John Price

My role as a working musician

I’m not going to go all the way back to when it all started, that will be another day. I will focus on the now and the work I do as a working musician. I’m a musician, that’s my profession first hand. I make a living off of the work I do from playing in bands, teaching students, and selling my music. With all the challenges we musicians face today, it’s getting harder to sustain a viable income.

I wear many hats to keep moving forward. I don’t know if you realize what it takes to put together a record, especially when you’re a one-man operation. I’m the songwriter, the band, the recording engineer, the producer, the critic, mixing engineer, manager, social media advisor, graphic artist, photographer, secretary, post office, accountant, video editor, guitar tech, musicians psychiatrist. The list goes on.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I love doing what I do and find it very satisfying when a project gets done and people sit back and enjoy it. Making music is what I love doing. My recent recording project called Somebody has been a major eye-opener for me in many ways. It’s the first project I did in a timely manner from start to finish. It’s also the first time I released something on CD. I put a lot of time and effort into that project and your positive feedback has been overwhelming.

What I can’t get over is the state of the music business, so to speak. We live in a time where everyone expects all this to be free. With the music platforms such as Spotify/Apple Music/Amazon just to name a few, it’s created this illusion that the hard work musicians put into all this music is practically meaningless. They somehow managed to separate the listener from the artist and created a business where only they survive. Musicians need to get paid. I would like to see listeners get more involved and get familiar with what it really takes for a musician to provide you with their music. You just might develop a bigger appreciation for that artist and what you’re listening to. Don’t be afraid to support your favorite artist, even if it’s just one song….Purchase it and give them back the support they need to keep their profession alive. They have also made it too convenient for you not to purchase the music, so make an effort to find a way to do so.

You might ask the question, why do artists put their music up on these platforms? I believe we are trapped into this system format and need to find any means to survive. Think about this. It takes over 25,000 streams (song plays) to make $100.00 and that might be a high estimate. Little guys like me have no chance of making a living off of that system/pay scale.

I got involved in this new program called Reward Music. It allows me as a musician to control my business. Yes, this is my business and that’s why it’s essential for you to show your support to your favorite artist, hopefully, I’m one of them. I receive 100% of your support. The other platforms will take about half of the earnings and also control the pricing. I can instantly give you new content such as videos, new music and even interact with you through our own social media platform. You have your own personal music player to arrange the music you purchased. It allows you to become a fan and know that all your support goes directly to the artist.

I want to thank all of you for taking the time and signing up, making a purchase, or just sending me a message. Without your support on this platform, I would not have done what I achieved here over the last year… I’ve been greatly motivated being here on Reward Music.

Thanks again,

John Price