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In the 1996 film "Jerry Maguire", Tom Cruise tells his agent, "SHOW ME THE MONEY!"--The iconic line that most of us know and love. This catchphrase is something that many of us have thought of at least once in our careers. When it comes to being an artist, money is a tricky subject. Recently, someone asked me, "how do musicians make money" ? I paused for a moment to see if he had any clue about the music business. After the pause, he continued with "it has to be really tough to make money as a live performer these days". This got me thinking....Does the average non-musician think that musicians make money primarily by performing live? It made me realize that I NEEDED to write this blog:) How DO musicians make money? Well, part of that question is valid. Many musicians solely rely on live performances to pay the bills. It is NOT an easy road, I can tell you that. When starting out, bars/venues pay musicians $100 per player for a 4 hour gig on average. With all the song prep, practicing, set up, dragging equipment to and from venues, and commuting, it ends up being an all day event. This life style is full of very high highs and very low lows. This was my life for 20 plus years. The crazy part: it's a full time job that I LOVED without the benefits. (and for the record, I did not have health benefits for many years, as most the gigs were non-union) To make ends meet, I was a K-8 music teacher by day, a private music instructor after school, and a touring gigging musician by night . (a weeknight show typically was 10pm-2am. ) During this process, I was also writing, recording and releasing music independently. (before digital media, when artists had CD release parties and physical CD's:) Artists are known for wearing many hats because they HAVE to. I don't regret any of those things, but it wasn't easy and I was sleep deprived for years. I firmly believe that when you aren't married and don't have kids in your 20s, it's the time to live it up! -- "Gonna live while I'm alive and sleep when I'm dead"--#BonJovi #Jonbonjovi #RichieSambora #desmondchild Pivot. Yes, there are other ways to make money as a musician. (besides local live shows and teaching) The ones that are fortunate to tour with big acts, or have a successful tour of their own start to generate income through ticket sales and merchandise. I have worked with some AMAZING players that still to this day haven't landed the gigs that they truly deserve. The music business is a mysterious beast. Starting a profile on #LinkedIn and expecting work is wishful thinking. It's a a very rare field where resumes really don't mean much. It's about your #craft and the #connection. Successful musicians typically land opportunites from the old faithful saying, " being at the right place at the right time" . #networking Music Licensing. Yes, musicians CAN write songs and make money! According to #Wikipedia, Music Licensing is the licensed use of copyrighted music. It is intended to ensure that the owners of copyrights on musical works are compensated for certain uses of their work. In 2001, I was at the right place at the right time, performing at a small venue for a Berklee Alumni event in New York City. I reconnected with a former professor who had a publishing company in LA. One of my original songs aired shortly after that event on ABC and CBS. That was the beginning of #synclicensing as a career for me.. Sync Licensing is a license granting permission to synchronize a song with moving images on a screen - generally in television, film, or advertisements. One of the perks of placing songs in a TV show or movies is royalties for life. The success of the production determines how well the songwriters get paid. It really is the luck of the draw. QUIT Yes, musicians do give up, even if they don't want to. It's a fact that many can't support themselves and/or their family. The unfair part: It's a bug--if you have the music bug, you never really quit. That's the hardest part--it's in your mind, your hands, your voice, your body. It's your passion. So how do musicians live their lives with the bug? Well, no one can deny the music bug. It's in the blood, for good. So, take it as a compliment. We are born into this world with the gift of music and have something to share, no matter what level of success. So, keep your chin up and keep playing the music. #nevergiveup

Coming from a musical family, I've been listening to music since I was in the womb. It's an involuntarily action to have music on in our house. We have various Spotify accounts and speakers in every room. According to Dictionary.com , music is an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color. So, what happens to your brain when you listen to music? Plain and simple: it stimulates your brain! Music activates just about all of the brain. The parts of the brain involved in emotion are not only activated during emotional music, they are also synchronized. Music also activates a variety of memory regions. And, interestingly, music activates the motor system. According to John Hopkins Medicine: If you want to firm up your body, head to the gym. If you want to exercise your brain, listen to music. There are few things that stimulate the brain the way music does. If you want to keep your brain engaged throughout the aging process, listening to or playing music is a great tool. It provides a total brain workout. Music is structural, mathematical and architectural. It’s based on relationships between one note and the next. You may not be aware of it, but your brain has to do a lot of computing to make sense of it. Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, pain, as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory. This leads me to Music Therapy. According to www.wikipedia.com,, Music therapists use music-based experiences to address client needs in one or more domains of human functioning: cognitive, academic, emotional/psychological; behavioral; communication; social; physiological (sensory, motor, pain, neurological and other physical systems), spiritual, aesthetics. Even animals need music. Music therapy in pets allows for a noninvasive, safe and effective approach to treat various anxieties or phobias. Proven to fight anxiety, music therapy for pets can also benefit animals with chronic pain, or recovering from surgery. It can help pets sleep better, and can reduce the need for certain medications. Why is music so important? At the core of our everyday experience with music, we use it to relax, express ourselves, come to terms with our emotions, and generally improve our well-being. It has evolved into a tool for healing and self-expression, often dictating how we, as individuals, take steps to impact society. Mental health is such an important topic these days, especially since Covid affected everyone so differently. According to BC Mental Health, 10 tips to boost your mental health are pretty spot on and #4 Music -Appeal to your senses- really shows how important it is in our daily lives. Listen to NEW music New music challenges the brain in a way that old music doesn’t. It might not feel pleasurable at first, but that unfamiliarity forces the brain to struggle to understand the new sound. We are all guilty of listening to our favorite songs time and time again, but now we have a reason to listen the New Music Friday on Spotify. (even if you skip after 30 seconds:) Speaking of Spotify, have you tried Heardle? Learn an Instrument When 13 older adults took piano lessons, their attention, memory and problem-solving abilities improved, along with their moods and quality of life. You don’t have to become a pro, just take a few lessons. I was a music teacher for many years and continue to teach my kids piano and voice lessons. It's a win win. We all learn together. New songs, new techniques, build confidence, and our brains stay strong and young.

The last few weeks were chock full of inspirational events. To name a couple, The Grammy's and The Super Bowl definitely caught my attention. Super Bowl LVII Highlights: First, hats off to the Kansas City Chiefs for this epic win! The Chiefs had a trying season, to say the least. The press doubted they would even make it to the playoffs. And with Patrick Mahomes being injured, they still came out on top! (not to mention he was named MVP again!) Pat is such a role model, so humble and such an inspiration. Super Bowl Performances Rihanna: This comeback performance atop seven platforms suspended 60 feet above the field was unstoppable. A pregnant supermom, Riri showed the audience how it's done. She was fierce and happy to perform. A mom of 2, I know how hard it is to sing, dance and smile all at once with a baby in your belly. Go R! Chris Stapelton: Well, if you didn't FEEL this one, you missed out (or you have a heart of stone!) Chris Stapleton’s soulful, bluesy National Anthem Performance brought tears to many, as he simply brought on the goose bumps with his passionate, rugged and determined delivery. The simple set up: a Fender Telecaster, a tiny mic-ed amp and a couple of monitors and a KILLER vocal performance. Grammys: The 65th Annual Grammy Awards were on fire! This was my first year EVER to be on the waiting list, which was very exciting! Here are some of my favs: WIN!!! The most deserving award went to Bonnie Raitt, winning Song of the Year for "Just Like That. " Raitt explained the inspiration came from a human interest piece that had been broadcast on the news. The story was about a woman who had donated her son's heart after his death and was about to meet the organ's recipient for the first time. "I just lost it, " Raitt said of the moment the man let the mother hear her son's heart beat in his chest. It was the most moving and surprising thing. I wasn't expecting it. I vowed right then that I wanted to write a song about what that would take." No other song could come close to this winner, with such substance, heart and emotion. This is what I love about music: stories that MOVE us and inspire us. Thank you Bonnie for this amazing song! You are a veteran in the Grammy world and we are so happy to see you back on top! WIN!!! Michael Buble wins Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album! This record is comprised of three tunes that were co-penned by Bublé and several timeless classics. It was produced by Greg Wells and Bob Rock along with Alan Chang, Jason “Spicy G” Goldman, and Sir Paul McCartney. Buble never disappoints with his delivery of the standard "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and the touching original "Mother." Cheers to you, Michael! NOMINEE and Shoutout The Berklee Indian Ensemble was nominated for Best Global Music Album for "Shuruatt". Wow--this group is talented! When I was at Berklee, there were various Ensembles that you could try out for, but never a unique group like this. The intricate time signatures, instrumentation and passionate singing is worth a listen. They are Grammy winners in my mind! #berkleeindianensemble #berkleealumni #shuruatt WIN!! Alphabet Rockers wins the Best Children's Music Album - The Movement! Well, I have young kids myself and have heard my share of children's music, but this album is unique and has a clear message - "we have the power in our community to build a world of justice and belonging. " It's also a winner in my eyes because the children on the album are not only singing, but writing the songs and producing! One big shout out to my colleague, "Reto Peter"--winning the Grammy for mixing this album. Congrats, Reto! Well, that's a wrap. When I hear and watch others succeed, it makes my clock tick just a little bitter louder. We all rock in some shape or form! Don't forget it. #yourock @amyward.com

Amy Ward is a New York City Award Winning Songwriter that has placed over 100 songs in various TV shows, commercials, and movies. A Berklee College of Music graduate, Amy learned the craft of Songwriting by many of the greats out of Boston. Now based in Kanas City, Ward writes and records out of her home studio and collaborates remotely with various LA writers and producers. Behind the Lyrics Behind every great song is a story. From Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and "Piano Man", "River" by Joni Mitchell, and many, many songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, all these songs paint a picture. They take you to a place for a few minutes and you actually feel like you are on a journey with them. As if you can almost taste the red wine, smell the beer, feel the winter chill in the air at Christmas time or sense the frustration in "Surface Pressure". Lyrics not only paint a picture, but they exude an emotion that is infectious, if written properly. I call it free therapy. The emotion can be a rainbow of feelings as the listener, and you can choose to listen, take the advice or turn it off. When I write songs that are personal, I tend to be more specific in the verses and more general in the choruses. #tip This helps for the general listening audience to connect and zone in more on the chorus, even if they aren't into that style of music. Last night, I wrote a song on pure emotion. No project, no deadline, just straight from the heart. This is my story of the day, my free therapy, me being brutally transparent , and my way of getting things off my chest. #freetherapy No Easy Way Gonna cut to the feeling, it’s like I bruised my knees And it’s hardening lately to keep my mind at ease I wanna put out the fire, ooh, wanna call it cool But I don’t know which way is up or down like a fool Chorus All the highs and all the lows have brought me here right now I could run or I could fall , there is no easy way at all There is no easy way.... At all Well I gotta be honest, I’m scared as hell And it’s human nature to look so calm and well But I see the bright side, a dream come true And heaven knows how hard I’ve tried to see this through Chorus All the highs and all the lows have brought me here right now I could soar or I could claw , there is no easy way at all There is no easy way... At all Words & Music By: Amy Ward Copyright Jan. 31 2023 @billyjoel @jonimitchell @lin-manuelmiranda @musicbusiness @behindthelyrics @songwriters @lyricists @famoussongwriters