Musicians removed to protest outside the ceremony at the Grammy Awards show

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - angry musicians protesteront Grammy Awards ceremony on Sunday on the outside of a decision to reduce the initial price of industry 31 music categories ethnic and minority music.

Organizers said Wednesday that they hoped tens of music artists and fans of Latin music, jazz, gospel and blues could join the event and attend a concert of replacement.

Some 23 000 people have signed a petition demanding that the Recording Academy restore the ceremony of the Grammy awards for music native American and Hawaiian, and inverse of sections in the categories of Latin Jazz, Gospel, R & B and Blues that have been deleted in the major revision last year.

Paul Simon, Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Bobby Sanabria are among dozens of artists who spoke against the decision. Musicians say Grammy reductions will affect financial career and reduce the profile of music enjoyed by the minority communities.

Robert Sax spokesman said Wednesday that the event will be held outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles stars like Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys and Tony Bennett came to perform at the show of the ceremony of the Grammy Awards Sunday.

The demonstrators will celebrate the step later those price stars Latin Jazz Jam in a discotheque in Los Angeles, with the performers, including twice winning the Grammy Oscar Hernandez, John Santos and Bobby Matos.

"We wish this concert to remind music fans of great music that has been eliminated by the Grammys." To paraphrase what Frank Sinatra said at the first Grammy Awards of 1959, "Remember, the prices are on excellence, popularity." ", artist Jazz Latin said de Matos.

The Recording Academy announced in April that he was being the number of categories of Grammy to 78 of 109 for 2012 Grammy Awards, saying that the cuts were necessary to maintain "the prestige of the prices higher and only recognized peer in music."

Rapper Kanye West has led the field of contenders Grammy with seven nominations, followed by Adele, Bruno March and Foo Fighters.

(Statement by Jill Serjeant, mounting by Christine Kearney)

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Musicians part of spotlight of SI swimsuit issue

NEW YORK (AP) — Sports Illustrated has made household names out of models with its annual swimsuit pictorial. Some musicians are hoping for the same bit of magic as the magazine shines a light on them in the famed issue.

Delta Spirit is one of the 17 emerging bands that will be featured on digital platforms for the issue, as songs are paired with particular models. Besides other content for its website and tablets, the magazine will have a four-page music spread and a two-day "Beauties & Beats" music festival in Las Vegas on Feb. 15-16, right after the Valentine's Day unveiling of the magazine, it was announced Thursday.

Matt Vasquez, lead singer of Delta Spirit, says being featured by the magazine is "a big deal."

"Bands these days have to have a real 21st-century mentality. We don't have an MTV really that sticks up for people, at least not in the capacity that it used to," he said in an interview last Friday. "It's very much the Internet and any readership that we can get in to let people know our band is good."

Vasquez says he's been an admirer of the swimsuit issue back to when Kathy Ireland graced its cover.

"I remember that was right when I started liking girls," he said. "I remember that cover of her. ... I think I started puberty early because of that."

Delta Spirit is one of the bands that will be on the bill at the music festival, along with swimsuit models, who will be by the stage for all performances.

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Online:

http://www.si.com

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Nekesa Mumbi Moody is the AP's music editor. Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi

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Indie Music Marketing - Why Indie Musicians Are Struggling to Sell Music

If you are an indie musician and you are struggling to sell your music, if you are struggling to get publicity, then it is probably because of at least one of these three reasons:

Reason # 1. Indie Musicians have forgotten, or are not aware of, the true value and power of music.

Indie musicians have to think more like entrepreneurs. Every successful entrepreneur ask this question: What is the value of the work that I do or the product I make? In other words, for your music, what problem does your music solve for my target audience? If you can answer that question, then you have the mind of a music entrepreneur.

The music industry has cheapened the value of music and reduced the value of it to entertainment, to a catchy beat or hook, to packaging. These are all features and not benefits. All marketers know that in order to effectively market your product, you have to focus on the benefits that your product delivers to the consumer. You shouldn't focus on the features. The value of your product is not in the features but in the benefits. The value of your music is not in your hook or your beat but it's in how people receive your hook. It's in how your hook/beat/lyrics solves the problems of others.

Music is more than entertainment for fans. It has more value and more power. When you as an indie musician begin to focus on the real value and power of your music, you will build a successful business model that allows you to connect with your fans and give your fans a reason to buy your music.

People do not just want to be entertained. It is true that people buy music to be entertained, but real entrepreneurs dig deeper to find out the real motivation behind why people buy music. Why do people want to be entertained? Why do people want to be entertained with music? When you can answer those questions, then you will know the value of music and can give people a reason to buy it.

So why do people listen to music? There are many reasons. One reason, people use entertainment as escapism. People turn to music to get their minds off of the struggles they face everyday. It helps them deal with their struggles and problems. People listen to music when they are happy and when they are sad. Listening to music is an emotional experience for so many people. People love the way it makes them feel. It has the power to change our moods. Music inspires, motivates. It is so much more than entertainment and a catchy hook.

If you don't understand the value that your music has in the lives of fans, then you will have a hard time marketing, promoting and selling your music. If you don't know the problems and challenges that your fans have, then you are not a music entrepreneur. If you don't know the problem that your music solves for these people, then you are not a music entrepreneur. If you have not created music that solves their problems, then you are not a music entrepreneur.

Reason # 2. Indie Musicians do not communicate the real value of their music This reason aims at how musicians market and promote their music. In your marketing and promotion, you have to emphasize the value your music has to your fans. In other words, how does your music impact your fans? How are the lives of your fans transformed because they have listened to your music?

Reason # 3. Indie Musicians do not deliver the value of their music to their fans. This is all about distribution, how your music is delivered, received, and experienced by your fans. This is about how your fans experience your brand. Did you deliver what you promised? If you marketed your show as the best live show in your city, then was it the best live show your fans have experienced?

For more tips and strategies on how you can market and promote your music, go to Indie Music Marketing

Author Angela M. Carter is a Music Success Coach and Music Marketing Strategist for Campaign You Strategy Group. Ms. Carter helps indie musicians develop creative and strategic music marketing campaigns. She helps indie musicians get more exposure and sell more music. Ms. Carter is also the host of Music Success Radio, a radio show that offers listeners practical tips on music marketing, branding and promotion.

Currently, she resides in Austin, TX where she is a music attorney.

Music Success Radio: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/musicsuccess