Some of the hardest working people in the music industry are those who work behind the scenes. Booking, promoting, and managing artists can often be a thankless job and few have what it takes to keep going year after year, but Kat Falcey of Tunes2ya is one of the good ones. She’s been at this for over 25 years now - a truly remarkable run. To say the industry has gone through a ton of changes during this period is an understatement. I caught up with Kat to talk about her career.
How did you first get involved in the music business? What led you to make the move from being a music fan to something more?
After spending 17 years in Travel Tourism Hospitality Hotel Management, in NJ, CA, and Mexico I had a close girlfriend in a band. I attended every show and befriended the sound person, made sure the band all had water up on stage, and always walked around thanking people for attending and requesting them to sign email address.
Then two close friends reached out to me to assist them with bookings acoustic artists locally at the place they worked and booked music at. I then (as a hobby) began actively helping local artists get seen and heard. It was and still is a passion of mine to assist musicians achieve their goals. I went from 4 artists the first year to 14 the next, then up to 40 the following year and it continued to grow and grow. And my hobby became my career. I’ve worked with close to 500 artists worldwide since 2000, to date.
I've seen many people (writers, booking agents, promoters, etc.) get disillusioned with the music industry after several years and leave the business. What has kept you going all of these years?
The thing that has kept me going all these years is not only my love of music but also my passion in working with artists and knowing what music venue is the best fit. I have public relations experience and I’ve always excelled in hospitality so these two overlap when representing artists. My goal has always been to bring each and every artist to the next level by assisting them with achieving their goals.
Have you gone through periods where you thought about giving it up?
Oh yes.
I will never ever recoup the money I have invested in my music business through out all these years however I did not begin doing this to make money.
Every artist feels they can do it all when they first start out and most do, however having a solid team around you is key to each and every success. When artists succeed, I succeed.
Each and every year, starting out in the red - has me questioning myself as to why am I still doing this? However, when an artist confides in me and trusts me to represent them, I am honored and feel privileged to be on their team. And here I am 25 plus years later. I don’t think I’ll ever stop completely. I have too much enjoyment when artists succeed because of my assistance.
During the last 25 years, you have seen the rise and fall of Myspace, Napster, and CDBaby; emergence of Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Tik Tok, Bandcamp, and Soundcloud; online and satellite radio; decline of compact discs and record labels; the rise of digital servicing and more.
I have to admit I favored MySpace and some of the artists I am still representing I met through MySpace. It was an ideal opportunity to meet new artists, chat with them and compare other musicians on an equal playing field. Now so many services are flooding the internet and not as ideal, as MySpace once was.
What was a service you thought would be better for indie musicians than it turned out to be?
I truly thought Spotify would be a great place for artists to share their music, make money they deserve and replace the time when everyone streamed their music for free.
Recently I was able to get a House concert booking for an artist living in NJ, with someone from NC contacted me, when they heard them for the first time on Spotify. So it does work. When people are listening to a national act they can be compared to like sounding artists to gain exposure.
What gives you the best results today? Where do you believe artists should be found?
I do not have the answer other than I do feel artists need to be everywhere. No social media outlet should ever be ignored or taken for granted. The more you spread yourself out, the more people you are exposing yourself and your music too. So work it all and stay with it.
How difficult is it to stay abreast of changes to the industry and do you make a point to do so? Or do you choose to stick to a few areas that have worked for you?
I continue to stay abreast of the music industry by networking with my worldwide music industry contacts. I feel so many festival opportunities are based on a cliché that the decision makers stick to. It still and will always stand true, it’s never what you know, it shakes out to who you know.
So the more people in decision making roles I get to know and form a musical relationship with, will always be an asset to the artists I represent each and every time. So I always try my best to know who is who in the music industry and sometimes these roles change and sometimes it’s the same people making decisions over and over again. I just feel thankful to be able to seen and heard, on their behalf. However it takes years of building these relationships and never giving up.
When did you first start attending music conferences and how did that step help you? What conferences do you try to attend each year?
I’ll never forget the very first Wave Gathering in Asbury Park, NJ. And having these decision makers work with me and book my artists.
My very first music conference was the Cape May Singer Songwriters, I worked very closely with the creator from day one and he offered me a two night showcase each and every year for almost 11 years straight. This is where I met Robert Hazard and he began working with me. Then after his sudden passing I coordinated two Tribute Shows in his honor in Cape May and Nashville.
I attended the Americana Music Association Festival and Conference in Nashville TN back in 2008. At that time I was asked to volunteer and since then I have volunteered every year and feel honored to be included. It is the highlight of my Musical career each and every year. I have made lifelong friends and have continued to build on my music industry contacts worldwide that attend every year or live in Nashville.
Do you think artists should attend conferences? Or try playing showcases in areas where conferences are taking place?
In my opinion, I feel it’s always best for musicians to get out there in front of every audience they can. You just never know who may be watching or listening plus the experiences they gain are priceless.
Attending music conferences are not only a way to stay on top of what’s happening and up to date information, it also is a way for artists to meet others and network along the way.
So yes, I say attend the conference and mingle and always continue to meet others and learn along the way. You may not be chosen to perform as an official act, however there are still ways to attend and perform unofficially in front of audiences you will never have the opportunity too in your own hood.
What was it like for you the first time you started bringing acts to Nashville? Was it daunting or simply exciting?
It IS always exciting when I am able to book musicians to perform in Nashville. I’ve seen for SO many years unofficial artists move their way up to an official level.
However it IS also very daunting when I am not able to secure a booking after staying on it month after month. I usually begin my outreach for Nashville in March, six months before September and often I try my best to secure return dates a year in advance.
Again it usually shakes out to the people in decision making roles that I have known for years, that trust me and now that I only work with quality musicians and that I am bringing them the best of what I represent.
I never promise an artist we have it in the bag, the only thing I do promise is that I will always do my best to get them the bookings they desire and deserve. Sometimes it’s a quick fit, however most of the time it’s takes timing and perseverance.
A few years ago, I was working very hard on getting a band of mine booked in Nashville only to find out this music venue on Broadway was only interested in a solo artist so I immediately switched gears and booked for a solo artist that I knew would fit the bill and they ended up offering them four days straight. Sadly this may not come up again; however, when it does I am here to grab it for them and I always do.
How do you begin working with an artist? Do they tend to reach out to you or do you contact them?
I never ever solicit my services. I never have and I never will. Artists find out about me and they do their homework, they visit my website , they watch the artists I have been working with. They reach out to me and each and every time I have been blessed organically with representing the musicians that reach out to me. I prefer it this way.
Of course, there have been many many artists I would love to work with. Ones that I know would be a good fit however in this case, I only befriend them and support their careers as a friend and fan. I never felt it would be fair to step away from my musical roster. The artists I represent become my musical family and my allegiance is to them, not to be out pursuing others.
What are some things you can do for an artist?
First and foremost I ask them to share their Goals. Each and every artist has different goals and some are similar however what I may do for one artist may not be what another is interested in or another is ready for. Then together we work as a team to achieve these Goals. Again when they succeed it is usually because they have a solid team around them supporting them and handling things they may not be able to do on their own. I pride myself working on their behalf and I am thankful for the trust they share with me. Basically there is very little that cannot be achieved if you have a strong support team around you.
I offer Consultation, support with goals, booking locally nationally and internationally. Press media radio campaign linking artists to others including national acts. Public relations and overall support in achieving moving up to the next level along with just starting out. A boutique approach with quality dedication.
What's the best way for an artist to contact you?
www.tunes2ya.com on my website or at my email [email protected]
What have been the biggest changes to the music industry you've seen since starting out?
I’m not sure if this is a change. Maybe moreso, not a change. Since I began representing and booking artists, the hourly pay has either stayed the same or sadly has become playing for less. It really is confusing how most of the arts have grown and been appreciated with a fair and decent pay while tribute bands tend to always make more than indie original artists.
The music industry is flooded with musicians and the decision makers prefer to go with a band that may not be the best of quality if this band draws better in the end. It all comes down to draw sadly and not the quality of music. I’ve been told many times, the artists you work with are great quality, however we prefer booking local bands that draw even though we do feel your bands sound and perform better.
This happened to me years ago when I was booking a music venue in NYC, they wanted my artists at half the price for the quality however they never wanted to pay them their worth. I quit this venue because I felt my artists were being disrespected and taken advantage of. It’s a fine line and dance between staying with a venue, if I feel my artists integrities are being challenged. However after I make this decision, I never look back and just move on to another opportunity where there is better respect.
I am mainly here to advocate for the artists in my musical roster ,not the music venues, even though there are music venues that I do feel the respect and will always continue to support.
Finally, any advice for someone looking to start out with artist promotion?
It’s 24/7, I am always on. If my phone dings at 2am in the morning, I answer the ding. You need to have a true passion for helping others succeed. You have to be on call always. You never know when a call comes in or an email arrives, so I respond immediately and always follow up on all my outreach calls and emails. You have to realize this is not about you, it is about you supporting and representing them.
I am often asked for advice and I have no problem sharing with others however we all have our very own ways of communicating and getting to know what works best through years of experience. Live and Learn. Trial and Error but stay with it.
I’d tell them to love what they DO and continue to DO what they love. Do not take anything personal and stay optimistic. In time you will always find your people and cherish them every step along the way.
