So I’ve been receiving information at work lately about two apparently very talented local artists and I wasn’t sure what to do with them. They both sounded like they might make decent feature stories, but how do you single them out and ignore the many others who likely would contact the paper seeking similar exposure?

That’s one good thing about blogging: I can shamelessly promote whomever I choose :)

Take Jeff Kinder, for instance — a longtime Painesville Township resident, who happens to play on the church worship team on which I sing. He recently released his first CD, “Moments,” which is a compilation of his own compositions that he performs on piano, joined by various first-rate musicians.

Did I mention that Jeff and his family also happen to live across the street from me? And that he’s helped me with everything from mouse trapping to Mac computer conundrums? (At least they were for me)

In fact, I guess I live on a pretty talented street. I’m told that the Life Brand Cowboy Church down the way has a pastor with an extremely gifted country singer for a daughter. Her name is Abbey Gregory. I have not heard her, personally, but I’m told this teen has raw natural talent and a beautiful voice, at least a couple of albums under her belt, and has partnered with Natural High ministry to promote drug and alcohol awareness in middle schools. For more, visit www.abbeygregory.com.

Back to Jeff. He would like to make a career of being a musician and says it’s possible in this technology-enhanced day and age. The 30-year-old plans to do so with an Internet marketing campaign heavily focused on social media and advertising.

“It takes awhile as an independent artist,” Jeff says. “When somebody’s searching for what you’re doing — in my case solo piano music — you have to be very focused in a campaign to attract customers to your website. Facebook is good, Twitter is great, but they don’t necessarily earn you revenue. They draw potential customers to your site. Just by having your songs on iTunes, you’re not going to make a lot of money.
“You can’t do it with one album. Unless you are a recording artist that has a contract with a company that will be promoting that album. If you’re doing it by yourself, it’s going to take a few albums and a few years.”

“Moments” was released Nov. 1 and has already sold 70 copies (68 not purchased by me). I have to say it’s gorgeous stuff that I’m told falls into the New Age music genre. “It has nothing to do with anyone’s philosophical beliefs,”  he notes. “It’s really a style of music.”

If you get my tweet in time, you can stop by Joughin Hardware in Painesville from 5-9 tonight and get a CD signed. If not, check him out online: www.jeffkinder.com.


Good luck Jeff & Abbey!

-- Betsy Scott, BScott@News-Herald.com, Twitter: @ReporterBetsy.com