Philadelphia - GRAMMY Camp SoundCheck with Anthony Green
The Philadelphia Chapter, in partnership with the GRAMMY Foundation and GRAMMY U, hosted GRAMMY Camp – SoundCheck with Anthony Green on Jan. 20th at the new Union Transfer venue in Philadelphia, PA. Touring in support of his newest solo album, Beautiful Things, Green joined0 high school and college students in his hometown of Philadelphia to discuss current issues in the music industry and how he made a name for himself in the business.
After students watched him perform a few of his songs during soundcheck, Green jumped off the stage to greet the students before the Q&A session, which took place in a standing room while the students grouped around Green. The environment felt genuine and earnest. The students, who already had a long list of questions ready that they wanted answered, engaged Green in a very candid discussion about everything from music piracy to taking opportunities as a musician.
“It’s like playing the lottery,” Green said about making it in the music business. Even so, there were certain things he encouraged the students to do to succeed. He told students to take every opportunity that came their way and to play for an audience as much as they could while recounting his days of playing in garages and warehouses. Using social media tools like Twitter was also an important thing to utilize to Green. Having a community of fans to reach out to on the internet can be more beneficial than getting your song played on the radio when used correctly.
When Green got his first record deal he said he “was so excited,” but warned students to stop and think about any sort of contract given to them to ensure that they are looking out for their own best interests. He also told students that “music isn’t free to make,” and encouraged them to support the artists that they love.
Green was able to carve out more time for the students than originally planned, and you could tell he was excited about an new generation of up and coming music makers and others looking to be involved in the music industry. Green, who kept a smile on everyone’s face for the whole Q&A, was optimistic about the future that was in store for this group of bright students, and so are we.