One of the most important pages for your Electronic Press Kit (EPK) or your website is your bio page. It's a great way to help give you or your band that professional-looking pop. Your bio paints a picture of you and gives your fans, contacts, and the media a sense of who you are. Here are the 10 things that you need to help your bio stand out (with examples).
By Skyhouse Music
Members Names And Instruments
Hometown(s)
When And How You Started
Your Discography
Tours And Big Shows (Opening gigs)
Comparisons And Descriptions
Accomplishments
Positive Media Quotes
Edit! Edit! Edit! No Typos Or Spelling Errors
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PO BOX 2453
(503) 555-9311
info@oceanviewmusic.com
CONTACT: JOHN BROWN
Born under a good sign at midnight at an open mic in New Orleans on the 5th of May in 2015, James Clinton and Lucinda Powell of Ocean View continues today to capture the magic and mutual admiration for each others talents and charisma of that night. When asked to describe the music of Ocean View, one fan characterized it as “Taylor Swift jamming with the Police at Bob Marley’s house and then Drake shows up with a banjo. The members of Ocean View play music that they love and where their interests direct them and let the chips fall where they may. Hearing about the great music scene in the Pacific Northwest, in September of 2015 Lucinda and James jumped in a van and played shows and jammed with other musicians from New Orleans to Portland.
For their third album--the self-titled Ocean View, James Clinton and Lucinda Powell dips into a very large grab bag of musical interests. “A lot of world beat elements influence our sound but it is essentially a rock record, James explains. “On this recording, I felt like I was really able to embrace a lot of writing and musical styles that I have loved through the years. For example, combining country-style banjo with reggae-flavored guitar, “ Lucinda adds. With its wide ranging musical ideas and synthesis of styles, Ocean View is a high point of Lucinda and James’ present endeavors and a clear vision into the bands future. The core quintet of musicians assembled for this project is diverse:
James Clinton has nourished and developed his music career in the city of Austin, Texas for the past several years, playing whatever styles his interests lead him to. Credits include the rhythmic funk rock reggae stylings of Upgrade, and the folk rock duo Just the Two of Us whose “Love is the Answer"” is included on the Austin independent music compilation Austin City Fire. James also co-founded the hip-hop collective The Not a Dream Team with DJ Swift, Cal MC and others and co-produced the smash underground Austin hip-hop classic “Catch and Release”. Feeling the need to express himself as a solo artist, James ventured out to Los Angeles in 2014 to network and record his debut solo album Songwriter, an album that he wrote and produced and also performed the bulk of the instruments. The LA Press called the album "a songwriting tour de force."
Lucinda Powell has many diverse musical experiences as well. She started playing classical piano at age four and bought a guitar in the 8th grade after discovering Joni Mitchell. She went on to form an acoustic trio in Salt Lake City, Utah playing guitar and banjo in the band Up the Creek Trio which also featured Bruce Madison who would eventually write and star in the cult classic TV series The Mysteries of Anna. Other projects included the Park City, Utah band Friendship in which Lucinda played bass and sang lead vocals. Friendship became one of the most popular bands in Utah during the aughts, opening for many major label recording artists including Howard & the Hurricanes and the Nurses. Friendship had great success with the album Redial in 2009 and through exposure at the Sundance Film Festival the song “Hard Funk” was featured on the television show Night Tunes. Lucinda is also an accomplished music teacher teaching guitar, voice, and piano.
Kanesha "Pookie" Hardford has been playing piano since childhood, the formative years being spent delving into classical, church music, and gospel. Living in Kansas City, she couldn’t help but pick up love for the blues from the vital blues scene there. Before moving to Portland in 2013, Alexa played professionally over 15 years throughout the central plains and Midwest, from numerous festivals to nightclubs, concerts, and radio shows and television. As a founding member of The Blueberries, a traditional Irish group based out of Kansas City, Alexa continued to cultivate her skills in performance and arranging. In 2011, The Blueberries album Hard Winter was produced by world-renowned Irish musician and scholar Sophie Murphy, who had previously received national attention for her 2010 documentary series To Ireland and Back for PBS. Alexa is also a founding member of the French cabaret group Oui based in Portland, Oregon playing accordion, keyboards, and melodica.
Ayo Okafor has been playing drums since grade school. A Portland, Oregon native, Ayo has played 600+ shows in the Pacific Northwest with 100+ musicians in just about every genre you can imagine including Afrobeat, rock, reggae, jazz, funk, country and blues. A founding member of one of Portland's favorite bands the Afrobeat legends Kings & Queens in 2010, Ayo recently produced the bands album Positive Vibrations which will be out in the winter of 2018. Ayo also plays a lot with Portland singer/songwriter Irene Jackson as well as with the alternative rock band The Fallen that describes their sound as “Roots pop with a blues edge.”
Abe Hicks, recording engineer extraordinaire and co-producer rounds out this diverse group of musical talent with some pretty varied musical experience of his own. A veteran of the Seattle hip-hop scene, Abe is best known for his work with Livewell the Atlanta rapper with an outrageously lavish fashion sense and motor-mouth flow. He has also had hits behind the boards of songs including Chuck Taylor’s “Star Child” in 2016 and Lulu & the Pearl’s “Because of You,” featuring DJ Artiste in 2017. As a member of the legendary music collective Sun Tribe, which Pop Culture magazine describes as “a hard group to get a handle on,” Abe brings a set of great ears and a great understanding of combining different genres of music to help Ocean View come up with a sound that is something fresh and exciting.
© 2018 Skyhouse Music