american

Like about 200 million other people around the world, my wife and I settled down to watch the American Idol Grand Finale earlier this week. With the benefit of satellite, we watched live from our tropical island home by the Sulu Sea in the Philippines. We were already happy, as our two favourites, Katherine McPhee and Taylor Hicks had, the previous evening, been where they belonged, singing in the final. Whoever won did not matter; we loved them both, but after Taylor Hicks final song, he did look the likely winner. However, they would both, as well as Chris Daughtry, have made worthy American Idols.

There were many memorable moments during the American Idol 2006 series, but for me one of the most memorable, and significant, came with the announcement of Taylor Hicks as the winner. I was delighted for him. He has been an inspirational entertainer all the way through the American Idol series, never flirting with the exit door (despite Simon Cowell’s attempts to shove him there), and with a unique ability to take just about any song, turn it into his own, and bring the audience to its feet. Taylor Hicks is…well, Taylor Hicks; never afraid to do his own thing and entertain the audience. Even if Simon Cowell wrote a funeral dirge, Taylor Hicks could turn it into something special with his unique character, and have the house rocking.

Taylor Hicks being announced as the winner was, of course, the peak of the series; it was what all the contestants had been aiming for since the auditions. However, for me there was something very special about that moment, that some may not have been so aware of: the reaction of Katherine McPhee. Her reaction was one of genuine delight for Taylor’s success. There were no artificial congratulations, no tears of disappointment, no sombre face because she had lost the final; just magnanimous delight for Taylor Hicks being voted American Idol 2006.

Katherine McPhee is a born star, and she will have a good singing career, a dream come true for her. Yet, despite her stunning beauty and exceptional singing talent, she remained modest even at the pinnacle of the show. In her own failure to win the contest, she simultaneously recognised with magnanimity the success of Taylor Hicks, and glowed in her own success of getting that far herself. She did not exude one iota of failure in her demeanour as the announcement was made. If anything, she epitomised success.

Seeing Katherine McPhee at that moment reminded me of how intermingled success and failure are. Even the same achievement can be viewed by one person as a success, and another as failure. No doubt there are some mean spirited people who will dismiss Katherine with a simple “oh, she was beaten, she failed.” But anyone who genuinely respects achievement of any type would appreciate what she has done to get as far as she has, and in such style.

The parents of Katherine McPhee must be very proud of what their daughter can do, has done, and will do in the future. But they should also be very proud of themselves for bringing up such a delightful young woman, who can take her moment of disappointment and turn it into a celebration of success, both for her and her conqueror, Taylor Hicks.

This success article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner and part author of the Routes To Self Improvement website.

Share This

As a musician, bands have it easier than a solo artist in terms of cost to make a CD. Other than that, there are little or no differences. For bands/artists who wish to start the process of making, distributing, and getting radio airplay by themselves, believe it or not, you are starting your own record label. Even if your goal is to land a major recording contract, you will still need to gather more attention for your music by cutting, distributing and promoting your own music. You’ll have a much better chance at getting a great record deal with a major label if you are successful on your own first. You may even find out that initially you can even be more financially successful on your own than if you had a record deal.

In my book, “The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money” ISBN 978-0-9746229-4-1, I share how MC Hammer “Hammer Time” started out by himself. He knew the bottom line and how much he made working his record in dance clubs. When a record company approached and wanted to sign him, he initially said no. Face it, if we were offered a deal like that or any deal, most of us would be rendered speechless and simply nod our heads to say “yes.” After all, that’s the musician’s dream, right? Why did he say no? Because he knew and understood his business model. MC knew how much he made on his own, and he knew he could make a lot more money on his own than they initially offered. Eventually the record label had to meet him on his terms. They offered him a much better deal in the end.

So, how do you do what MC Hammer did? Marketing, Marketing, Marketing - and it’s not all dependent on having your own label or producing your own music. In my book, “The Ultimate Guide to Music Success” there’s a chapter of do’s and don’ts for those of you who aren’t interested in creating your own record label and promoting a CD yourself. It will show you the correct ways to send a demo and get heard by the A&R staff of major-labels. It also includes a truck load of fresh contacts, email addresses, phone numbers and web sites to help you on this journey.

If you are one of the lucky few and have a lot of contacts and a lot of extra money, your path will be much easier, but still not guaranteed. If you are like the rest of us, you have a limited budget, fewer contacts, and even less time to spare. What do you do?

First you need to spend some money no matter how limited your funds are. There’s no way around that. You must also spend some time to start your business up and make your CD (a budget guide is also available in my book).

It’s the same with contacts. You have to put yourself out there and network. You need to spend a lot of very early mornings and very late nights initially surfing the internet for information on how to find and meet the people you need to help you on your path. You will also need to attend various functions and music gatherings where the music makers meet. Remember - it’s a see and be seen world. Join your local version of the BAMM or WAMI association. These are local clubs where musicians meet on a regular basis. Many important local musicians will be members and might be there to network with. Most every major city will have some sort of club like this.

The next step is marketing. Collect all of the write-ups on yourself and your band and put them into a folder. Then based on those, you’ll need to write a one-sheet up and pass it out to the people you meet at the parties. (A one-sheet is a one page marketing tool that emphasis the important aspects of your band/act.) If writing is not your gig, find someone who writes professional one-sheets or bios on a regular basis.

Once you have those marketing tools in hand, start making appointments to audition for local clubs. Take every gig that is offered to you initially, whether you are paid for it or not, and make sure to get the most press out of that gig. If you do get paying gigs when you first start out, great! Make sure you have a contract in your hands that is signed by the person who will be paying you. In case there is a dispute, and they do arise, you have a contract spelling out whether or not you were going to be paid and how much. Although it would be nice if everyone could work on faith and trust, make sure you get your contracts written, signed and in place.

Before you sign any contracts, make sure you get a reputable entertainment attorney to look it over. NEVER sign a contract before you have followed that step. You could lose the shirt off your back and much more!

What’s next? Work it baby! Work it! This is not the time to be shy and bashful about your career. You have to grab onto every single opportunity and use it to your advantage. Unabashed marketing is what you need to doso go for it! Just do it! No is just a word in the dictionary. It may hurt for a minute, but it’s the people that can take the “no” 50 thousand times that will get the prize in the end.

Something I recommend is to take a few courses at your local community college on Business Management and Accounting. This will help you immensely when it comes to watching your money and the bottom line. Whether you’re producing your own label and watching every penny or whether you’ve signed with a major label, you still need good accounting skills or a good accountant you can trust. With or without an accountant, it’s just good business to look at your books daily. Oprah is notorious for this and look where she is! No-one will care about your money or your success like you do.

Copyright 2005 Jaci Rae

Jaci Rae is the #1 Best Selling author of “Winning Points with the Woman in Your Life One Touchdown at a Time” ISBN 0974622907 and “The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money” ISBN 978-0-9746229-4-1 as well as the host of the Jaci Rae show. Dubbed by the media as “Racy Jaci” because of her quick wit and “The Rae of Hope,” for her powerful insight, please make sure to check her out at: http://www.jacirae.com To hear Jaci’s popular show, with some of the top behind the scenes as well as famous bands go to: http://www.jacirae.com click on the weekly show link.

Share This

She may not be able to put up with Simon Cowell and his sharp-tongued criticisms on American Idol, but Paula Abdul can’t get enough of her three Chihuahuas- Thumbelina, Tulip and Tinkerbell. There’s no doubt that if there were an American Canine Idol contest for dog breeds, Chihuahuas would receive a solid ‘YES’ from Paula when it comes to cuteness, intelligence and hug-ability! When it comes to celebrities, Paula is certainly not alone in her adoration of Chihuahuas.

Marilyn Monroe grew up in Los Angeles. As a child, she had a black and white dog that followed her to school. She named the dog Tippy and played with it during recess. A neighbor shot the dog dead in 1932 claiming that Tippy had repeatedly damaged his garden. After that incident, Marilyn seemed to have cooled to the idea of pet ownership. She shared a spaniel while staying with the Goddard Family in 1940, but didn’t actually adopt her own pet until after she signed with Columbia Pictures about eight years later.
While making movies at Columbia, Marilyn adopted a Chihuahua she named ‘Choo Choo’ in 1948. One story says that Marilyn saw a few grips and camera operators playing with a Chihuahua while on a break and instantly fell in love with the Breed. Another version claims that the studio encouraged Marilyn to adopt a tiny puppy for the sake of publicity. It is more likely that she choose the pup for her own reasons.

Marilyn became a bit of a trendsetter by adopting a Chihuahua during a time when glamour dogs like toy and full-sized Poodles were considered more chic. Looking back, it was a terrific move that immediately separated her from most other Starlets of the day. The more Marilyn and her Chihuahua were seen and photographed together in public, the more interest people began to have in the Breed. Another sexy, bleached blond film goddess soon followed Marilyn’s example.

Jayne Mansfield owned at least two Chihuahuas and was said to have been an animal lover. One of her dogs died in the car accident that took her life in 1967. The following year saw the release of The Wild, Wild World of Jayne Mansfield. Perhaps the campiest semi-documentary of all time, this film had four directors and was obviously a vehicle designed to make money off her death. Filled with nude scenes and real life weirdoes, the best actor in the movie was said to have been Jayne’s Chihuahua.

Today, Paris Hilton seems to be the trendsetter when it comes to Chihuahua popularity. While it is doubtful that Paula Abdul was inspired to adopt her Chihuahuas by Paris, the two celebrities both have females named Tinkerbell. Although we haven’t seen Paula’s pets on American Idol, Paris has made her tiny toy dog a canine superstar by appearing with Tinkerbell on magazine covers and featuring her in episodes of The Simple Life series on Fox TV.

Paris once told reporters that she was inspired to adopt a Chihuahua after seeing Legally Blond, starring Reese Witherspoon and the unstoppable Bruiser. Film inspired dog adoptions are nothing new. Films like Benji, 101 Dalmatians and Beethoven had moviegoers scrambling to find look-a-likes for themselves or their children. This wasn’t always a good thing for the dogs or breed in question.

Most people who wanted a ‘Benji’ for themselves chose Yorkies, Silkies and Terrier mixes that just love to chew on anything they can find. Contrary to what was portrayed in the film, those who adopted a Dalmatian probably made the unfortunate discovery that this breed can be very temperamental and downright mean with children. As for Saint Bernard’s, few people have the space for them. Those who do may not want the huge feeding and veterinarian bills that come with such a large breed of dog.

Those who saw Legally Blond and decided they wanted a Chihuahua were pleasantly surprised. Chi’s are generally sweet animals that do not have a tendency toward destructive behavior and love to be with people. They may well be the easiest of all dog breeds to care for. One of the big advantages to owning a Chihuahua is that they love to go everywhere and are easy to transport because of their size. That suits the lifestyle of most celebrities who always seem to be on the go. It’s no wonder that so many have chosen a Chihuahua as their canine companion.

Anne Heche loves her Chihuahua and has been known to spend big bucks on all kinds of goodies for her pet. It’s been reported that Anne likes to shop at high fashion doggie stores like the pricey Fifi and Romeo which is based in Los Angeles (where else?). The Osbournes, the world’s most famous four-letter word family, also have a thing for Chihuahuas. Ozzie probably appreciates having a small dog breed that hasn’t turned his home into one large litter box as some of their bigger dogs have. Despite all the advantages of Chihuahua ownership, these canines have not always enjoyed the amount of popularity they do now.

Nasty rumors about the use of Chihuahuas in traditional Aztec ceremonies many centuries ago once left a bad taste in the mouths of small dog breed enthusiasts. Many archeologists and historians believed that Chihuahuas were eaten as part of religious ceremonies! Some still believe it. This incorrect interpretation of history was based on notes taken by conquistadors and missionary priests. They failed to understand the symbolic nature of rituals depicted on stone carvings and were likely the victims of native propaganda offered up to make the Aztecs appear even fiercer then they already were. Such stories were probably the result of the outgunned Aztecs attempting to instill fear in an enemy that possessed superior weaponry.

We now know that the Aztecs believed Chihuahuas could be used as spirit guides to help the dead find their way through the underworld. As a result, many were probably killed for the sole purpose of assisting nobles and royalty on their journey through death. They were not eaten! These ideas may have come from religious ceremonies practiced over a thousand years ago by the Toltecs. After their conquest by the Aztecs, Toltec ceremonies and rituals were adopted by their conquerors. However, there is sufficient evidence to prove that many of these rites had already been changed or abandoned by the time the conquistadors arrived.

Montezuma II, the last emperor of the Aztecs, had hundreds of Chihuahuas. Each dog had its own keeper and these animals were given royal protection. The Emperor’s love for the Breed is said to have been handed down to him by several of his predecessors who may have outlawed the killing of Chihuahuas and changed their part in religious ceremonies. By the time the Conquistadors arrived, these dogs were more pets and living good luck charms of the Emperor and Aztec nobility then anything else.

Chihuahuas have always had an almost supernatural appeal to humans. Their ability to warm the hearts of people is legendary. When you add to this the fact that Chihuahuas are the world’s smallest dogs and longest lived, is it any wonder why celebrities like Rosie O’Donnell, George Lopez, Noah Wylie and others can’t get enough of them? The votes are in. It’s Chihuahuas that have caused celebrities to go to the dogs! Read more about Chihuahuas or find the perfect pup at http://www.ArizonaPups.com

Author: Bill Knell
Author’s Email: billknell@cox.net
Author’s Website: http://www.billknell.com
Terms To Use Article: Permission is granted to use this article for free online or in print. Please add a link to or print my website address: http://www.billknell.com

Share This