TAXI A&R

In 1992 I subscribed to an A&R listing company called TAXI to see if I could generate any interest in my songs. Back then, submissions were by cassette tape in a manila envelope mailed through the USPS. I don’t remember how I got the listings, but it must have been by mail as the internet didn’t start being widely used by the public until 1993.

That was a busy time for me with my acting career and I didn’t put my full effort into the endeavor and, not surprisingly, had little success. Like, maybe two out of a dozen submissions generated interest…and that was just getting my songs past the gate keepers at TAXI and on to their clients, not getting a nibble from the clients themselves.

Almost 30 years later, in April of this year, I signed up again with this company and am enjoying the ease with which songs and lyrics can be submitted online! TAXI even offers members $20 critiques of your song by their screeners - very helpful to get industry ears and eyes on your music.

I haven’t yet gotten past the gate keepers and through to a client, but I’m optimistic. I had great success at the top of my profession in the theater and daytime television worlds, and when asked over the years what the biggest challenge is to a career as a writer or performing artist, I always noted the gate keepers. In the acting world, it’s the casting directors you have to get through to get to the REAL decision makers. Sometimes you get a champion and sometimes a stone wall... my next post about TAXI A&R in 30 years will detail my successful song placements!