By Katoorah Jayne

"There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance, that imitation is suicide, that he must take himself for better, for worse as his portion. That, though the wise universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him, but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till. The power, which resides in him, is new in nature and no one but he knows what that is which he can do. Nor does he know until he has tried."

Waldo Emerson, "Self Reliance" (1841)

This column is dedicated to those artists, musicians, self-created individuals who are in search of ways to promote, express, convey and carry their self-made works to various listening audiences. All of which may include radio, record and publishing companies as well as live venues, but reach beyond the cinder blocks of a musty-filled single-car garage, grandma's lasagna-painted kitchen, steamy, reverberating showers or tiny bedroom jam sessions.

It's not to say that these grottos of music and song didn't produce some incredible artists. We all know they did. But, there is a time to go beyond the womb of what is safe and familiar. Imagine if the West Coast garage band my friend listened to during his blurry high school days never emerged from their garage. The world would never have known the music of Santana. While this band and countless others have had marked success, others have not. Who determines who and what is successful?

As with any art form (for the most part), beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Although, if all "beholders" are telling you that you suck, you may want to reevaluate what you're doing. The point here is that you determine your own success or failure. There are many artists who have paved the way for others, unaware of their far-reaching influence. These artists have died, never knowing their own true genius, or notoriety in the world.

We can go back as far as Mozart, who was buried in a pauper's grave. Or look at the life of the (now) blues legend Robert Johnson. Johnson's recordings weren't famous until the blues revival of the 1960's, more than 20 years after his death. This brings me to the purpose of my use of Emerson's work from "Self Reliance." If Robert Johnson, Mozart or Van Gogh, for that matter, used societal success as the impetus for their creations, we would not behold them as we do. We would, most likely, not be conscious of their names.

Before you set out to promote yourself or band, know what and whom you are promoting. If you are trying to outguess the business or change who or what you are to cater to the industry, chances are you will not be taken seriously. What is popular today, may not be tomorrow. It is, therefore, essential to stick to what you know: yourself. Believing in yourself goes a long way. Trying to convince others you are something you're not goes against everything you are.

If you are confused about who and what you are promoting, Steve Ferrera, VP of A&R with EMI, suggests that you "imagine yourself on tour with two or three other bands. Who would they be? This will help you determine who your audience is. People should be able to "get it" when they hear and see a band. There should be a common thread through the music that ties it all together."

It can also be helpful to ask family and friends for their opinions, provided you can take their answers. Some good questions to ask are:

1. How would you classify my music?

2. Please comment on my music and stage presence... A. What are my strong points? B. What are my weak points?

3. What are my 10 best songs?

Although these are basic questions, their answers can help define you as an artist, set you in the right direction, and help you hone your talent. While the opinions of others can be important, weigh them carefully, not too seriously, and rely on what you know is best. Always be on the look out for new avenues to expand and promote your music.

Future topics this column will cover range from booking you or your band to producing your own CD. Hopefully this information will encourage you, the artist, to go beyond your musical talent and promote yourself and your music. The more you can rely on yourself, and less on others, the more chance you will have of furthering your career, controlling your product, and saving money. The saying, "if you want something done right, do it yourself," applies here.

Until next time, check out IUMA, the Internet Underground Music Archive. This is the Internet's first free high-fidelity music archive. This site represents more than 800 unsigned and independent bands online. It is a forum for bands to promote their music and connect with music lovers all over the world who can buy their CDs and communicate via the Internet.

Although this is a free service to access, it can be costly to the bands and solo artists who utilize this site. If you have about $300 to spend, the exposure can be well worth the investment. Another similar site, which does not cost money to be on (if the label likes your stuff), is Evolutionary Records. Here, as with IUMA, you can listen to bands, read about them, e-mail them and order their CD, all from your computer.

In a business that has become so fiercely competitive, it is important to do everything you can on your own to elevate your career. This will put you many steps ahead of the thousands of couch musicians who wait for his or her record deal to come to the front door. There are legions of talented songwriters and musicians. Unfortunately, many of them will never be heard because they lack what others do not: the ability to self-promote.

Please send in your questions, comments, advice or suggestions to Katoorah@hotmail.com. If you have information on seminars, contests, web sites or anything you feel could contribute to the success of your fellow-musician, send them in as well.

Katoorah Jayne is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter who has written and produced 5 CDs, toured nationally with the band Western Vogue, and opened for The Rembrandts, The Bodeans, Joe Walsh, Los Lobos, The Texas Tornadoes, Holly Dunn, Leon Russell and James Cotton, to mention a few. Her music has appeared on several compilation-discs alongside Shawn Colvin, Tori Amos, Julian Lennon, Leftover Salmon, Matthew Sweet, The Indigo Girls and others. Check out her web site at www.katoorah.com.