Dear Friends of Azalea Studios:

Thanks so much for all of your caring and concern during this very difficult time for Nashville.  Many of you have asked about the status of Azalea Studios, so I thought I’d e-mail everyone with a brief status update to keep you in the loop.

Our studios are currently not operational, by that doesn’t mean we’re closed for business.  For those of you who had projects in progress when the floods hit, rest assured all of your data is safe and we’ll get back to your projects as soon as our facilities are up and running again.  For those of you who were in the process of submitting projects, PLEASE continue to do so.  We can get a lot of logistical work done (charting, pre-production, scheduling of sessions and musicians, etc.) even without functioning recording equipment.  In fact, if you can submit your pending projects ASAP, it will actually help us with the backlog once we’re back up and running (hopefully in the next several days).  If you’ve made a recent inquiry and haven’t heard back from us right away, I promise we’ll get back to you soon!

The specifics of our situation are as follows: we had standing water in all of the control room and equipment room, part of the main recording/drum room, and a small part of my office.  We managed to get almost all of our gear to higher ground and out of harm’s way before the deluge.  The only piece of recording equipment that we definitely lost so far is our main client project recording drive; however, that drive has always been backed up religiously, so only our very last day’s work (a few mixes) was lost.  We’re quite concerned about corrosion, etc. later due to moisture & only time will tell.  In the meantime, we’ve had multiple dehumidifiers and fans running nonstop in several rooms in the studio for the past six days straight, and we’re still removing several gallons of moisture from the air per day.  The main water damage was to the custom acoustic paneling in the control room, which will all have to be torn out and replaced.  For those of you who have been to the studio, I’ve attached a couple of photos showing some of the standing water in the control room (where the recording console used to be) and the drum room.

Despite these setbacks, we’re grateful that the damage wasn’t worse, and all of us (including our studio cats, Fluffy and Susie) are safe and sound.  And compared to many in our community, we’re extremely lucky.  You just can’t begin to imagine the level of devastation here.  Virtually every neighborhood in the Nashville area was hit hard.  Many have lost their homes, personal possessions, automobiles, pets & absolutely everything.  The total loss estimates are already in the billions of dollars, and the assessments aren’t complete yet.  Authorities estimate that this is the worst flood the area has seen in more than 1,000 years, and that it’s the most costly and destructive non-hurricane natural disaster in U.S. history.  Please keep Nashville and its music community in your thoughts and prayers in the weeks and months to come.  Realistically, the recovery will take years to be completed.

Azalea Studios is down, but certainly not out.  We’ll be back up and running full steam as soon as humanly possible, so please keep those projects coming!  And many thanks again to everyone for all of your kindness and concern.  I wish I could thank each of you individually.  Hopefully in time I’ll be able to.

Sincerely,

Fett

Independent Producer/Engineer
Music Technology Consultant
Azalea Music Group, Nashville
www.azaleamusic.com

If you’re looking for a great studio/producer/engineer in Nashville, I highly recommend checking out Fett’s studio.

Want to Donate to Nashville Flood Relief? Here’s one way http://cfmt.org/

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As we’re just coming to the end of another winter – I want to thank all of you for your educational e-mails over the past season. I am totally screwed up now, and according to a few blogs I’ve just read, there’s little chance of recovery.  Allow me to explain…

I no longer open a bathroom door without using a paper towel, or have the waitress put lemon slices in my ice water without worrying about the bacteria on the lemon peel.

I can’t use the remote in a hotel room because I don’t know what the last person was doing while flipping through the adult movie channels.

I can’t sit down on the hotel bedspread because I can only imagine what has happened on it since it was last washed.

I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been driving because the number one pastime while driving alone is picking one’s nose.

Eating a little snack sends me on a guilt trip because I can only imagine how many gallons of trans fats I have consumed over the years.

I can’t touch any woman’s purse for fear she has placed it on the floor of a public bathroom.

I must send my special thanks to whoever sent me the one about rat poop in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet sponge with every envelope that needs sealing.

Also, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die for the 1,387,258th time.

I no longer have any money, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that bill gates and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St. Theresa’s novena has granted my every wish.

I can’t have a drink in a bar because I’ll wake up in a bathtub full of ice with my kidneys gone.

I can’t eat at KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes, feet or feathers.

I can’t use cancer-causing deodorant seven though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

Thanks to you I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

Because of your concern, I no longer drink Coca-Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer buy gas without taking someone along to watch the car so a serial killer doesn’t crawl in my back seat when I’m filling up.

I no longer drink Pepsi or Fanta since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put “Under God” on their cans.

I no longer use cling wrap in the microwave because it causes seven different types of cancer.

And thanks for letting me know I can’t boil a cup of water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face… Disfiguring me for life.

I no longer go to the movies because I could be pricked with a needle infected with aids when I sit down

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from ups or FedEx since they are actually al Qaeda agents in disguise.

And I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan

I no longer buy cookies from Neiman-Marcus since I now have their recipe.

Thanks to you I can’t use anyone’s toilet but mine because a big black snake could be lurking under the seat and cause me instant death when it bites my butt.

And thanks to your great advice I can’t ever pick up $5.00 bill dropped in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a sex molester waiting to grab me as I bend over.

I no longer drive my car because buying gas from some companies supports al Qaeda, and buying gas from all the others supports South American dictators.

I can’t do any gardening because I’m afraid I’ll get bitten by the violin spider and my hand will fall off.

If you don’t send this blog to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, and the fleas from 120 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor’s ex-mother-in-law’s second husband’s cousin’s best friend.

PS: I now keep my toothbrush in the living room, because I was told by e-mail that water splashes over 6 ft. Out of the toilet.

So, thanks everyone for looking out for me.  And now, back to my email….

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The Music Connection review is finally here, and we couldn’t be more pleased.  Nick got the highest rating of the month (and so far the highest of the year) with his debut release, scoring a whopping 8.2 out of 10 points.

Music Connection rates artists on:

• Production (8 of 10)
• Lyrics (8 of 10)
• Music (8 of 10)
• Vocals (9 of 10) !
  
• Musicianship (8 of 10)

Nick scored well in each of these categories, with the highest score in “Vocals.”

According to Music Connection, “Number 1 represents the lowest possible score, 10 represents the highest possible score.  A final score of 5 denotes an average, competent artist.”

Here is the text of the review.  (From the January 2010 issue of Music Connection Magazine, page 52.)

Daugherty’s affable voice is front and center at all times, riding above his able backup band so that he makes a palpable connection with his listener on every recording.

“Movin’ Higher” effectively deploys a rich, gospel organ and marimba.  The slow, bluesy “Out of My League” proves Daugherty can croon and sustain his notes.  The humorous “Sick Day” is about an impulse that all of us can relate to–skipping work.

This artist’s honest, mature and clever package could capture a prosperous mainstream audience.

Thanks to the folks at Music Connection for this review, and for other artists who would like to submit their album for review, the URL is http://musicconnection.com/amp/reviews.

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We just got word that Nick’s debut CD “Movin’ Higher” will be among the 12 CDs up for review by Music Connection magazine in their next issue.

Needless to say, we’re all really excited to see what the critics think!

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2009 just wouldn’t be complete without a crazy promotion from Skyrocket Records, would it? And this time around, we’re truly getting into the festive season mood with our best special of the year… So if you’ve been waiting on getting your copy of Nick’s CD “Movin’ Higher,” now’s the time.

Running from today until the 24th of December, you can get the actual CD for a mere $7. That’s almost 50% off the regular retail price of $12.97.** So if you’re waiting until the last minute for Christmas, why not treat yourself?

In addition to this, we’re also offering 20% off when you buy multiple copies. This means you can outfit all your friends/family with CDs without breaking the budget! Check out the pricing here.

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Really brought out my “wish I was an astronaut” feelings.

Maximize screen, Sound On.  Enjoy!!

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It started as a jingle and turned out to be a full song.  AGI was so thrilled to have a song about their software that they paid for me to go into the studio and record it.  We all thought it turned out really well.  Have a listen and download it for free.

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Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn’t famous for anything heroic; he was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.

Capone had a lawyer nicknamed “Easy Eddie.” He was Capone’s lawyer for a good reason Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie’s skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.

To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but Eddie got special dividends, as well. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block.

Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him.

Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object.

And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was.

Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn’t give his son; he couldn’t pass on a good name or a good example.

One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done.

He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al “Scarface” Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great. So, he testified.

Within the year, Easy Eddie’s life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago Street. But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine.

The poem read:

“The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still.”

Story #2

World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific.

One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship.

His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet.

As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his blood cold; a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward the American fleet.

The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn’t reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet.

Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber’s blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent.

Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible, rendering them unfit to fly.

Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction.

Deeply relieved, Butch O’Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.

Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch’s daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft.

This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action Butch became the Navy’s first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional Medal of Honor.

A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O’Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.

So, the next time you find yourself at O’Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch’s memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor. It’s located between Terminals 1 and 2.

SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?

Butch O’Hare was “Easy Eddie’s” son.

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Click these links to listen to them.  Heck, why not throw them on the iPod and take a jog?

I was added to the JogTunes podcast, music specifically designed to jog to!

http://jogtunes.com/jti/jtcbrowsepodcasts.php

Movin’ Higher was added to The Ed’s Mixed Bag Podcast.
http://www.mevio.com/episode/164123/A+Surprise+Fantasy+-+Show+196

Staring At The Sun was added to Cowboy Cantor
http://cbcantor.blogspot.com/2009/06/cowboy-cantor-63-emissao.html

And my music was added into rotation on The Indie Revolution Internet Radio Station.
http://www.live365.com/stations/anrunlimited

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My album was reviewed on The Next Big Thing –
http://nbtmusic.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/the-nbt-review-35/

My song Movin Higher was added to episode 49 of Second Floor Lounge Podcast –
http://www.mevio.com/episode/162234/SFL+049

And my music was added to rotation on A Relaxing Mix of Music Internet Radio Station -
http://www.live365.com/stations/djmentalhealth

Please take a minute to check them out and support the sites.
Thanks,
Nick

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