Knowing your end-game budget is key, knowing your music is key, and having a solid timeline is key. You don’t want to get caught 1000 bucks short, you don’t want to show up unprepared, and you can’t launch the product unless everything is finished on time.

While teaching orchestra in the public schools, Aaron began his career building and restoring string instruments. Musician, luthier, historian and songwriter; Aaron Keim is a roots music renaissance man. As The Quiet American, Aaron performs traditional and original folk music on guitar, ukulele and banjo. (which he builds himself!)

As an acoustic artist, Playing to your friends and family, around the campfire, local coffee houses and small bars is a no brainer. But, I challenge you to go outside your comfort zone.

Airlines cater heavily to business customers, and I remind them that we musicians are business customers, too. I always try to be friendly and polite, especially if I am carrying a guitar, so that airline workers will like accommodating musicians.

Lately in the news, popping up here and there, I’m noticing canceled concerts due to “cold and chest infection” and singers on vocal rest recovering from nodules.

Sure, a killer t-shirt is a fantastic walking advertisement. But the overhead, the merch girl/guy and the design are a pain.