YouTube "Video Distributor" Lies Exposed!

Hi and Happy New Year 2015!!

This is a great read for anyone who has music that they wrote and performed, (and paid for) a music video, and then posted it on YouTube. I have personally encountered this issue with my song, Psalm on Danny Boy, where some online Distributor has taken all my rights and money for over 300K views!  When I contested it with YouTube and sent them a copy of my copyright, they told me that the case was closed.  Huh??  Well that's just sick, I wrote it, I sang it, and I paid some guy a bunch of dough to produce it as a work for hire, and now I'm getting zippo.  I hope the below info is informative whether you're an artist, musician, or you just care about what's happening in music and to us artists!

Best, DeDe W. :)

www.DeDe-Music.com
www.Youtube.com/1dwedekind

This Is How Distribution Companies Are Stealing Artists’ YouTube Revenue…

Tuesday, August 13, 2013 
by

Jeff Price

The following guest post comes from Jeff Price, the original founder of TuneCore and now founder/CEO of Audiam.com.  Audiam’s objective is to get artists paid much more for the use of their music on YouTube.   

“Each time there is a new way for an artist to make money, a new way emerges for others to take it from them.”

The most recent example: with no justification, a significant percentage of an artist’s YouTube money is being taken by many of the music distribution companies – (music distribution companies are the companies that place an artist’s music into iTunes, AmazonMP3, Spotify etc.)

The distribution companies get away with this by claiming that they, not the artist, control the rights to the artists’ recordings for licensing into videos on YouTube.  This allows them to take a percentage of the artist’s YouTube money for doing nothing. They pull off this financial sleight of hand due to the incredibly tangled, confusing, backwards and, in some cases, almost impossible to understandcopyright laws and music business practices.

Case in point.  Distributors have never, ever controlled an artist’s right to license recordings into videos.  This makes sense; the distributors’ role is to distribute recordings of music onto the shelves of music stores and then administer back the money from the sale of the music.

Distributors do NOT license music into videos.

As we are all aware, YouTube is not a “store”; music is not placed on a “shelf” and consumers do not pay money to buy music from it.

These rather glaring facts are not stopping some distributors from sticking themselves between the artist and YouTube, taking a percentage of the artist’s YouTube money for doing absolutely nothing and adding it to their bottom line.

If this does not yet make sense to you, it’s for a good reason.  It’s confusing – and this confusion makes the unsuspecting artist vulnerable to being taken advantage of.

Let me explain in more detail.

How YouTube Works

There are two main ways to make money on YouTube.

One is from views of your own videos on your own YouTube account – this is called a “Channel.”

The second is from views of videos which use your music in them – this is called a “Claim.”

CHANNELS – How A Musician Can Make Money On Their Own Videos On YouTube.

Let’s say you wrote a song, recorded that song and made your own video with that song in it – like an official music video. This video would have three copyrights in it, all controlled by you:

1) One copyright for the video itself

2) One copyright for the recording of the song (called “The Master)

3) One copyright for the lyrics and melody to the song (called “The Composition”)

Next, you create an account at YouTube, called a “Channel” and upload your own video with your own music in it.  You then tell YouTube to “monetize” your video with ads (this option appears in your YouTube account for everyone. No middleman needed). When the ads generate money, YouTube pays you about 55% of what the advertiser paid them.

NOTE: This option to make money on your YouTube video is open to everyone; no middleman is needed.

CLAIMS – What Some Music Distribution Companies Are Doing On YouTube To Take A Piece Of The Artist’s Money

Let’s assume that as before, you wrote a song, recorded that song and made your own video with that song in it – like an official music video – and uploaded it to your own YouTube account (called a Channel).

Also as before, the video has three copyrights and as before all three copyrights are controlled by you:

1) One copyright for the video itself

2) One copyright for the recording of the song (called “The Master)

3) One copyright for the lyrics and melody to the song (called “The Composition”)

This time however, there is a twist; the artist used a distributor to put the music in his/her YouTube video on the shelf of iTunes, AmazonMP3 etc.  Unbeknownst to the artist, this distributor also has a special contract with YouTube called a “Direct Licensing” contract.

These “Direct Licensing” contracts are typically only given to larger music companies or distributors, not to individual artists or songwriters.  These contracts allow the distributors to tell YouTube that they, not the artist, control the rights to the music of a song being used in videos on YouTube.

In addition the “Direct Licensing” contract also allows the distributor to go into YouTube, find the artist’s own videos in the artist’s own YouTube account, have YouTube place ads on the artist’s videos and then (here’s the important part) have the YouTube ad money flow from YouTube directly to the distributor, not to the artist.

(NOTE – these same “direct licensing contracts can be used for good by finding other people’s videos using the artist’s music and making the artist money off of those, something an artist cannot do on his/her own).

Now that the distributors have the artist’s money, they take a cut of it before paying the artist whatever is leftover.  They very misleadingly call the percentage of money they take from the artist’s YouTube revenue a “distribution fee”.

Let’s be clear.  It is NOT a distribution fee, the distributor did not “distribute” anything to YouTube. It’s a “we’re taking a piece of your revenue because we can” fee.

What justification does the distributor have to get a cut of the artist’s money? Good question, and sadly there is not a good answer.

The distributor did not write the song, record the song or create the video.  They did not create the artist’s YouTube account or even upload the artist’s video to YouTube.

And they certainly did not cause people to watch the video which generates the ad money.

Finally, unlike other digital services like iTunes and Amazon, no middleman is needed; artists can go direct with YouTube and make ad money on their own videos themselves by simply uploading their video and clicking the “monetize” button.

In other words, the artist writes a song, records the song, mixes the song, masters the song, shoots a video, edits it together, uploads it to YouTube and gets people to watch it based on the merits of the music and video. The distributor, which did NOTHING to cause these views, create the music and is not needed as a middleman to make money on YouTube, sits back and just takes a chunk of the artists’ money.

Due to the complexities of copyright law and/or the artist not knowing they can just go direct with YouTube a chunk of the artist’s money is being taken by someone else.

In other words, these distributors do it because they can get away with it.

They don’t need to do this, they consciously choose to.  Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

In this day and age, I can’t believe we still have to fight for an honest system.  It really is not hard to give the artists all the money they are entitled to in a clear, timely and transparent fashion; you just have to want to do it.

But let’s say they don’t want to do it, and they’re solely in the game to make a lot of money at any expense. These sleight of hand business models work against them. Each time a stunt like this is pulled, eventually someone else will step forward with a way to correct things and completely cut them out (just look at what happened to the old school music industry).

As one example, in, 2005, I watched the artist needlessly have to give up their copyrights and a percentage of their money from the sale of their music in order to get it onto iTunes, so I started TuneCore (sadly, the investors in TuneCore threw out the three original founders and appear to no longer have the artist’s best interest in mind).

Now, in 2013, I’m watching the distributors have the artist needlessly give up a percentage of their YouTube money from views of their own videos on YouTube.   So I started Audiam (via Audiam, the artist gets 100% of the revenue from the views on their own YouTube videos and also makes money on other people’s YouTube videos).

Can’t the new music industry take a moment and look at the past and learn from it?  

If you screw the artist, eventually you are going to get cut out. Yes it’s easier to just take money by hiding behind the complexities, but if you truly want to create a great long lasting business of value, it’s going to take innovation and hard work.  You actually have to create something that makes money predicated on real value, not on smokescreens and sleight of hand.

Change the model from exploiting the artist to serving the artist and we all win, both financially and morally (and maybe you can even sleep better at night).

In the meantime, can you just cut it out?  Stop taking the artist’s money needlessly, its hard enough for them as it is.

- Jeff Price

Twitter Handle: @TuneCoreJeff

Blog: artistcore.blogspot.com

What does U2’s Deal With Apple Mean for the Music Industry?

Hi, DeDe here,

Personally, I love U2, and I think this was a very smart move for them. Bono has proven over and over through the years that he's not just a super-talented musician, he's also a true marketing genius. Look how he keeps re-creating his music, yet keeps it true to the U2 sound, and it's stayed more or less, quite popular...for almost 30 years.

However, this just shows how truly bad the situation has gotten for almost all of the artists in the music industry. What everyone's not telling you is that U2 got a huge paycheck (~100Million) behind the scenes from iTunes, Apple, etc. But for us non-famous, unknown, hardworking musicians and songwriters, this may be a signal of the final kiss of death for album and CD sales, which 99.9% of us still rely on for survival and in order to keep creating music....

There's got to be a solution here that protects artists, and pays us a fair amount for our new music-keeping copyright protections in place, while at the same time keeping music affordable and available to consumers. I'm open to your thoughts on this, any suggestions or ideas?... http://www.DeDe-Music.com

What does U2’s Deal With Apple Mean for the Music Industry? The world's biggest band have given their new album away for free on iTunes. But what's in it for them?

-From entertainment.ie, Sept. 2014

U2 sent shockwaves through the music industry last night by announcing at the launch of the new iPhone 6 that their new album 'Songs of Innocence' was to be given away completely free of charge on Apple's iTunes online music store.

To say that this is an unconventional method to release new material would be an understatement and it could potentially be seen as a seismic shift in the way music is delivered to its audience. Since the advent of iTunes and, more lately Spotify, the means by which people experience music has been subverted. Purists suggest that this is to the detriment to the concept of the album as a standalone collection of music, as today's listeners seem more content to download or stream a series of individual tracks as they grow their personally curated collections. It's the musical equivalent of separating the wheat from the chaff.

By partnering with Apple and giving their entire record away for free, U2 have embraced the digital age in a way that many of their contemporaries have appeared so hesitant to do and also encouraged fans to download and listen to the albums as a whole rather than to cherry-pick their way through it by downloading the odd single here or there.

But what exactly is in this for U2? Quite a lot, it turns out. Bono has said on many occasions, and as recently as last week, that he doesn't believe in "free" music so it would be naive to suggest that this is an entirely philanthropic gesture by U2. Various figures are traversing the internet this morning about exactly how much U2 will earn from their "free" album and it's entirely possible that this could generate Bono and co. more than any other album they've released in the last two decades.

The Wall Street Journal quotes a source "familiar with the talks" who said U2 were paid an astonishing $100 million for their participation, with Apple only too happy to realign with the group they previously worked with ten years ago to release a special U2 iPod. This move was also presumably designed to incentivise the purchase of U2's back catalogue in iTunes to a younger audience and to highlight ticket sales for the eventual tour on the back of 'Songs of Innocence' (though it's unlikely they would have needed to much help in that regard).

Jimmy Iovine, record producer and co-founder of Beats, explained Bono's intentions further to Time.

"The charts are broken", he said. "The old music industry has reached a low point and hasn't kept up with the digital world. He wants to see the artists' reach measured by how much they're listened to, by whatever medium or method."

U2 are following the lead of Beyonce, Jay Z and Radiohead who in the past have released music either unannounced, packaged with a tech company or free. In fact, Beyonce sold around 800,000 units of her last album within a week (though fans had to pay for it) when it was made instantly available on iTunes and U2 are expected to far eclipse that figure.

What can we take from this? It's a pretty strong indicator from U2 that they think the traditional means for music distribution is broken and what they have done with 'Songs of Innocence' is set a very appealing, if completely unsustainable, precedent. When the sales figures are released in a week or so we expect there'll be a few happy faces around the Vico Road but where does this leave the bands who are relying on album sales to generate income or recoup losses?

Releasing an album for free (or by having Apple write you a Euro Millions sized cheque) is a luxury only afforded to the 1%, leaving countless other bands trying to keep their balance on the shaky ground that is today's music industry.When the world's biggest band acknowledges that the system in place to sell music to the public is broken, where does that leave the little guy? U2's free album will no doubt be a delight to many but it might just be the clearest indicator yet that the system we have in place is irreparably damaged.

The Music (Ministry) Business: What Labels Are Looking For

A great post from my friend, Eric Copeland, producer extraordinaire and CEO/Owner of Creative Soul Records up in Nashville.
-DeDe :)

(Okay, so this is about the music biz, but is also applicable to a lot of other opportunities/relationships in life...)

The Music (Ministry) Business: What Labels Are Looking For: "A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament." - Oscar Wilde So as a Christian artist, you perhaps may thi...

A GREAT ARTICLE from TAYLOR SWIFT about Where The Music Industry is Headed...

Where is the Music Industry Headed?

Well, I have to hand it to her, Taylor Swift has managed to write a pretty decent article about the music industry now vs. 10-20 years ago, and where it's headed. Although I'm not sure such a youngster with so much success so early on isn't bit skewed in her thinking, (but aren't we all?), I do think there's a lot of truth to what she says. She basically says that the music industry has completely changed over the past 10 or so years. Its a lot harder to make it and for even good artists to sell their music. And since truly talented artists are rare, it makes sense that our music should be held in high regard. Therefore it should be bought at a price and NOT be free! I never thought I'd say this about Taylor Swift, but I agree!

Read more here: Taylor Swift's WSJ Article about Music

Thanks for reading/Subscribing and talk soon!  DeDe :)

www.DeDe-Music.com/Signup

www.Facebook.com/DeDeWedekind

@DeDeWMusic

www.Reverbnation.com/DeDeWedekind

How to Write Really Great Songs...by DeDe

Okay, now that I have your attention, my name is DeDe, and I'm a singer songwriter from Texas.  However, (as you may have guessed!) I 'm certainly NOT going to be able to tell you how to write great songs in one blog, no matter how experienced a songwriter I am!  However, I can give you some basics, so here they are:

First of all, you have to write songs that other people can relate to, and that will move people. They also should be about things you've experienced yourself.  For example, real life experiences like:  love, breaking up, having fun, friendship, a certain relationship, learning lessons, etc.  You should be carrying and jotting down ideas daily in a notepad, notebook PC, or phone for this very purpose.  For example, I went to a class on relationships and they said that love is really about giving.  So I jotted down "It's All About Giving" as a potential song title/idea.  Here are 5 questions to ask yourself:  Do people or can people relate to this song idea/title?  Do people want to hear about this song idea/title?  Can I write enough interesting things about this song idea to make it into a complete song?  Am I able to use this song idea/title to tell a story?  Will it illicit emotions in the listener?  If you answered "YES" to all the above, congratulations, you have the start of a great song!

For example, "I lost my Jimmy Choo shoe, and now I'm hoppin' mad"-Get it? Hoppin!...Well.  Sadly, that's not really an interesting story to most people, sorry!  We just don't care about your shoe, (even if it was really gorgeous and/or overpriced)! You also just can't write that much about an inanimate object, I'm sorry to say, unless it's like the moon or something really poetic. So stick to emotions and experiences that you can tell a great story about.  It is okay to talk about the girl or guy you lost- or even your mother or father...but again, keep it interesting and relatable as to why you are talking about something like that.  And please, please DON'T be depressing! (a BIG pitfall of teen songwriters in angst!)  Also try to find unique ways of saying things and avoid cliches like: "she was like the sun"or "he was the love of my life", etc.  Saying "she had a smile that could outshine the sun", or "I belonged to him, from the moment our eyes met" is much more interesting for example...(These are some actual examples from some of my songs, so please don't steal my stuff!)

Also, you have to have a story that builds on itself. You can't write one line about that great girl you lost last year, and the next line about what you love about your new job.  It has to make sense, and also needs to tell the listener a story that makes them want to stick around to hear what happened next! Also, keep it as simple as possible (stick to one short story that you can tell in 1 song!).  A bad topic for a song story idea would be World War II or something, it's just too broad!  And I have a favor to ask: please also use words that rhyme- whatever scheme you use.  I like them to rhyme, most of the time- at least every other line (okay so that was an example of a rhyme!), but also so true.  Your song should rhyme, and tell a story, stay simple, and what else?  It should also be in matching meter.

Besides not telling a story at all, (or maybe a boring and not real cohesive story) with their songs, this is where a lot of new songwriters totally jump ship- thereby sending their songs permanently to a deep salty ocean grave.  Meter is something you need to use, and if you don't know what it is, you have to learn it correctly and apply it, or frankly, your songs will stink. All it requires is the discipline to put the same number of syllables in line 1 that you have in line 2, or line 3, or whatever your meter is.  For example: "She sells sea shells by the sea shore" has 8 syllables.  So your next line would have 8 syllables (or you can do every other line with 8 and the other 2 lines with another meter scheme, like 9 which I used below for example):

She sells sea shells by the sea shore (8 syllable meter)
Is she a saint or is she a bore?  (9 syllable meter) And wasn't I nice to use the word "bore"?! :)
I've only seen her once before  (8 syllable meter)
But I sure wish she'd knock on my door.  (9 syllable meter)

It can be whatever meter length you have in mind, but all the verses and lines, should at least "match", and not be random in length.  Plus as an experienced songwriter, a shorter meter is less complex and easier to use, and usually sounds better.

Lastly, song structure is another important feature of songwriting. You should have the same (or very similar) meter between all of your verses, and also for each chorus that comes around (the chorus can be in a different meter from the verses, but all chorus's should probably be the same!)  Likewise, you should also have the same (or very similar) melody too each time a verse (or chorus) rolls around, otherwise you risk losing the listener.  This is because with music it's all about the repetition. Our minds like repetition and are drawn towards it -think "It's a Small World After All"...I rest my case. However, as a general rule, the chorus should also have a different melody from the verses; this is just good songwriting and creates some variety for the listener. The typical structure of songs has changed a lot during the years, but today there's one structure (and a few variations of this structure) that like 90% of all pop & country songs you hear on the radio use:
Intro
Verse 1
Chorus
Verse 2
Chorus
Verse 3
Bridge
Chorus
(Tag) Optional

There are variations of course, like omitting the first chorus and doing verses 1 and 2 in a row, but this is the basic way to write today's popular music.  There also needs to be a hook which is at home in and anchors the chorus. The average time the hook repeats should be around 5-7 times minimum throughout the song. For example, if my hook is: "I'm so glad he's mine", I'd repeat this hook 7 times or more throughout the song, mainly in the chorus, and at the end of each chorus to get listeners "hooked" on what I'm trying to say. You can also repeat the hook in the tag at the very end:
Chorus: He's got a smile like a ray of sun
Reminds me of when we'd just begun
And I'm so glad he's mine.  (Hook)
His sparkling eyes so full of sunshine
His heart of gold and his skin so fine
And I'm so glad he's mine, (Hook)
Yeah, I'm so glad he's mine. (Tag/Hook)

So, in review: first you need a good story, keep it simple, avoid cliches, use a consistent rhyme scheme and meter scheme, use proper song structure with a verse, chorus and bridge, and a be sure you have a great "hook" in your chorus.  Now that you have all the basics, let's get out there and write some really great new songs, okay??  And, please feel free to send me a sample of your writing in the "comments" below, and I'll help you with any areas that may need attention, okay?

Also, I would appreciate it if you would Subscribe /go to to my Music Stuff Blog, scroll down, and hit the "Join this Site" button on the lower left hand side of the page so you can get updates, okay?
Take care and all the best music to you!
DeDe :)
http://www.DeDe-Music.com/Signup  SignUp for news and free MP3's!

How TWEET It Is to Be #TAGGED by You! (News from the TWITTER Guru)!

From the Twitter Guru: 3 Twitter Hashtag Secrets

A Guest Post by Bobby Owsinski

If you've been reading this blog for a while you know that I'm a big proponent using Twitter as a promotional tool. The key to using Twitter that way is by including hashtags in your tweets, or the # symbol before a keyword (like "#musicmarketing" which I'll be using when I tweet about this blog). This is one of the ways that people can find your tweet when they do a such for a particular topic.

If you're using them already and you don't find your followers increasing, check out the following "secrets:"

1. Don't be ironic. I know that it's the cheeky thing to post something like #badcupofcoffee or #rudepeople, but that doesn't help you reach the people that you want to reach. To find the right keyword, go to search.twitter.com, plug in the keyword that you think will work, then check out how popular it is and what some of the other keywords that people are using.

2. Limit the number. It's been proven that using more than 2 hashtags in a tweet is counterproductive. It just confuses people reading the tweet. Stick to only 1 or 2.

3. Target your audience. Once again, do a search to find which hashtags fit for the audience that you're trying to reach. I have a list of about 20 that I can mix and match depending upon the nature of the tweet and which audience might like it more. For instance, the list is different for the tweets from this blog, which is about the music business, than for my Big Picture blog, which is about music production. To narrow it down further on that blog, I have a list that's targeted to musicians (#drums, #drummers, #guitars, etc.) or recording (#recording, #producers, etc.).

Using hashtags isn't hard and they can bring results beyond anything you might expect. All you have to do is use them correctly.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

DeDe is a Singer/Songwriter from Texas who uses TWITTER daily to connect with her #fans and the #music industry, check her out at: https://twitter.com/DeDeWMusic and http://www.DeDe-Music.com.  Thanks for the guest post Bobby!

Absolutely THE BEST Advice I've Ever Seen Online about Artists, their Music, Making Demos, Record Labels and "Making It"! -DeDe :)

What If The Label Says “YES”?

A guest post by Johnny Dwinell of Daredevil Production

So Kelly and I are at a private party with Anthony Orio & friends and we end up in a conversation over beers and cigars about artist development and the damage that happens when artists and/or songwriters get their lucky break too early.  What if you get the opportunity of a lifetime to take a big step towards your dream and you’re not developed enough, ill prepared, or worse, searching only for fame?  In short, what if the label says YES?!?!

That’s right, I said it.  What if the record label or publishing company says “yes”?  Are you ready?

Do you know where you’re going artistically?

Are you prepared to fight for your vision or will you be lost in the crowd with your hat in your hand?

Do you understand the hustle of the business and how to operate intelligently within it so you can capitalize on the coming momentum?

The NFL has classes that all rookies are required to take to deal with this instantaneous rise in the players brand awareness and cash flow, but they certainly DON’T offer this in the music business.  In fact, they would prefer you don’t know; more money for the powers that be.

You can’t just stick your toes in the water; you have to be ALL IN.  To make a living, you have to be a student of the game.  If you don’t know your business, you’re being lazy.  Trust me, THEY WILL know your business because they’re professionals and you will suffer for your lack of knowledge one way or the other.

What if the Publishing Company Says YES?

Read More...

www.DeDe-Music.com

www.Facebook.com/DeDeWedekind

twitter.com/DeDeWMusic

Time for a Royalty Check? Kiss that goodbye...or, is there any hope out there?

A great read about Royalties for songs, movies, video games, photos, books, etc. Be sure to see my comment at the end.  DeDe :)

William Buckley Jr.

Founder and President, FarePlay, Inc.

Online Piracy Finally In the Crosshairs

On March 13, the Congressional Subcommittee on copyright reform held hearings on proposed revisions to the DMCA, Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Those invited to testify were evenly split between those who represented the tech industry and those who represented the artist and Copyright. Maria Schneider, a Grammy Award Winner, was the lone artist represented on the panel. She presented honest, impassioned testimony framing the serious challenges of out-of-control piracy from an artist's perspective.

Written in 1998, with the intent of protecting both copyright holders and website owners, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, quickly became a devastating problem for copyright holders. Not coincidentally, barely a year later, in 1999, Shawn Fanning launched Napster, marking the beginning of online piracy and over a decade of artist abuse.

Now, fifteen years later, most pirate sites are still operating under the protection provided by the DMCA's Safe Harbor; a loop-hole that has enabled pirate sites to thrive in a quasi-legal gray area. A safe harbor from which online pirates claim compliance by engaging in what is commonly referred to as whack-a-mole, a process where infringing sites comply with take down notices by taking down the infringing content only to have the same content reposted almost immediately from another source.

Read more here:  http:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-buckley-jr/online-piracy-finally-in-_b_5086820.html

MARCH 11 PRESS RELEASE-DEDE WINS 2 MAJOR MUSIC INDUSTRY HONORS

MARCH 11 PRESS RELEASE-DEDE WINS 2 MAJOR MUSIC INDUSTRY HONORS

Read about DeDe's 2 major Music Industry Honors in March 2013, and stay tuned for all her other news!

Vote for DeDe in the People's Voice Awards, follow instructions in the second link above!

Thanks!!!  DeDe :)

Now that the OSCARS and WINTER are over, we're MARCH-ing on!

Hi there,

     Well, hasn't this been an interesting weekend?! Lots of unusual weather in Texas (we had a 50 degree fluctation in the past 24 hours: 79 to 29 degrees F!!) And as in most years, some very unusual outfits/dresses at the Oscars this year! Who's on your fav & worst dressed list?  Mine? Laura Dern-Worst, Jennifer Lawrence-Best! How's the weather in your area?

     Contests are fun & the winner of the Feb. Valentine contest was Samantha Holmes, who won a copy of "Love & Fairy Tales": her hubby took her to a romantic dinner & movie, then she treated him to a home made heart-shaped chocolate cake with pecans on top-yum! Congrats Samantha!

March-ing on to the Music! Please vote if you can...

     PLEASE VOTE! The Fairy Tale Song is a FINALIST in the Intl. Songwriting Competition in the Children's Music Category: please "LIKE" first, then click on "Children's Music" & "The Fairy Tale Song". Please VOTE here: The Fairy Tale Song.  

     THANKS SO MUCH for your support of local & independent artists!  Thanks to you & your help, I'm floored to have just received Singer Universe.com's Best Vocalist of the Month for Feb. 2014 for "Blame It on the Summertime", (which also is in the Top 5 for SongwriterUniverse.com for Feb.) 

Local Public Shows (Kingwood N. Houston):

WED. March 5th-Cafe du Bois 6:30-9:30pm  Treat yourself to a relaxing mid week dinner & music!  www.Cafedubois.com

WED. March 19- Zammittis 5:30-8:30pm  Great new menu, we'll be on the patio by the lake.  www.zammittis.com

SAT. March 22-Ford Dealership in Cleveland off Hwy 59N.  10am-6pm.  Fundraiser for HEAVEN's ARMY, crawfish, fun, food, music, classic cars and cycles!  DeDe from 5-6pm  Tix @ the door. Please bring the family & donate here:  www.heavensarmyofresources.com.

SUN March 9 & SUN April 13 4:30-6:30pm  ALIVE in the PARK @ Town Center, a free family-friendly inspirational concert event! Bring your lawnchairs & kids.  DeDe & Bands will be there in April, time TBA!

THURS April 24-Amedeos 6:30-9:30pm. Enjoy 1/2 price appetizers, music, fun, and drink specials all night!  www.Amedeos.net, 281-359-4451  

Please drop me a line and let me know how you're doing, enjoy your March, and HOPEFULLY some great spring weather!  Feel free to "share" this okay?

Blessings, peace, and all the best musically,

DeDe :)

http://www.DeDe-Music.com  Songs, Blog, Shows & News

http://www.facebook.com/DeDeWedekind

http://www.reverbnation.com/Deborahwedekind (2 FREE downloads here!)

http://www.YouTube.com/1dwedekind (The Fairy Tale Song Video)

DEDE ON THE MULBERRY LANE RADIO SHOW!

DEDE ON THE MULBERRY LANE RADIO SHOW!: DeDe talks about her experiences working with Grammy-Winning producer, Jeff Bova, with Rachel and Allie Mulberry on their critically acclaimed radio show, Mulberry Lane.   Please listen to her second appearance where they sing to DeDe, & DeDe responds with a fun ditty of her own for the Mulberry sisters.  Episode was in December of 2013.  Listen HERE.



Hear why Mulberry Lane is taking the radio waves by storm with stars such as Paul Williams as regulars on their show!  http://www.mulberrylane.com/

DeDe's January News!

Happy 2014 Everyone!

I hope this year is already shaping up to be a great year for you & your family!  I'm finally catching my breath here in Houston after 2 successful new album launches in 2013: Love & Fairy Tales which released in June, and World of Christmas, which released in November. Thankfully both albums released to great reviews, and both contain some new award-winning songs! (The Plans I Have for You was a 2013 UK Songwriting Contest Finalist, Blame It on the Summertime won the Broadjam Summer Song of the Month in August, Joyful Christmas won both a Singer Universe & Songwriter Universe Top 5 Song of the Month in November, and Silent Night was a Top 5 Vocalist Winner in December!) So 2013 was a very busy year for us!  If you haven't tuned in in awhile, please see my latest Blog posting here about my January songwriting stuggles/adventures!

We are starting bookings for 2014 after a few weeks off, so please think about any birthdays, anniversaries, or about having me / me & my band come to your location for an event or concert, okay? We're now in the process of hopefully setting up tours in the Charlotte/Hilton Head South

Carolina area & the greater Chicago/Milwalkee area, so if you'd like a contact regarding or have an event, church or venue in mind, please email me here.

DeDe & Tribune Food Editor, Karen Boughton discover great food and good music at The Jazz Corner in Hilton Head this January.

As always please see my Show list on my website for upcoming events. We had a great time at Northpark Christian Church this past Sunday performing some original songs, and meeting all the great folks plus judging & enjoying a "chili cookoff"!  We're setting up concerts now for 2014 in the Houston area, so if you or your church are interested, or if you'd like more information, please email me at: info@dede-music.com.

Have a wonderful January and a blessed Valentines Day. As a thank you for being my fan, please accept my 2 Free Downloads of Canon on the Lord's Prayer & America United!  If you haven't checked out my  new Facebook Fanpage, I encourage you to do so!  Also, my music is now on Pandora-Holiday and Pandora-Clear Skies Ahead, please be sure to LIKE, Request, and Subscribe to me, I sure appreciate it and I'm notified every time I get a new subscriber!

Blessings & Peace for 2014!

DeDe :)  

Subscribe on YouTube

Follow on Twitter @DeDeWMusic

Like on Facebook

Official Website

DeDe Returns To The Time Machine

DeDe Returns To The Time Machine Radio Show!

This is a fun and interesting interview by Micheal McCartney & DeDe. This is about how DeDe learned to "tell a story" in her songwriting, the process, and why DeDe wanted to write the slightly "mean and edgier" song about getting your "Just Desserts"!  Also, DeDe shares the "DEEPER Meaning" behind The Fairy Tale Song.  And between laughs and music, Michael and DeDe discuss her new album, World of Christmas and the production giants and process secrets behind the CD.... Take a listen!

Michael McCartney is a highly popular On Air Radio Personality, DJ, and Program Manager for KEAO and KONI Radio, both in Maui. You can find other interviews with DeDe and Michael here:  www.Youtube.com/1dwedekind, and listen to Michael on the radio here:  http://manaoradio.com/

www.DeDe-Music.com- Free download for Signup!
www.Facebook.com/DeDeWedekind  Listen and get a Free Download on Band Profile!
www.Youtube.com/1dwedekind  Watch NEW The Fairy Tale Song animated Video!

LA MUSIC EXAMINER Gives DeDe's World of Christmas a Stellar Review! 12/3/13

http://www.examiner.com/article/dede-girls-rock

See Full Article on EXAMINER.COM at above link (or read below), and please LIKE & Share! Thanks! DeDe :)

Arts & Entertainment Arts & Exhibits

DeDe: Girls Rock

William Phoenix LA Music Examiner

Courtesy of DeDe

Music Video Song Music Video Songs Rock

December 3, 2013  

DeDe does Christmas . . . and well, in fact. Specifically, Deborah “DeDe” Wedekind, is a Houston-based singer-songwriter/pianist/flutist who only relatively recently committed to a career in music. Using the stage name DeDe, Wedekind was perhaps born to the industry having come from “a long line of actors, storyteller and musicians” on her dad’s Welsh side.

In fact, she’s but one of seven kids from a creative brood and has been singing all her life. DeDe says: "I'm a classically-trained singer, pianist, and flute player, and now also a songwriter who for the most part, abandoned music for a marketing career because it made 'more sense'. But about seven years ago, the music came back for me. I started hearing my songs in my head - songs I've never heard before - and dreaming about music. . . I needed to get back into music.”

DeDe, who now holds an associate’s degree in music, adds: "I couldn't have handled this career when I was younger. I needed more life experience. Everything I've learned to this point - the marketing, writing, music - it's all come full circle to help me now.”

She had specific ideas and thus did not release her debut disc until 2011. Titled Clear Skies Ahead, it contained 14 original arrangements. It included the song “Psalm on Danny Boy” which garnered her a SingerUniverse.com award in 2012. She scored a "Top 5 Vocalist" win for "I Dreamed a Dream".

Earlier this year she released her CD Love & Fairy Tales. As a result, DeDe was named a Finalist in the UK Songwriting Competition for her tune, "The Plans I Have For You" and took home another "Top 5 Best Vocalist" for the same at SingerUniverse.com. She also received the award for Semi-Finalist in "Song of The Year’s Adult Contemporary" category for "Blame It On The Summertime."

Her latest project is the recently released 10-track work World of Christmas. On it DeDe (vocals and arrangements), she is backed by a bevy of other artists including: Tim Pierce (guitar), John pierce (bass), Denny Fongheiser (drums), Rafa Padillo (percussion), Charlie Bisherat (violin), Kevan Torveh (cello), Arden Kaywin (background vocals), Nmon Ford, Larry Wedekind and producer/keyboardist Jeff Bova (Mens Chorus) and members of The West Los Angeles Children’s Choir. They all come together to produce a memorable mix of newly-arranged Christmas cuts and original offerings.

The lead-in is “Song in the Air/Il Est Ne”. DeDe adds her own pretty, tuneful touches and lyrics to traditional material. (This is something she will continue to do as the album progresses.)

Her original, award-winning song “One Child” follows. This is her “favorite song”. She elaborates: "It's about how one tiny child can change the world, and that's my other true calling - giving children inspiration.”

The next number is the dancy “Deck the Halls”. DeDe and Bova give the Christmas classic a fun, new arrangement. DeDe does something new with the next number as well. It’s titled “Ave Maria Medley” and combines two different takes on the tune.

Her last original tune, the Elton John-influenced “Joyful Christmas”, follows as she makes clear her fondness for the holiday. The song is about giving back. "I love Christmas," DeDe says. "I get so excited about the holidays and this (music) is something I've always wanted to do."

The sixth selection is “New Auld Lang Syne”. It’s a new take on a traditional tune for a new year. One of the best songs on the CD is “Rock Those Jingle Bells” which she gives her own spin and rewrites some of the lyrics making it more refreshing and avoiding the awkward use of the word “upsot”.

The complex “Canon on the Lord’s Prayer” makes it clear to any listener that DeDe hails from a Christian background. She makes no bones about it and doesn’t worry about avoiding religious anthems to sell more product or alienating any potential audience.

DeDe believes her talents were God-given and is not afraid to say it. She adds: "I'm . . . not afraid to say the things I feel need to be said, and to take a chance with my music."

“Jolly Old St. Nicholas” is the final example of what DeDe can do as an arranger. The closing cut is the apropos “Silent Night” which includes new music by DeDe and Bova. In general, DeDe’s signature sound is a mix of adult contemporary, easy listening, Americana pop, inspirational and world music.

DeDe’s vocals have been compared to those of the likes of Adele, Amy Grant and Sarah McLaughlin. Musically, she injects (perhaps too) tried and true favorites with simple bits of other songs (“Chopsticks”), world beats and international styles. DeDe states: "I try not to limit myself to one sound or genre, and love experimenting with world music and melody."

Of her work DeDe says: "World of Christmas is by far the best and highest quality project I've ever worked on. Jeff Bova is an absolutely amazing producer; he's extremely hardworking and talented, yet was also very easy to work with and accommodating. In fact, we were on the same page on almost every decision, music style and song on this project. For example, I would say, "Hey Jeff let's give 'Deck the Halls' a sort of Latin bossa feel with a good funk beat and make it slightly retro. Then he came up with this fantastic Sergio Mendez sounding beat that was exactly what I had in mind. 'Deck the Halls' grew into one of the most unique and strong tracks on the CD, largely due to all this great synergy."

She continues: "It was really nice that we both seemed to have the exact same vision for each of the songs, and I felt that he really listened to what I wanted to do. Then he would add his opinion from his years and years of expertise, and we sort of made each song even better then we both ever dreamed it could be, because we were bouncing ideas off each other and really working well together."

DeDe adds: "(B)eing such a great producer and keyboardist, he also had a wonderful cast of well-known musicians and other pros to call on. He would ask me if so and so was okay for guitar, etc.? And so I would go read up on that person and tell him that yes, (pinch me), they were fantastic! So to get industry legends like Tim Pierce on guitar, John Pierce on bass, and Denny Fongheiser on percussion, among other top talents, was like ear candy for the soul for me!"

The spirit of giving can not only be found in her music but in her real life as well. She contributes to multiple charities with proceeds from her music and says: "I want to share what I have been given. I believe that can happen for everybody. All the truly good things in life, it seems I’ve had to wait for - and I'm glad I did."

Check out DeDe’s World of Christmas. It just might turn your “Silent Night” into a “Joyful Christmas”.

My name is Phoenix and . . . that’s the bottom line.

Suggested by the author

Edie Adams: ‘The Edie Adams Christmas Album’

Christmas: Holiday Hits

Christmas: Holiday Hits 2

Mike Campese: ‘The Meaning Of Christmas’ CD rocks

Stuck in your head: Christmas cuts