A post today about my husband.
Though I didn’t know about it for a bit – he kept it secret until he was ready to reveal it to me – Don has been working hard on a new venture. He has started his own digital record label, which is called Smokin’ Fish Records. Some of you who follow him on Facebook or Instagram might already be aware of it.
His intention is to highlight talented singers/composers/musicians. Steve Jobs didn’t do musicians any favors when he started iTunes. Streaming music, while convenient, leaves the artists with very little money. The only way big artists can earn money nowadays is by touring. There’s very little money in streaming. That being said, we’ve also lost most of the radio stations that we all grew up with, the ones that played a variety of music, that welcomed an eclectic array of artists.
All of that makes it harder for an artist to get recognition, to get his/her music out there. And Don knows a lot of talented musicians. He’s also been scouting artists who are new to him. He’s doing all of this – and it’s been an enormous amount of work – in order to be of service. To help these artists get a wider audience.
Today marks a month since he started this venture. It’s the real deal; an LLC and everything.
This is Don’s post from today on Facebook:
He’d love it if you stopped by this weekend. Here is the link to follow (the one in Don’s post won’t work as it’s a screenshot.)
This guy even took his own music off the label as he doesn’t want this to be about him.
I admire him more than I can say. So stop by, if you have a moment, and listen to a few tracks. I know some of these artists personally. Others are new to me. They’re all enormously talented.
Stay safe.
Happy Friday.
Ellen D. says
Good luck to Don in this new venture!
Claudia says
Thank you, Ellen.
Stay safe!
Marilyn Schmuker says
Best of luck to Don! I have been following Don on IG and will check it out.
I do think Don should be on his own label though.
I imagine this pandemic has been hard for Don in some ways. I remember all the work he did outside clearing paths. He seems like a man who needs a project and this seems like a big project!
Have a great day and stay safe.
Claudia says
He has his own Band Camp page, Marilyn. So his music is accessible.
He DOES need a project. Always!
Stay safe.
Janet+K. says
Wow Claudia, there is some wonderful music on Don’s label. This just proves it takes talent to recognize talent. Thanks so much for sharing and best of luck to Don with his new venture! Have a good weekend.
Claudia says
Thanks so much for stopping by his site, Janet!
Stay safe.
Kay+Nickel says
Amazing that Don is still so motivated to start a new business. I am so impressed.
Claudia says
He likes to work and he has to have a project going and this one is very exciting.
Stay safe, Kay.
Robin says
Hi Claudia, Congratulations to Don! Such a talented husband you have. I have listened to a few songs by different artists on Smokinβ Fish Records. They sound great!
Have a good weekend!
Robin
Claudia says
Thanks so much for stopping by, Robin!
Stay safe.
Vicki says
Don is so QUITE the guy on many fronts! A Renaissance man.
I definitely miss radio stations of my youth. I go out of my way to buy vinyl and I still buy music CDs. I’d heard this before, about money coming to the artist only through touring. It’s so expensive for tickets these days and, of course, we’ve been and ARE in this pandemic, such that more than one artist even recently has had to cancel anything for the remainder of 2021 (Stevie Nicks and Garth Brooks come to my mind; they started, thought it was safe, then it was not [for a big audience; a big crowd; a big stadium or concert venue]).
You two have a wonderful weekend!
Claudia says
Kudos to them for cancelling when they saw it was no longer safe.
Thanks Vicki.
Stay safe.
Melanie M says
Thank you, Don! What a treat to a βconcertβ of such talented artists!
Claudia says
Thank you for visiting the site, Melanie!
Stay safe.
Donnamae says
Don is a man of many talents. Wishing him good luck in his new venture! Enjoy your evening! ;)
Claudia says
He is very talented and never boring!
Thanks, Donna.
Stay safe.
Cristina says
I signed up today and bought my first album!
Claudia says
Oh, thank you Cristina! I’ll be sure to tell Don that you are a reader of this blog!
Stay safe.
jeanie says
Three cheers to Don! What a great thing – I really admire that. (I do think he should put himself on the label, at least eventually. He’s wonderful and he deserves it although I appreciate the humility of it all. Still, I hope he does.
Claudia says
He has his own page on Band Camp, Jeanie, so his music is available.
Thanks!
Stay safe.
Linda Piazza says
I found Don’s FB page and shared this announcement. Like others, I found wonderful artists to explore more this weekend.
Claudia says
Thank you so much, Linda. I know Don appreciates it!
Stay safe.