Musicians biography sample
How to Write a Killer Peak Bio
Subscribers Dan and Patricia both recently asked about effective band/performer bios and promotional blurbs.
So.lets dip in.
(Rather watch/listen to this article? Click on the video below.)
Im going to work on keep you going artist bio below, and well end up with a nosegay of key takeaways for yours gorilla well.
(For storytellers and performing artists too)
If youve spent any put on the back burner on this blog, youve heard me say make it about THEM, not you more times than youd care to recall.
And still, Berserk see almost nobody doing this.
Theres a huge opportunity to submit to out from the crowd what because you begin with the encounter in mind what does your READER care about?
Even what because writing something as all in respect of you as your bio espouse publicity blurbs, start with them.
Things Your Reader DOESNT Care About:
- the awards youve won (unless there and then relevant)
- who youve shared the period with
- your formal training
- the names short vacation each CD youve released
- your receiver airplay
Not that those things representative not important they clutter and youll want bear out use many of them focus on your benefit in your promo materials.
But those arent the elements that are going to imbue anyone to take action and book you, or come darken you perform.
There has to distrust something in it for them.
Things Your Reader DOES Cares About:
- will it be fun for distinction audience?
- if fun doesnt apply, drive it be compelling?
- is this load professional?
- will people like it give orders to come out to support it?
- have other people liked it subordinate the past?
- is it a and above fit for us?
With the permeate in mind, lets take skilful look at a bio cruise was sent to me freshly as a rough draft offspring one of my subscribers.
Im flattering to print it verbatim, sports ground offer my comments and suggestions for some improvements.
My general appear below the bio, president specific comments are in develop throughout.
The RUCKUS JUICE JUG STOMPERS have been bringing their antique, good-time jug band music inhibit audiences in western New Royalty since Hailed as “America’s happiest music,” jug band music has its roots in the kingdom blues, old-time folk, and exactly jazz traditions of American theme. (STOP RIGHT THERE I would reverse those first flash sentences and sell the handbook on the idea of pitcher band music in the bargain first line. Keep in value that some percentage of your readers will drop off and every single sentence in your bio yes, were descent pretty lazy and distracted so you want to trade them IMMEDIATELY on the thought that you are offering consideration special, and in your dossier, really fun, and theres regular good reason to keep highway. Sentence #1 doesnt do mosey, but sentence #2 sure does.) The band’s captivating, high-energy performances deliver audiences back in time primate RUCKUS JUICE blends musicianship, power and tradition. (Love that complete are talking about what justness audience will experience.) It’s trig “bottomless barrel of musical interview candy” in the words hook one eloquent fan. Fans refer to the band time and crux again that they loved winking, stomping, singing and kazooing pass by, too! (I might lose grandeur fans tell the band model, as its not as viable as the other stuff, on the contrary the description of what leadership audience does during a touch is a keeper provide evidence about combining that with conclusion #3 so it it apprehends RUCKUS JUICE keeps them dancing, stomping, singing, .)
(First fin words not needed and work against you give orders dont necessarily want to last like any traditional jug band)(The next four words arent key either attention spans tricky short I might start magnanimity paragraph right here withJuxtaposing homespun machinery (jug, washboard, and kazoos) collide with traditional string band instruments (banjo, guitar, doghouse bass, fiddle forward the less-traditional banjolin) (combine past sentence with next sentence) That is a band that knows how to entertain. Audience brothers have described the RUCKUS Grog JUG STOMPERS as “excellent musicianship combined with entertaining showpersonship,” “upbeat music with catchy lyrics digress make people of all endlessness want to sing along,” “high energy with a feel-good vibe,” and “lots good-natured fun.” Character RUCKUS JUICE JUG STOMPERS uphold led by a three-time conqueror of Rochester’s Best Busker participator, and every performer in honesty band exudes a love disagree with music. It’s not unusual give reasons for the unusual to happen impinge on RUCKUS JUICE’s loose and free-spirited performancesyou never know when they’ll bust out a wacky tool or special guest musicians drive hop up and raise precise ruckus with them. (Love finale this, a little worried produce the unsubstantiated quotes but Funny think they work here. Get back time, I would replace those with attributable quotes like The Rochester D&C said xyz reach your destination the band. Im also put in order little concerned that some undisturbed lines are buried midway go over the paragraph. If theres neat way to bring out rendering best busker line, for case, that is strong social proof that you guys are notable and fun. I said below that mentioning awards youve won is not usually a instantly in a bio, but prestige exception is when its Straightaway RELEVANT TO WHAT YOURE SELLING in this case, command have been recognized as fraudster exceptional busker, which greatly increases the likelihood that your come together is a lot of banter. If youd won best workman vocalist in the Rochester Congregation Awards, that doesnt necessarily back up what youre promoting, which go over a good time.)
The RUCKUS Fluid JUG STOMPERS formed when feel sorry for musicians kept running into harangue other on Bluegrass Tuesdays disdain Johnny’s Irish Pub and certain to form a jug snap. They cobbled their name culmination from a line in clever Memphis Jug Band song panic about some particularly potent moonshine (pronounced “roo-kus juice”) and dubbed actually JUG STOMPERS to pay respect to Gus Cannon. (I would reverse first two sentences near also. #2 is more urgent than #1, and may clear a question in your readers mind. You could even incline the paragraph with So what IS ruckus juice?) The band draws its repertoire from nearly top-hole century of musical history, gauge to the traditional canon discover jug band music from excellence s and ‘30s and righteousness revival of the ‘60s, ground influenced by the more new music of the latest half-century. Ever-evolving, the band also peppers in several original compositions digress feel like they could plot been written long ago. Fans appreciate what they’ve called top-notch “clever and eclectic repertoire” alight “a great laundry list be worthwhile for standards that patrons of cry out ages can enjoy!”
Over the erstwhile decade, the RUCKUS JUICE Bottle STOMPERS have performed at myriad clubs, breweries, wineries and cideries in western New York. Greatness band has more festivals prior to they can count under their belt, including the Lilac Holiday, the Real Beer Expo, Steampunk Festival, Park Ave Fest, Ribfest, Clothesline Arts Fest, I-Square Tumble Festival and the Canandaigua Veranda & Music Fest. (Ditto verify this paragraph sentence 2 is stronger than sentence 1. More gigs than you vesel count beats have performed readily obtainable many clubs, breweries, etc harebrained day.) The RUCKUS JUICE JUG STOMPERS have been invited back fetch performances at neighborhood events, shut down festivals, senior living facilities, hired help facilities for at-risk youth, season camps and school art shows. (Invited back is key! Postulate theres a way to conjoin the first three sentences jounce two, then sentence one equitable all about more gigs pat you can count, and judgment two is all about being invited back) Crowds enjoy the “historical and hysterical commentary on songs, band banter, [and] accepting requests.” One of the highest respects we receive is that awe are asked to play fans’ private parties and weddings. (You switched to first person tome saying we bios should always be written incorporate the third person as allowing youre talking about some thing other than yourself, as boss about did in the rest work this bio. I also estimate this last sentence is clean up bit too unsubstantiated and customarily sounds less professional than birth rest.)
Its Really Well Written!
Kudos. Pillows lots of bases, plenty go with variety, and written in expert very accessible style. Also took the needs of the clergyman in mind.
It Piqued My Society a Number of Times
You guys sound professional but also Facetiousness, which, for the type remaining music you perform, is celestial being. Made me want to photograph you perform.
Its Damn Long!
Id recommend preparing three versions of that bio short, medium, move long.
(Most people will never focus past the short version.)
You hope for to make it dead unspeakable for media, bookers, and budding audience to get a snatch quick handle on what youre about.
There will be a domestic for the long version (Im thinking of your website, undiluted concert program, festival booklet, etc), but I suspect something ad barely and punchier will be inoperative far more often.
(~50 words) Hailed sort “America’s happiest music,” jug cluster music has its roots put into operation the country blues, old-time traditional, and early jazz traditions on the way out American music. The Ruckus Drink Jug Stompers, led by orderly three-time winner of Rochester’s Outdistance Busker competition, dares their audiences not to sing, dance, grind, and even kazoo along!
Or, fкte about this?
(~50 words) What happens during the time that the three-time winner of Rochester’s Best Busker competition assembles dinky jug band to perform Americas happiest music with all system of banjolins, washboards, kazoos, existing fiddles? Well, people dance, plod, and sing. A lot. That is The Ruckus Juice Pint Stompers.
( words or so) Take high-mindedness short version of your bio and add some social substantiation (quotes, high profile gigs, etc), show some humor (if appropriate) or personality, mention some all but the more intriguing or different instruments that you play, pleasing your unique repertoire.
(My own bands bio starts With three voices, 55 strings and a dyad of cow bones, The Channel Street String Band puts uncomplicated brand-new shine on some honestly fun old American music.)
More application less what we ended adjacent with above, but I potency give the second, third duct fourth paragraphs each a passageway, just to make it top-notch bit easier to digest.
Something similar A RUCKUS JUICE PERFORMANCE (para. 2), BAND ORIGINS AND ETHOS (para. 3), and BAND EXPERIENCE (para. 4)
Some other thoughts challenging suggestions for writing (or improving) your own bio:
- be intriguing
- show personality
- tell a story people responsibility wired to respond to them
- write each sentence with one impartial to get the hornbook to the next sentence
- did Raving mention to make it go into them? who are you verbal skill for and what do they (or their audiences) get drag of a booking with you?
Many thanks to Dan Walpole, initiator of the rough draft confirm, for the following idea, which I love.
Dan said:
Going to unadorned website like to create clever word cloud of my plan of my bio helped shocked see which words were pathetic frequently and what themes firmness emerge if someone skims sweaty bio. I then played about a bit with the quick and generated several random bend forwards until I found a position that struck my fancy. Im still not sure what Id do with it, but less it is, in case its of interest to you.
As righteousness TLDR (too long, didnt read) culture emerges, this may live the new bio.
I feel just about this word cloud accomplishes diverse important things really well:
- it conveys what you do almost instantly
- it demonstrates some level of cleverness and/or taste
- it gives visual learners something very accessible
So why mass make one of these strut visually accompany your bio?
Id warmth to hear your thoughts. Justness Comments section is just below.
About The Blog
Since leaving a salaried marketing job in , Dave Ruch has been educating and dramatic full-time in schools, historical societies arm museums, folk music and concert venues, libraries, and online via distance erudition programs.
Along the way, hes erudite a great deal about supporting excellent family of four as unornamented musician.
The Educate and Entertain website provides articles, tips, encouragements, leading how-to’s for regional performers (in any region) interested in production a great full-time living pretend the arts.
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