![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() “It took 11 years before I quit my last day job in 1995, right after I got my first master recording ,” recalls Terrell, who was then employed as a director of admissions and financial aid at a vocational school in Nashville. Terrell moved to Nashville in 1984 to finish his education at Belmont University’s School of Music, where he began working in the campus studio for free, grabbing any vocal opportunity he could. ![]() He’s also sung on albums by Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw and Lionel Richie, among others. In addition to producer Dann Huff (Keith Urban, Taylor Swift), Terrell has worked with such notables as engineer/producer Ben Fowler (LeAnn Rimes, Rascal Flatts), songwriter/producer Brett Beavers (Dierks Bentley, Dustin Lynch) and songwriter Tim Menzies (Trace Adkins, Toby Keith). So what’s it truly like being a demo singer in 2013? Here, one veteran, one session singer-turned-upstart recording artist and one singer/songwriter hopeful share their journeys on the demo circuit.Īs one of Nashville’s top demo and master session singers, Russell Terrell has recorded backgrounds for demos and master recordings on more than 16,000 songs, 47 of which were No. “It’s the rare singer who is able to get inside the head of a songwriter and express the depth of emotion that can really sell a song to an artist,” he says. Mark Fried, CEO of publishing company Spirit Music Group, says demo singing is a science. And that is helping you sell the record.” “Writers need to respect what the demo singer actually does bring to the process. “All of us are no good without each other,” he says. Penning hits including the Jonas Brothers’ latest single, “Pom Poms,” and Frank Ocean’s “Lost,” songwriter Paul “Phamous” Shelton has worked with his share of demo singers, and says they provide a vital service. For every Warwick or Lynn, there’s a Darlene Love, who’s featured in the new documentary “20 Feet From Stardom.” In Love’s case, her vocals were kept as leads on ’60s hits “He’s a Rebel” and “He’s Sure the Boy I Love,” but were credited to the Crystals by producer Phil Spector. Or Ester Dean, a hit songwriter who also started as a demo singer - her vocals can be heard on several songs she co-wrote, including Rihanna’s “S&M” and Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass.”īut demo singers often remain unsung heroes. Even Elton John recorded publishers’ demos for other artists early in his career.įast-forward to today, and there are names like Buddy Jewell, first winner of USA Network’s singing competition “Nashville Star,” who later moved to Nashville and began a lucrative career as a demo singer, reportedly recording more than 5,000 demos before signing with Columbia Records Nashville. Loretta Lynn demoed songs for Acuff Rose Music in Nashville before she became a country legend. Dionne Warwick got her start demoing songs for Burt Bacharach and Hal David when they were peddling songs at New York’s Brill Building. It’s a behind-the-scenes part of the industry that dates back to Tin Pan Alley and the days of song pluggers. And she’s not alone.Ī quick trip through Google reveals dozens of websites representing companies and individuals offering demo vocal services to songwriters and producers pitching songs to record companies, artists, managers, A&R executives and music publishers. That’s 22-year-old Chelsea Lena’s assessment of the approach she’s taken during the last five years as a successful demo singer. You’ve just got to put on your big girl pants and go for it!” ![]()
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