.
I'm happy to answer your queries as to why I'm not voting. Thank you for inquiring!
First off, this is not about those who have been elected as contestants, but rather those doing the voting and the stage on which they are doing it.
Perhaps more importantly, this is strictly my view alone.
Let's start out with the genre itself. Several years ago, my friend Chris Uhland, who has been employed within the national media for decades, was looking into Trop Rock as a viable option business wise. Working in the media gave him access to all of the media reports. In the national and international media reports, he found that Trop Rock was credited for approximately one million followers.
What we have today with the Trop Rock Music Association (TRMA) Awards is maybe something between 1,500 and maybe 2,000 members eligible for voting. That leaves 998,000 Trop Rock fans that are not voting. Only TRMA members qualify to vote.
Or, in simple terms, about 1% - 2% of Trop Rock fans actually qualify to vote.
Yes, 1% - 2%
Additionally, because people are members, doesn't mean they'll vote. There have been years that well under 500 have actually voted.
Over the years the one consistent thing I've heard from fans regarding the TRMA Awards is “It's always the same people on the ballot. Is this a private club?”
That's a curious question. Back when the TRMA was formed, it was formed with good intentions by a musical act who felt there should be a Trop Rock organization. Their first name was The Margarita Mafia when they started in 2005. In 2007 they changed it to the Trop Rock Music Association, or TRMA for short.
One of the things they would do was give out annual awards to performers in the genre. When they started the TRMA, naturally their fan club was the first to join. What happened here was, naturally, the TRMA was heavily lopsided and the band consistently won all the awards.
A few years ago that band admirably stepped aside and turned the reins over. Ironically. the issue today is similar to that under the previous administration, though the names and faces changed with the changeover. It can be summed up best by a new artist who is adding Trop Rock to his repertoire “So what's with this TRMA Awards deal anyway? I've been following it on line for a few years and see the same names every year. It looks like it's TRMA politics. Is this some kind of weird clique, or club?”.
A point well taken.
On the other hand, there are plenty of great things happening in Trop Rock that are being passed up and overlooked.
Let's look at Brian Fields and Michelle Tafoya for a moment. Every week they do their show “B-Man and mi-Shell - Tuesday on the Island, The Whisky Sessions” . It's every Tuesday 3 – 4 and sponsored by The Key West Trading Company. It is on live, both Facebook and YouTube. They are promoting the genre.
They also have Coastal Confessions on 104.9 The X Key West (XKeyWest.com) every Friday evening, 8 - 10. Again, promoting the genre.
Lets not forget Brian and Danny Lynn putting together their annual Songwriters Showcase during MOTM. It's not like they pick up a phone and say ”Hey Rick's/Durty Harry's! We'd like to hold an event for MOTM at Durty Harry's! We'll stop by Wednesday morning of MOTM and have everything together for us”.
All year long, 24/7/365, Brian is jumping through hoops of fire putting all of these things together, for all of these events. He's doing all of this for the betterment of the Trop Rock genre. He doesn't make a penny from any of this. As a matter of fact, it's money out of pocket for Brian and Danny every year.
Just look in the musician's appreciation bag that the songwriters get for playing the Songwriters Showcase at MOTM. I'll go out on a limb and say there is about $50 worth of gifts and vouchers in each one of them.
They didn't just appear there. Brian busted his ass all year long, day in, day out, pleading with vendors to contribute, so the songwriters had some respect and appreciation from their event. Are there any other events that do this?
Yet, Brian and Michelle don't even get a nomination. Seriously?
Someone has got to be kidding. That's a major embarrassment, bar none.
Now, let's take Danny Lynn, owner of Tiki Man Radio ( tikimanradio.com ). Danny pulled his station from the awards this year. I really didn't get into it with him when I saw him over the summer.
Here's what I will say, from my own experience with him. When I first met Danny he was getting into Trop Rock Radio and working for a station called “Tiki Island Radio”, which was owned by another individual. We both ended up at a house concert on Anna Maria Island at The Sand Box, owned and run by Pablo and Diana that we (The Shanty Hounds) were playing at. A long story short, Danny broadcast our gig from there. A few days later the numbers came in on how many listeners tuned in. The number issued by the owner of the station for the broadcast, was 28,000+.
When another station owner heard this he flew off the handle. On Facebook he called Danny every name in the book (bear in mind that Danny only relayed the numbers that his station owner had given him.) saying that 28,000 was a lie and completely impossible.
Not long after that Danny left that station and started his own, TikiManRadio.com. I saw him in 2017 at his station just outside Chattanooga. While there I also saw his receipt for his daily numbers from his server. Those numbers were double what the irate owner of the other radio station called “A lie and completely impossible" just over a year and a few months before. I later learned that what the irate station owner considered expected daily views for a Trop Rock station to be were between 2,000 and 4000.
A few years back, the TRMA was looking for new followers. What they did was appeal to Parrot Head groups, as well as Howard Livingston's club. There's nothing wrong with that, however, what it's not doing is bringing in new fans. That's shuffling existing fans from one tent to another. They weren't new fans.
On the other hand, what Danny's tikimanradio.com is doing is attracting, ... buckle your seat-belts,... 55,000 – 70,000 listeners a day tuning in! A lot of these people are new listeners to the genre. Danny Lynn is helping the genre grow via new listeners.
Yes, 55,000 - 70,000 a day 😲
Also, look at all the shows TikiManRadio.com does, not forgetting all of the videos that they've added. It's without a doubt, totally incredible! This is totally cutting edge, and the numbers show it!
Despite all of this, Danny pulled tikimanradio.com from the TRMA Awards. I don't know his reasons, but I'll speculate and for a moment pretend I was in his shoes:
Regardless of the groundbreaking shows, regardless the numbers that are two and three times above what was deemed “Impossible” at 28,000, with a daily figure the other station owner expected to be between, 2,000 and 4,000, regardless the videos which are at the forefront, if I knew I wasn't going to win, or even have a chance in a popularity contest that is determined by 1% - 2%, at best and with the distinct possibility that 1/3 of that 1% - 2% are actually voting, what's the point? The only thing that would achieve is taking the wind out of your sails and Danny is riding the crest of the wave right now.
Again, that's just me speculating.
With both Brian and mi-Shell, as well as Danny Lynn, I'm talking about things I've observed from the outside. From this point I'll relay what I've seen first hand, dealing directly with myself.
Very shortly after I moved to Key West I wrote a song and made a crude demo of it along with a collage video. I put it on my YouTube page and I heard from DJ Jeff Allen, who said to me “When you make a real recording of that song, I want it!”. It was named “Raise My Glass To The Upper 48” and was a quiet song with a lite samba rhythm and a melody that felt quite close to a Bosa Nova. In other words, it was very tropical Brazilian sounding.To Make a long story short, in less than a year, I came out with my album “Shanghai'd and Marooned in Key West (things could be worse)”. I was really fortunate because DJ Jeff not only liked that song, but he liked every song on the album!
He pulled me aside when he was in Key West and said “You are exactly what Trop Rock needs! I'm so glad you've joined us! We have fabulous singer/songwriters, and while you are a fabulous singer/songwriter, you're bringing so much more to the genre”.
The biggest contributions I think I brought to the genre was a different way of writing and arranging. To begin with, I have two years of music theory. The majority of songwriters in Trop Rock would write lyrics then write music to fit said lyrics.
I was different. I'm not saying I was right, because there is no “right”. I just came to the table with an approach that was significantly different.
For myself, the most important part of a song was the melody and arrangement. Therefore, I wrote the music first. My songs were all written with this format. “Raise My Glass To The Upper 48”, “The Beach!!!”, “Beautiful Day Down Paradise Way”, “Island Ladies”.
Lennon/McCartny, Jagger/Richards, Garcia/Hunter. Jobim/Maraes all wrote this way as well.
Another thing I brought to the table was that I was a Nashville published songwriter. For those who don't know, as a songwriter you don't approach a publisher and say “Hi! I want you to publish my songs”. It works the other way around. A publisher would approach a songwriter only if they felt the songwriter's material was something they felt they could place with another artist, or perhaps in advertisements.
I've been very, very fortunate, because as of today, I've been published for twenty-one years. This is something that gives credibility in the music industry to Trop Rock. When I joined the fold I was Nashville published for nine years. I have songs with Trisha Yearwood, Chuck Norris, Junior Brown.. etc. I honestly don't know, but I'm guessing there are maybe about a dozen Nashville-published songwriters in Trop Rock?
When I first saw Trop Rock, I looked at it as a type of music with growth potential. If it were put in a pie diagram, I saw it being only 25% - 30% in use. As much as 70% was open and unexplored! As a songwriter that was a very serious plus!
With anything in life there are bumps in the road. For me, the first was outing a Trop Rock DJ/Station owner in 2017. Fact was, he was stealing from the songwriters. He wasn't licensed and professed that he didn't need to be via a “loophole” he found. He invited anyone to look it up. Guess what? I took him up on it and looked into it. He was lying. There were no loopholes anywhere, and that wasn't me looking, that was BMI telling me, This wasn't a case of “Well, was he, or wasn't he?” He was dead-to-rights guilty of both not paying royalties, as well as using songwriters material for his sponsors commercials that he made, done on his own without written releases from the songwriter's PROs (BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC) which are very much required as they control the rights to the songs. He also had no license.
This was highly illegal, not to mention unethical. In short, he was stealing from the songwriters. While I did expose him to the Trop Rock community for being the thief that he was via a blog, I never turned him into BMI, ASCAP. or SEASAC. I felt the overflow from that would be a hindrance to the genre itself.
The odd thing here was that I had people in the genre come up to me saying “Oh, you know, you really shouldn't have done that to him”.
So, I didn't understand? These people feel it's just fine to steal from the songwriters and I should have just shut my mouth and let him continue stealing from everyone? Seriously?
Additionally, all the other stations were licensed. Why should he not have a license, while everyone else has to?
Perhaps a dozen to fifteen people within the Trop Rock community expressed support to me, however, others within the genre saw the subject as attractive as having molten lead poured in their ears.
To those who supported me, Thank you!
To those who avoided me:
A brief epilog: On 4/29/2020 at 13:51 (1:51PM) he was arrested and charged with a Felony Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon. The deadly weapon was a shotgun, the victim was a woman. Fortunately he did not pull the trigger.
Would I do it again? Absolutely. If I knew it and didn't, I would be supporting it. I don't know if the TRMA ever distanced themselves from him?
That was the bump in the road for me, otherwise everything is good. Here's a few other things over the years that I've been involved with:
In 2012 during MOTM, I held a songwriter's event at a bar on the 1100 block of Duval. It was well attended. I did it the following year as well, this time at Durty Harry's. Again, great attendance and great performers doing an “In The Round” format.
Following these, I held events at Sunset Tiki during MOTM. These were songwriter events and we had almost all of the Trop Rock stations participating, broadcasting it live! There were a total of nine stations working together! DJ's all chatting with each other, interviewing artists, and broadcasting together! Some stations couldn't be there, however, Danny Lynn was able to send them the signal! All of the stations worked together for a common goal of exposing potential new fans to Trop Rock! Where else did that happen? A press release was sent out to AP, Reuters, and the other news organizations. The idea here was to increase the Trop Rock footprint and gain exposure to new, potential fans and assist the genre's growth.
Here, I put together nine radio stations broadcasting together, at the most beautiful outside venue in Key West, with the goal of gaining recognition and more importantly, growth for the genre. In the two years I held it, we had fabulous performers over the afternoon, as well as wonderful crowds. Everyone had a great time listening to great performers throughout the day, overlooking the water, with a BBQ and a full bar! I thank all who assisted, those who performed, and those who came!
The events, as good and as well intended and attended as they were, never received a nomination. Honestly, I wasn't even thinking of getting one and it never occurred to me until a year later when someone asked me. It wasn't about me, it was about the genre. You have to give back.
Here we had an event designed and focused on helping the genre itself grow, nine trop radio stations working hand-in-hand, broadcasting live, over thirty performers playing throughout the afternoon, press releases and a great crowd having a blast. One of the Trop Rock magazines had scheduled a rep to be there to report on it for their next issue, but she was pulled at the last minute to cover something at another bar. Really.
On my music front, I've used only the absolute most professional people and production facilities available. Just to give an example, the Neumann microphone used in my current release, “Trimaran”, costs $11,000.00.
The engineer/producer, Ian Shaw, isn't an insurance salesman 9 – 5 who hobby-moonlights, recording friends in his garage after hours. Ian's been doing this full time for over forty years in London, England and for the last eight years, bouncing between London and Key West. Ian is simply, incredible.
Through Ian, I've been able to utilize the mastering skills of Denis Blackham. Denis has been doing this since 1969 and has mastered for the likes of CSNY, The Who, David Knopfler, Otis Reading, Led Zepplin, Marc Bolan, Pete Townsend, Robert Plant, Rod Stewart, The Shanty Hounds, 😁The Who.... the list goes on and on!
As far as studios I've used three in Key West, one in Nashville, and one in London.
The musicians I've used are all second to none. Thanks to all of you!
In the end, each song I record ends up costing between $1,500 and $3,000 to record.
Expensive? Sure, but it utilizes the best of the best.
However, don't listen to me, take a look at the independent reviews and read what they say. These reviews aren't made by friends or fans. Chances are, neither you, or me, will ever meet these critics. Bottom line, there is no agenda here.
The Ark of Music
https://thearkofmusic.com/key-west-chris/
Stereo Stickman
Sleeping Bag Studios
https://sleepingbagstudios.ca/key-west-chris-all-the-best-from-key-west/
Indie Band Guru
https://indiebandguru.com/key-west-chris/
“Fluid and fun. Spellbindingly flawless. A sparkling piece of thirst-quenching island-influenced Americana”.
“You can almost feel the fun the artists are having putting this one together”
“The amount of character, charm, and personality in KWC’s music can’t be denied here…LISTEN to just how many essential elements like the piano, the harmonica, and the backup vocals play a role on “Dockside Bar” ….
“Key West Chris expertly weaves styles together in this highly engaging opening tune that uses expression, character, personality, and many details to its advantage”.
“Everything you could hope for kicks into gear throughout All The Best From Key West – jazz piano, string solos, engaging rhythms, smooth yet raspy, expressive vocals, poetic simplicity and equal parts optimism and calm ... If you’re missing the beach, the sea, the waves and the freedom – this album is for you.”
“Key West Chris kicks things off with the soothing, magically melodic, acoustic-guitar driven Cayo Hueso Rain. If you sit back, take a deep breath, close your eyes and just absorb the music, you’ll soon be able to feel the rain and that Key West atmosphere. Sit back and breathe it in, imagine the wind and the sounds, and just let the song transport you”. Indy Music Discovery
According
to Chris, “If one does something they love and have a passion for,
it automatically has integrity. And there are lots of people who love
Key West as well. When they go back to Peoria or Albany or wherever,
they can close their eyes, play my album, and be back in Key West.
There might be some snow falling where they are, but with their feet
tapping along to the music, maybe there’s a hint of warm salt in
the air and they’re smiling.
Chris understands that by being the
best Chris Rehm in the world, he can help make his fans a little
happier”. BruceTurkel.com
The end of it all, I am an artist. I put my absolute best into all of my recording projects. Songwriting, arrangements, playing guitar, and singing. I am so grateful to all that help me achieve the above excellence from all angles, musicians, producers, engineers, mastering, the works. I may have the vision, but it is all who are on each project that make it happen, I humbly express my sincere gratitude to the entire team involved in all of my projects! Thank you!!!
Candidly speaking, in all of trop rock there may be a a slight few that are on the same level. but there is nothing that has a higher recording quality than my music releases. That's a credit to the fabulous people I am fortunate enough to work with. And I am very fortunate.
In 2019 The Shanty Hounds played 366 gigs in front of @216,000 people.
We were called “The Hardest Working Band in Trop Rock”
Last year was a COVID disaster, of course, however, we're back to playing 6 – 9 gigs a week again! As I write this we have two gigs today. Two Friends 11:30 - 2:30 and Southernmost Beach Café 5 - 8.
At the last MOTM, on the final Sunday evening of the event, after our last gig, I was talking with two different seasoned (20 years each) Parrot Heads groups. We were just shooting the breeze about this, that, and the other thing when out of the blue they said the same thing:
“You know? The Shanty Hounds are the best act we've seen all week”. Wow! What fabulous complements! Thank you!
Perhaps the individual who is the most respected individual in all of Trop Rock tells me every time they see me:
“Chris, you are my favorite songwriter in Trop Rock”.
I am indeed, truly humbled. I can't tell you how much that means to me! To have an individual of such high esteem and respect, tell me that, just floors me every time they remind me.
Thank you SO much, DAMN!!!!!
At MOTM, the only events the Shanty Hounds have ever been invited to play have been Mike Miller's event at Captain Tony's (I think we've been there six years running. Thank you, Mike!), The Songwriter's Showcase (4 times... charter members! Thank you Brian, mi-Shell, Danny, and Heather!), and Steve Toliver's Pitstop Party (Thank you, Steve!) Last MOTM we also played Reggie Starrett's event at Turtle Kraals (thanks Reggie!).
The only Trop Rock event outside of the Keys that The Shanty Hounds have ever been invited to, was Music On The Bay, three years ago this winter.
Conclusion
With the TRMA's membership being about 1% - 2% of the media's gauging of the amount of Trop Rock fans, the name “Trop Rock Music Association Awards” has a far larger sound than what it actually is, in reality.
Also, those members who are voting, come across as not really being aware of the total picture of what is happening within the genre. There's a LOT going on and they are focused on a very select few. Overall, it appears that they have a “comfort zone” and dare not step out of that zone. This is why people, both new to the genre as well as seasoned fans and performers, are asking if this is a “club, or a clique?”.
What's happening is that those who are the bulk of voting are voting for people that they follow. They don't know, or barely know, anyone else, or what those those are doing.
When the same people are up for awards year in, year out, the integrity falls out the bottom.
Let's look at a theoretical song of the year vote. Four songs on the ballot, 1,500 – 2000 TRMA associate potential voters. Lets say ¾ voted, which if we use 2000, would be 1,500. Divided by four songs... the winner could theoretically win with 376 votes.... again, 1M fans, 376 votes.... What's wrong with this picture?
Going back, how can the voters not even nominate Brian Fields and mi-Shell?
Do they know all the ass-busting they do year round? No. Why? Because they don't follow them.
Danny Lynn's Tikimanradio.com is getting 55,000 – 70,000 tune in hits a day and is cutting edge on everything radio, as well as videos. Obviously, it's working and he has the wind in his sails.
They have house concerts up for awards. WTH? These are people like you and me. Out of their love of the music, they hold house concerts in their yards. They don't always break even and experience a financial loss. Yet, they are put into a competition with each other. WHAT????
Every single one of these people should be thanked, not put into a competition with each other.
I came out with my first Trop Rock album in 2010. Regardless of what I contributed since 2010, which you've read above, I'll continue to write music and books, from my heart. As I said earlier, my music is different. Aside from the aforementioned structure of the music, the stories behind them are largely, but not all, written about living on a tropical island, namely Key West. My music isn't about going to Key West. That's all well and good, however from my perspective, because it's been written about so often, I want to write songs that are different. Living in Key West is the perspective I'm coming from. Like Ernest Hemingway advised “Write what you know”. For instance, Cajun's Got A Coconut is about my dog ripping a coconut apart that he found at the dog park here. Beautiful Day Down Paradise Way is about how beautiful a rainy day is in Key West. Mile Zero mentions one of my few alcohol references, when it says “Side step Duval for a Sunset Ale” Another is Dockside Bar, written in 2007, which is a true story about me heading to several different bars, on several different Keys and what I saw. “Bartender give me another, if you please?” Both of these alcohol references are used as added color to the stories, but not they are not the story itself.
I could go on, however these works are good, typical examples of what I do. My music carries interesting stories weaved into flowing, yet unique music, which often calls on the listener to activate and exercise some gray matter, on both parts.
The fact of the matter is that majority of the one to two percentile overall of voting fans in Trop Rock, aren't interested in what I bring to the table. That's fine, music is subjective. They don't have a clue that Island Ladies has had 70,000+ radio air plays globally. Chances are, they don't even know Island Ladies even exist. That's okay. They don't seem to know what's happening outside a small cocoon circle that they themselves have created and appointed. However, it's one thing to not know about it, it's another thing to not know about it and be casting votes.
As outlined above, they really don't even know who many of the key people in the genre are.
Don't get me wrong, it's fine that they have their favorites. However, if they don't know everything about everyone in the genre, their favorites, as well as the Brian Fields' and the Danny Lynn's how can they make a legitimate vote? This isn't a club, or a clique, is it?
It's my view they are holding in the reins for progress, rather than helping the genre.
As for the people who do follow my music and books, these are the most incredible people you could ever meet! For starters, they all are on the generous side of the IQ ratings. Over the years I've come to know many, many personally! What an honor! The majority of these folks don't vote in the awards either. They're not even members, for that matter.
My music is not going to change. I will still produce music that falls into the Trop category and hopefully everyone will continue to enjoy it via all the current outlets, radio, tv, video.
However, I have no desire to be a part of the voting as it stands at the moment. I do not want to be part of the 1% - 2%. I see it as a misrepresentation of what is actually going on in the genre.
I love the genre and all of the artists in it. However, I'm not interested in participating in a closed environment. No thank you. That is not what I'm about. Therefore, I will not be a part of voting.
IF YOU FOUND THIS BLOG HELPFUL, PLEASE HELP SUPPORT IT BY BUYING ANY OF MY MUSIC, OR BOOKS BELOW! Thank you!!!!
Downloads run only $2.97 - $7.99 😲😲😲
THANK YOU!!!!!
Also! My latest music release, "Trimaran" is now available through Amazon at only:
$2.97
for the download!
https://www.amazon.com/Trimaran-Key-West-Chris-Rehm/dp/B093CPZ2CH
Please check out my newest book!
"Time Traveler II - The Further Adventures of a Time Traveling Key West Bartender"
Available at Amazon!
All The Best From Key West! Released in December, 2019, to rave reviews!
Only $5.94 for the download
https://www.amazon.com/All-Best-Key-West-Chris/dp/B082XFG8G7
