Thursday, October 15, 2009

Video for "Don't Need Mistletoe" available for viewing!

So this is exciting…the writing portion of my holiday album is almost finished! I have looooved reading all of your stories and memories and ideas for songs. Thanks SO much for your responses. I’d love for you to take a minute to check out this video of “Don’t Need Mistletoe”. The suggestion for this song idea came from Wendy Clark and I loved it so I wrote a song about it right away. I’ll post more songs as soon as they’re all polished up and ready to go.

The full-length album is still under-way, word on the street is that guitar and keys will be layed down this Saturday. Next comes vocals and then it’s off to the mastering guy and then the CD replicators! Oh, and did I mention Dana Tanamachi is doing my album artwork? I’m sooo excited. She did the design and photography for my EP, Forget Subtlety and she’s come up with some really creative and beautiful ideas for “Where the Humble Go”.

I hope to see you at Dunn Bros tomorrow night, or at one of my upcoming shows. I added a couple new ones so make sure you look for your city…Forney, I’ll be headed your way in November!

October 16th- 7pm, Dunn Bros Coffee, Live Music Festival

5040 N Tarrant Pkwy # 600

Fort Worth, TX

Free

October 23rd- 7:30pm, Thunderbird Cafe, Ashley Gatta/MaryAnne & the Shaky Hands

2200 Manor Rd

Austin, TX

Free

Ocbober 24th- 7:00pm, Dunn Bros. Coffee, Ashley Gatta/Tquan Moore

6825 S. Fry Rd. Suite 100

Katy, TX

Free

October 30th- 7:30pm, Crooked Tree Coffeehouse: Ashley Gatta/Jenn Petersen

2414 Routh St

Dallas, TX

Free

Come in Costume- Prize giveaway for the best dressed!

November 8th- 6:30pm, Word of Love Church: Ashley Gatta/Ebenezer- Texas CSA Church Partnership

1860 Precinct Line Rd.

Hurst, TX

Free

November 9th- 7:30pm, Song & Story at The Hydrant: Ashley Gatta/ Aryn Michelle, and more!

208 W. Oak St.

Denton, TX

Free

November 10th- 7:00pm, Spin 180 Lounge: Ashley Gatta

2901 W. Irving Blvd.

Irving, TX

Free

November 20th- 7:30pm, Roots Coffehouse: Ashley Gatta/Summer Ames

9101 Hwy 26, Suite 101

North Richland Hills, TX

Free

November 21st- 8pm, The Venue: Ashley Gatta

13851 FM 548

Forney, TX

$5.00

December 3rd- 5:45pm, Corner of Elm and Oak St.

Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony

Free

December 12th- 8:30pm, White Rock Coffee: Ashley Gatta/Brekkewall

10105 E. NW Hwy

Dallas, TX

Free

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Holiday album in the works and I need your help!

With an album project in the works there is a lot of “hurry up and wait” that goes on. So in between weekend gigs, practicing, and promoting, my creative juices are looking for an outlet. The blogging helps a bit, but frankly, sometimes I just don’t have anything to say! I want to write music. I want to create something, and I want to create something that you want to hear. When I started brainstorming on what that would look like, I couldn’t help but think of the holiday season that is fast approaching. Yes, this time of year has it’s downsides, but there’s something really wonderful about the twinkling lights that start sprouting up, the increase in hot chocolate consumption, and the general mood shift that happens all around us.

I’ll be writing 5 songs for this album and it will be available just at the time when you have to break out that winter coat. I’d like for you to help me with this album by giving me ideas as to what to write about. It could be anything at all. Like, maybe a song about buying no gifts this Christmas, or about shooting your eye out with a BB gun, or maybe about how you’re single again this Christmas and slightly bitter. It doesn’t even have to be about Christmas specifically. I could write a song about how winter is the best season or how you love the Campbell’s soup commercials where the snowman melts into a little boy. The point is, I am up for anything : ) I’ll be recording and producing everything myself, which means it will be all acoustic and perfect background music for cuddling up in front of the fire.

Shoot me a reply with your ideas, or come tell me in person at one of my shows coming up.

October 16th- 7pm, Dunn Bros Coffee, Live Music Festival

5040 N Tarrant Pkwy # 600

Fort Worth, TX

Free

October 23rd- 7:30pm, Clementine Coffee Bar, Ashley Gatta/MaryAnne & the Shaky Hands

2200 Manor Rd

Austin, TX

Free

Ocbober 24th- 7:00pm, Dunn Bros. Coffee, Ashley Gatta/Tquan Moore

6825 S. Fry Rd. Suite 100

Katy, TX

Free

October 30th- 7:30pm, Crooked Tree Coffeehouse: Ashley Gatta/Jenn Petersen

2414 Routh St

Dallas, TX

Free

Come in Costume- Prize giveaway for the best dressed!

November 8th- 6:30pm, Word of Love Church: Ashley Gatta/Ebenezer- Texas CSA Church Partnership

1860 Precinct Line Rd.

Hurst, TX

Free

November 10th- 7:00pm, Spin 180 Lounge: Ashley Gatta

2901 W. Irving Blvd.

Irving, TX

Free

November 20th- 7:30pm, Roots Coffehouse: Ashley Gatta/Summer Ames

9101 Hwy 26, Suite 101

North Richland Hills, TX

Free

December 3rd- 5:45pm, Corner of Elm and Oak St.

Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony

Free

December 12th- 8:30pm, White Rock Coffee: Ashley Gatta/Brekkewall

10105 E. NW Hwy

Dallas, TX

Free

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Sooo you're not trying to get signed?

Since I’ve started truly pursuing a career in music, people often ask me if I’m trying to get signed. When I tell them no, they’re usually pretty surprised. What a lot of people don’t know is that the music industry is doing some serious overhauling right now, and it doesn’t operate the way it used to. There was a time when talent scouts went to all the underground music hot spots and looked for a band with a lot of potential, or a singer that they could groom into a real diva, but record companies can’t afford to take that risk anymore. Now they’re looking for people who’ve already got a legitimate career going and a solid fanbase. They are then willing to sign this act because there is no risk involved. It’s a guaranteed profit.

The good news is that there is now no “middle-man” for independent musicians, like myself. There isn’t any label taking away 95% of my profits, or anyone cranking out songs that I have to agree to sing to. I get to have creative control. I can also release my records on my own timetable. I don’t have to sit on the backburner for months (or years) until someone else gets around to releasing my album. Most importantly, I get to have direct artist to fan contact! I get to send out emails like this, straight from my fingertips into your inbox. And guess what, when you hit reply, it goes straight into my inbox and I actually read it! Me. With my very own eyes. This means that you get to have a huge part in the way that I write, perform, present, and promote my music. While music is an art, and I am the artist, essentially the driving force behind what gets creative, I create based on what people like. I want to better serve you, the audience. It is a good time to be an independent musician, but also a great time to be a fan of music.