I realize that some of you don’t consider internet radio to be “real radio.” If that is what you think, I would suggest to you that you might want to reconsider that perspective. Check out this article from Jennifer Lane and keep in mind that there
are LOTS of folks listening…
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Internet Radio Stations Play More Artists than Broadcast Stations

The number of unique artists played on Internet radio stations is more than 32 times the number of unique artists played on
broadcast/terrestrial radio. According to data supplied by streamSerf, a company that monitors and reports on music played on terrestrial, Internet and satellite radio stations, last month broadcast radio stations played 25,399 unique artists (US, including public radio stations) while Internet radio stations played 829,971 unique artists in the same time period!

“There is room for a more diverse, less centralized music scene in the world today – and this is being created and facilitated by technology and internet radio.” says Paul Mockenhaupt, Founder of streamSerf. streamSerf is an important tool that enables independent artists who are marketing their music on the Internet to track their success. “streamSerf.com is the ONLY tool available for these artists to measure their efforts, track their spins, plan their tours, validate their promotional campaigns, find stations that play [similar] music, check their royalty payments, etc.”

It’s not shocking to learn that Internet radio is more diverse. There are more choices for the listener, and more determination by the stations themselves to provide alternative music to the basic cookie-cutter formats and playlists provided on broadcast radio. It is stunning to learn that Internet radio’s list of unique artists is greater than broadcast radio’s by 3600%. (It should be noted that these stats do not even include stations that stream individualized channels,such as Pandora.)

Also interesting is the list of artists that get the most plays on broadcast stations versus Internet radio stations. While some of the top ten artists are the same on either list, others are very different:

According to Mockenhaupt, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. He says the real story isn’t in the top 10, or even the top 1000…” it’s the new, fresh, undiscovered, local, home grown music that’s filling the internet airwaves!” Internet radio gives voice to the long tail of music, providing entry for many musicians that have never had a platform before. That, he says, is the “magic” of Internet radio…

I heard this Thursday from several sources, but I don’t have any further info right now. When I get more info I’ll pass it on.

Of course he was yet another of the big time DJ’s I used to listen to in NYC when I was a kid. But the rest of yall know Hank Spann too even if you never heard him on the radio.

WWRL Flyer f. Hank Spann.
Click For Larger View

He is the kinda “narrator” on the song SAME BEAT by the JB’s. In fact the song starts off with Hank Spann saying…

::THE JB’S LIVE AND BADDDDDDDD::

Followed by that NASTY GROOVE….
….then the infamous chicken (rooster???)

& Hank Spann says….

:::THIS IS SOLID FUNK::::

…..followed by the chicken (rooster?)….then more of that NASTY GROOVE

then…..Hank comes back in and says….

::::FOR THA PEOPLE::::::

And then out of nowhere

COMES…..THA….FUNK….BOMB

(that blew our minds the first time we heard it)

THE REVEREND JESSIE JACKSON

I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
(crowd cheers)

I may be unemployed
But I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
(crowd cheers)

I may be unskilled
But I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
(crowd cheers)

I may be uneducated
But I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
(crowd cheers)

I may be in jail
But I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
(crowd cheers)

…and Hank comes back in and says

BADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

The title of this song may be a joke. A PLAY ON THE FACT THAT James Brown’s songs all sounded the same.

But it’s groove, message and it’s subversiveness are serious as a heart attack!!!

“Same Beat” is one of the greatest moments in the history of FUNK music.

…& mah man Hank Spann serves as our “tour guide” for the journey. Now we will have to get to the destination without him…

RIP Hank Spann

—————–
Bob Davis
earthjuice[at]prodigy.net
bobdavis[at]radioio.com
609-351-0154
——————

Co-Founder www.soul-patrol.com

Hip Hop and Soul Music Director
www.radioio.com
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Links For More Hank Spann Information:

The Urban Network’s Comments on Hank Spann

Alan Furst’s Program Director Blog

Radio Facts

Listen To Hank Spann Open his WWRL show on this Power House Radio Frankie Crocker Tribute Page

This is a bazz azz album. I’ve been listening to it for about a week. In fact, I snuck the first single (“Something Special”) from here into the rotation last week on the Nu Soul @ RadioIO channel: http://www.radioio.com/channels/nusoul

I can only hope that not only will the single do well, but that other songs from the album are released as singles also…
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Taking his inspiration from the French term Classique – an author, artist or work of art, of the highest excellence – Will Downing returns with his 14th collection of sensual grooves and true love primers.

‘Classique’ is his second album for Peak Records (in stores June 16 via the Concord Music Group) and a triumphant encore presentation following the challenges he faced creating his Peak debut, ‘After Tonight’ (recorded while battling the muscle disorder Polymyositis). Back in top form, Downing’s sensitive touch is felt throughout the project – singing, writing, arranging and producing, the latter mostly in collaboration with his dear friend and much-in-demand ace Rex Rideout.

Listen to the smooth & sensual first single, “Something Special” Listen To The Latest From Will Downing Here.

Excerpts from Press Release:

Will Downing – Peak Records / Concord Music Group Classique’ – Available June 16th

Highlights of ‘Classique’ include the hypnotic tick-tock pulse of “More Time” (a recurring theme of Will’s regarding finding more hours in the day for love), the feel-good summer groove “Something Special” and what will surely become this album’s top contribution to his personal best canon “I Won’t Stop”, a passionate backbeat driven declaration of eternal love. He waxes especially spicy on the clever “Just Think About It” and in the sexy vocal he shares with singer Sherrida on the funky call and response breakdown of “Love Suggestions”.

As always, Downing respectfully dips back into the timeless wax of old for three numbers. Interestingly, all three of them are songs originally made famous by three legendary gentlemen of Soul. The first is “Baby, I’m For Real”, a monumental 5-weeks-at-#1 smash first penned, produced and arranged by Marvin Gaye in 1969 for his favorite Motown vocal quartet, The Originals. Will recaptures that group vibe by sharing the mic with Phil Perry, whose powerful tenor and trademark falsetto flights play dynamically against his own smooth baritone. Perry, who was a member of just such a singing group called The Montclairs, taps into that experience with overdubbed harmonies.

Next is a stroll through Barry White’s very first hit from 1973, “I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby”, Will’s version of which also recently graced the Rideout-produced compilation ‘The Strength of a Woman’ (in support of breast cancer research for African American women). Finally there’s Will’s version of original Temptations lead tenor David Ruffin’s 1976 solo masterpiece “Statue of a Fool” (a.k.a. “Name It After Me”), a cover of the 1969 Jack Greene country classic that is among Ruffin’s most poignant recordings. Will tenderly delivers the evocative lyric as well as the heavenly backing harmonies for a rendition that goes straight to the heart.

Beyond the music, Downing is a conscientious humanitarian, proven by his role as a spokesperson for the American Stroke Association which has become even more important to him in the wake of prominent victims such as Luther Vandross, Ron Isley and Coretta Scott King. Whenever possible on tour, Downing conducts the charity bowling event “Strike Against Stroke” to raise funds towards greater stroke awareness and education in the African American community, which is disproportionately affected. The American Heart Association awarded Mr. Downing for his efforts, honoring him as a Celebrity Ambassador in their Power to End Stroke national campaign. Off the road, Will indulged his love for photography by self-publishing the 2005 coffee table book ‘Unveiled Series I’, and relishes his ultimate life roles of loving husband and father.

‘Classique’ is quintessential Will Downing from start to finish.a quiet but emphatic statement on the strength and confidence this Brooklyn native has garnered as he celebrates his 20th anniversary as “The Prince of Sophisticated Soul” – a career in which the man and his artistry have been recognized for excellence from NARAS to the NAACP.

Will Downing Music available at http://www.earwaxonline.com

This email was forwarded from our friend Todd Baptista, via our friend Clyde Frazier. Please read it and pass this blog link and information along.

1. Obviously it is very important for OUR artists to be compensated for their work and as you read thru the website list you will see the names of some of your favorite artists who have money waiting for them, all they need do is collect it. This money represents PERFORMANCE ROYALTIES that they are due as a result of Internet Radio airplay.

Please forward this blog address to as many people as possible and if you know any artist (not just the ones listed on the website), please encourage them to go to the SoundExchange website (http://www.soundexchange.com) to check and see if they are entititled to collect any past due airplay royalties.

2. It is these very same PERFORMANCE ROYALTIES that the US Congress via HR Bill 848, wants to insure are paid by terrestrial radio broadcasters like Cathy Hughes.

CATHY HUGHES WANTS YOU TO LOBBY YOUR CONGRESSPERSON TO OPPOSE THIS PROPOSED LAW. SHE DOESN’T THINK THAT ARTISTS DESERVE TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR WORK AS A RESULT OF HER PLAYING THEIR MUSIC AND MAKING MONEY FROM IT.

Soul-Patrol feels that Cathy Hughes in taking this position is helping to enable CULTURE BANDITRY. Why shouldn’t she pay for using the artist content? How would she feel if someone used her work to get rich, and then got on the public airways and told the general public that it was a good thing?

(and this is one of the things that I recently discussed on www.AirAmerica.com w/Chuck D on his show “On The Real”)

Here’s the Email that I received:

Friends-

It’s about time for next round of Sound Exchange royalty statements to be sent out and while browsing at their site today, I am amazed at the number of artists who are not collecting their royalties.

Remember- any unclaimed royalties revert back to the U. S. Government at the end of each calendar year.

I am not sure when the following list was most recently updated as several of the artists we recently signed up (including the Solitaires and Tune Weavers, for example) are listed as unclaimed. However, the following artists are still not collecting royalties. If you are on this list or know someone on this list or a family member or estate, please contact Sound Exchange or visit them online at http://www.soundexchange.com.

As always, I am willing to volunteer my services to assist in getting the paperwork done for original artists or their families (trbent[at]charter.net). Currently, we
have assisted over 60 performing artists to collect these royalties.

Thanks,

Todd Baptista

For the updated list, and more info about Sound Exchange, read on:

Artists not collecting royalties are listed on 84 pages at their website.

In summary, SoundExchange handles the following:

. collects performance royalties from the statutory licensees;
. collects performance royalties from reciprocal agreements with foreign collecting societies for featured artists and labels;
. collects and processes all data associated with the performance of the sound recordings;
. allocates royalties for the performance of the sound recording based on all of the data collected and processed;
. makes distribution of the featured artist’s share directly to the artist;
. makes distribution of the SRCO’s share directly to the copyright owner;
. makes distribution of the non-featured artist’s share to AFTRA and AFM’s Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund; and
. provides detailed reports summarizing the titles, featured artists and royalty amounts for each of the sound recordings performed by the statutory licensees.

I probably got more email from folks asking to lobby congress to defeat HR Bill 848 on behalf of Cathy Hughes, than I did about the passing of Waymon Tisdale.

That’s because Radio One’s owner Cathy Hughes was on the Tom Joyner Show recently begging for a black community bailout of black radio because of a proposed bill by Rep. John Conyers that would make radio stations have to shell out some major dollars to stay on the air.

The name of the bill is HR Bill 848 and frankly I am a supporter of it. This bill is designed to insure that terrestrial radio station pay the same performance royalties to artists that web casters (ex: Soul-Patrol) and satellite radio operators.

That sounds like a fair proposition to me…

So now Cathy Hughes is whining again.

I would suggest that she could do three things that might be helpful in formulating a direction for herself at this point:

1. Take a look at our friend Mark Anthony Neal’s brilliant essay called “Radio One’s “Save Black Radio” Campaign Misses the Mark” at the following link:

http://newblackman.blogspot.com/2009/05/should-black-radio-die.html

2. Take a look at our friend Minista Paul Scott’s brilliant essay called “Live or Let Die: Should We Save Black Radio?” at the following link: http://blackpoliticsontheweb.com/2009/05/14/live-or-let-die-should-we-save-black-radio

3. And of course she shyould also revisit the offer that I made to help her several years ago, which she can re-read at the following link. The offer is still open:

http://www.soul-patrol.com/newsletter/2004/news20

—————————————-
Bob Davis
earthjuice@prodigy.net
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