music Education campaign.

Tamyra Gray: Following American Idol, Tamyra Gray was cast in David E. Kelley's Boston Public, a role that allowed her to both act and sing. She also made guest appearances on All of Us, Half and Half, Tru Calling, What I Like About You, and Las Vegas. In addition to acting, Tamyra has stayed true to her musical roots. She performed a duet with Kelly Clarkson on Clarkson's first release, a duet that Gray helped write. Well versed in music composition, Tamyra returned to Idol to help compose the singles for Season 3.

Putting down the pen and picking up the microphone, Tamyra eventually released her own album, The Dreamer, and obtained a role in the Broadway show, Bombay Dreams. In October 2005, she jumped to the big screen in an independent film called The Gospel. Months later, she helped write songs and sang backup for Jessica Simpson's newest record. In her personal life, she married Color Me Badd singer Sam Watters in early September, 2006. She is now working on a new album and looking for a new record label.

Nikki McKibbin: American Idol Season 1's resident punk girl, Nikki McKibbin was signed by RCA following the show. The label, however, wanted Nikki to record a country album and she wanted to be true to her rock 'n' roll roots. This resulted in no album ever being produced, leading her to stay true to some other roots: Reality Shows

She appeared on Fear Factor, Battle of the Network Reality Stars, and Kill Reality, which documented the creation and filming of The Scorned. In The Scorned, a movie featuring a cast made up entirely of former reality stars, Nikki played a singer. She also appeared in a music video for Rivethead and joined the Dallas-based rock band, Downside, a band she left in late 2005. Returning as a solo artist, she released a single in 2006 and her debut album, Unleashed, is scheduled to be released on May 1, 2007.

Jim Verraros: The Idol contestant who captivated audiences by signing for his deaf parents, Jim Verraros has since come out of the closet and become a pseudo-poster child for the American gay press. This occurred when Fox made Jim remove pro-gay remarks from his American Idol website, a website sponsored by the Fox network. Since then, Jim has released an international album, Rollercoaster. One of Rollercoaster's tracks made the Top 25 of Billboard's Hot Club/ Dance Chart hits.

Like many of his fellow contestants, Jim was bitten by the acting bug and starred in the 2004 comedy Eating Out as well as its 2006 sequel Eating Out 2. He has also been featured four times on The Feast of Fools, a pod cast and Chicago-based variety show featuring gay themes.

Brian Dunkleman: Though not a contestant on American Idol, many people wonder what ever happened to "that other guy," the one who was seen hosting alongside Ryan Seacrest during the first season: Brian Dunkleman. After allegedly angering Simon Cowell, Brian left American Idol to pursue other endeavors. These other endeavors included appearances on The Tonight Show, Two Guys and a Girl, NYPD Blue, Courting Alex, The Ghost Whisperer, Friends, and Las Vegas.

Brian has also done voiceover work for The Proud Family, 3 South, and American Idol Rewind. Additionally, he makes regular appearances at the Laugh Factory and other comedy clubs around the nation as well as frequent appearances as host of Family Feud Live.

These people of American Idol's past may not be as famous as some of their former contestants, but they are still making names and careers for themselves and, it's safe to say, they aren't even near being done. It is certainly not time to close the curtain.

Discover the phenomenonal complexity of music and reflect on the way it can positively influence your life with this sound collection of riveting quotes...

1. "Music, the greatest good that mortals know, And all of heaven we have below."
   -- Joseph Addison

    

2. "Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness."
   --Maya Angelou

    

3. "Music is either good or bad, and it's got to be learned. You got to have balance."
   -- Louis Armstrong

    

4. "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."
   -- Berthold Auerbach

    

5. "The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul."
   --Johann Sebastian Bach

    

6. "Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life."
   -- Ludwig van Beethoven

    

7. "Music - The one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend."
   -- Ludwig van Beethoven

    

8. "Music can change the world. "
   -- Ludwig Van Beethoven

    

9. "Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable."
   -- Leonard Bernstein

    

10. "Music has to breathe and sweat. You have to play it live. "
    -- James Brown

     

11. "Music is well said to be the speech of angels."
    -- Thomas Carlyle

     

12. "All music comes from God."
    -- Johnny Cash

     

13. "If you learn music, you'll learn most all there is to know. "
    -- Edgar Cayce

     

14. "Music is nothing separate from me. It is me... You'd have to remove the music surgically. "
    -- Ray Charles

     

15. "Good music is good no matter what kind of music it is. "
    -- Miles Davis

     

16. "There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music."
    -- George Eliot

     

17. "You are the music while the music lasts."
    --T. S. Eliot

     

18. "We need magic, and bliss, and power, myth, and celebration and religion in our lives, and music is a good way to encapsulate a lot of it. "
    -- Jerry Garcia

     

19. "Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife."
    -- Kahlil Gibran

     

20. "When people hear good music, it makes them homesick for something they never had and never will have."
    -- Edgar Watson Howe

     

21. "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossile to be silent."
    -- Victor Hugo

     

22. "The history of a people is found in its songs."
    -- George Jellinek

     

23. "Music is the vernacular of the human soul."
    -- Geoffrey Latham

     

24. "It requires wisdom to understand wisdom; the music is nothing if the audience is deaf."
    -- Walter J. Lippmann

     

25. "Just as certain selections of music will nourish your physical body and your emotional layer, so other musical works will bring greater health to your mind."
    -- Hal A. Lingerman

     

26. "Music is the harmonious voice of creation; an echo of the invisible world."
    -- Giuseppe Mazzini

     

27. "Music is a beautiful opiate, if you don't take it too seriously."
    -- Henry Miller

     

28. "I started making music because I could."
    -- Alanis Morissette

     

29. "Music helps you find the truths you must bring into the rest of your life. "
    -- Alanis Morissette

     

30. "Music is spiritual. The music business is not. "
    -- Van Morrison

     

31. "Like everything else in nature, music is a becoming, and it becomes its full self, when its sounds and laws are used by intelligent man for the production of harmony, and so made the vehicle of emotion and thought."
    -- Theodore Mungers

     

32. "Without music life would be a mistake."
    -- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

     

33. "In music the passions enjoy themselves."
    -- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

     

34. "Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art."
    -- Charlie Parker

     

35. "Music should be something that makes you gotta move, inside or outside. "
    -- Elvis Presley

     

36. "It's the music that kept us all intact, kept us from going crazy. "
    -- Lou Reed

     

37. "The music business was not safe, but it was FUN. It was like falling in love with a woman you know is bad for you, but you love every minute with her, anyway."
    -- Lionel Richie

     

38. "Music should never be harmless."
    -- Robbie Robertson

     

39. "Give me a laundry list and I'll set it to music."
    -- Gioacchino Antonio Rossini

     

40. "All music is important if it comes from the heart. "
    -- Carlos Santana

     

41. "Music is the key to the female heart."
    -- Johann G. Seume

     

42. "The best music... is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with. "
    -- Bruce Springsteen

     

43. "All I try to do is write music that feels meaningful to me, that has commitment and passion behind it."
    -- Bruce Springsteen

     

44. "In music one must think with the heart and feel with the brain."
    --George Szell

     

45. "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest."
    -- Henry David Thoreau

     

46. "For heights and depths no words can reach, music is the soul's own speech."
    --Unknown

     

47. "Most of us go to our grave with our music still inside of us."
    --Unknown

     

48. "I believe in the power of music. To me, it isn't just a fad. This is a positive thing."
    -- Eddie Vedder

     

49. "Music at its essence is what gives us memories. "
    -- Stevie Wonder

     

50. "There's a basic rule which runs through all kinds of music, kind of an unwritten rule. I don't know what it is. But I've got it."
    -- Ron Wood