Call for musicians: Stevie’s House seeks local talent
Southwest Montana is home to a bevy of musicians lending their talents to one of the area’s favo
rite attractions – live music! Residents and visitors have easy access to local singer/songwriters every night courtesy of the many watering holes and venues around the region. And though greater Bozeman isn’t your New York, LA, Nashville, or Austin, there’s plenty of talent to expose right here in the Treasure State.
Cue Stephen Nelson, a former Warner Bros. A&R executive looking to embrace that local artistry. The music guru splits his time between buzzy Los Angeles and the foothills of rural Montana, a musician himself. Nelson is partial to real country western and regularly plays the blues. (In fact, he’s quite the harp player and always on the hunt for a hot R&B/Blues band to jam with.)
Eager to extend his expertise and passion to willing parties, Nelson opened the doors to Stevie’s House. The local artist development and production agency seeks singer/songwriter musicians who perform with a rock edge, write heartfelt, unique songs, and are genuinely talented and prepared to take their craft to the next level.
“It’s all about telling a story and how you’re telling it,” Nelson says. “Is it similar to somebody else’s story you’ve heard before, or is it something from a unique perspective? If it’s something people are going to want to listen to over and over and over again, then it’s affecting them emotionally. That’s the ultimate in a songwriter, somebody that can attain that. You’ve got to affect people with whatever it is you’re doing. If it’s something contrived, people will smell it out. It has to be honest.”
Stevie’s House is a multi-track live facility available for two to three-membered groups, full bands, and solo artists looking to record original material. Open to talent and players of ALL ages, respondents must be willing to provide preview MP3s as an introduction to their material. This is easily managed using just about any handheld recording device and will give both parties something to talk about during the initial meeting.
Though singer/songwriters are preferred, Nelson says, “It’s broad-based. There are talented artists around, those who are ready to tap into who they are and what they’ve had to go through.” The producer is looking for artists who are “at least at a level where they’re astute enough to know what good is – potentially what great is – and what separates them. You’ve got to be good enough to be able to go out and sing in front of people and know they’re going to be into it. I’m here to help hone skills, make a demo, and possibly facilitate an LA connection.”
A lot of local acts have the potential to go far, but Nelson isn’t looking to take on artists whose dreams of stardom outweigh their devotion to refining their musicianship.
“Don’t be an artist or somebody that’s doing this because you want to be famous, or make a lot of money, or want a record deal,” he says. “If that’s your primary motivation, you’re probably going to fail. You’ve got to do it because you love it, whether you get paid or not.”
If you’re an artist who possesses a combination of talent and honesty, as well as an enthusiasm to explore where this pairing can lead, Stevie’s House is anxious to hear from you!
“There’s never a light at the end of the tunnel,” Nelson adds. “You’re always trying to be better – a better writer, a better lyricist, a better musician.”
Learn more about Nelson and his services by calling (406) 682-7359 or (818) 489-2598. Additional inquiries may be directed to stephennn@earthlink.net. And if you’re a group of established musicians looking to round out your sound with a fine blues harpist, don’t hesitate to reach out! •
