When Brad Strang and John Goodwin looked at the opportunities available to northern musicians, they noticed glaring gaps.
“There were no tangible products that showcased the great talent we have here in the north,” Strang said.
“We wanted to be able to go to our local store and purchase music by local musicians.”
For Brad it meant one thing, a compilation CD featuring northern musicians, available in the north (and elsewhere) with contact information providing musicians a chance to help other musicians.
With his techno-savvy and JR’s contacts they set about finding musicians willing to lend their musical talent to a CD.
“It was like magic, like we were all waiting for some form of new energy to propel us to a next level in our careers,” JR said.
“Each artist responded with such appreciation of what we’re trying to achieve. Lots of ideas and positive feedback were collected and carefully considered.”
It didn’t take long to amass a roster of nine musicians/songwriters and 16 original songs.
The result of almost six months of contacting, explaining, numerous emails, Facebook chats, scanning hundreds of music files and finalizing legal documents to reach their completion of the CD compilation.
“We were thrilled to add Murray Boal to the CD as he’s gone now but will always be an important Cariboo songwriter/musician,” Strang said.
Both Strang and JR Goodwin are on the CD as well as significant musicians/songwriters from the north including Bob Campbell (a Murray Boal contemporary), Mike Gouchie, Ross Roberts, Angela Harris, Floyd Tolman and Darrel Randahl.
Each musician is featured in the enclosed booklet.
“This Songwriters of British Columbia, Premier Edition CD brings awareness to B.C. songwriters and shows there’s no need to go to Nashville,” Strang said.
“We should be promoting our talent right from here. I can see hundreds of volumes we could promote through this concept.”
Strang admits a CD format is just one way to promote local musicians but emphasizes it’s an excellent marketing tool, providing each musician with a product they can promote and market at concerts, in their home communities and around the province, country and the world.
And each CD, with its multiple songwriters/musicians is a chance
to promote other northerner’s in this industry, providing a wider array of exposure.
Through this project, Strang said he has learned so much every step of the way.
“I realized how many great musicians are struggling to be known,” he said.
“I’m also passionate about helping struggling musicians find the right path to their musical career.”
The response to the CD has been very good and one surprising aspect has been the forthcomingness of musicians who’d like to be involved in future CDs.
“We now have people approaching us,” Strang said.
“We’re working on a second CD with a wider variety of genres and wider reach across the province.”
This project has been completed without a lot of financial help and Strang said they could use assistance with some of the legal issues.
“We’re looking for artists’ permission
to produce digital versions for sale online,” he said.
“It’s all about access and being covered legally.”
Right from the beginning, this Songwriters of British Columbia CD was designed to support B.C. musicians and to help B.C. musicians support each other.
Both Strang and JR have big plans as they move forward with the project.
Songwriters of British Columbia, Premier Edition is available at Rocky’s, Circle ‘S’ Western Wear, Cariboo Keepsakes and various other community outlets including Williams Lake.
It can also be ordered from the website bluemountainrush.wix.com/bcsongwriter.