Merry Christmas!

Balloon Art by Rob Driscoll

After what has been a very busy year, it's very nice to have some time this Holiday Season to spend with friends and family. I have to admit it has been amazingly easy to not think about work since my last gig this past Saturday with the Vixens, and Neal and I are looking forward to a lovely Christmas lunch today with our friends Rob & Nat at Cafe Rouge in Portsmouth.

From my family to yours, here's wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and I hope that your day is filled with love, peace & joy!

Cheers,

Gloria

GME Year In Review - 2013

Please join me in taking a look back over what has been a fantastic year for me and GME! I have put together a photo collage of GME events, shows and performers in remembrance of a great year and as a way to look forward to 2014 with hope and anticipation! If you spot yourself in any of these pics, please drop a line on the comments section! It would be great to hear from you!! Gloria

GME Week In Review - 13 December 2013

Opus 20 Next Show

This week started with a dream-come-true performance in Bournemouth Square with Opus 20 Jazz Orchestra. I had the priviledge of lending my vocals to this amazing orchestra performing some Jazz and Holiday favourites. The Orchestra formed about 3 months ago under the leadership of Mike Hopkins and 9 December was our very first public appearance. Our next concert is scheduled for 16 December at the Conservative Club in Poole.

On Wednesday I went to a Talk Network event at the Square Tower in Portsmouth and had the most amazing two hours of laughing, playing and galloping!  You must try galloping, it's quite liberating! Lisa Sturge, Creative Director of Laughlines Coaching, presented some fantastic information about laugh theraphy, the mechanics of laughter and a bit of laugh yoga!  The galloping was introduced by Robin Brinkley of Maxwell Communications and thankfully, Lisa incorporated it into her talk because we were all in hysterics after being given permission to laugh and play! I'm looking forward to attending the Visioning Workshop with Lisa in January. Please visit Laughlines Coaching website to learn more about laughter therapy!

I also had the pleasure of meeting Steve who runs the Square Tower, which is a lovely, unique venue that's available for hire, and Steve also hosts events in this venue. The Square Tower was the perfect venue for laughing and galloping, and it just may be perfect for your event too.  Visit their website to learn more about this venue or to see 'What's On!'

Talk Network Meeting

After a couple hours of laughter, I headed just up the road to the Cathedral Innovation Center to discuss office space and hot desking. I had a lovely chat with Francis and I'm happy to announce that I have secured myself a bit of office space which will allow me to work a few days a week away from home and the various distractions that come with working from home. In addition to office space, they also offer mentoring and other help with growing my business. Thanks to Lee of Addo Accounting for recommending me to Francis!!

Earlier this year I put together a Diana Ross tribute show and have performed Supremely, Diana Ross a few times around Portsmouth. Next summer this show will be hitting the high seas on the cruise ship circuit, and yesterday I had a meeting with Tommy Bond of Upstairs At Eric's Studios and Grahame Laurence of writemusic.co.uk who will be working with me to get orchestra charts and professional backing tracks done. My last public performance of Supremely, Diana Ross is on Saturday, 14 December at The Jolly Sailor in Southsea. 'Move On Up' party band will be joining me bringing you two shows in one ... Diana Ross Tribute for the first set, and upbeat party set for the second set featuring the best in Soul, Funk & Rock music!

Kathy Fitchett - Food Fiend Exp.

Tonight, I am so looking forward to spending an amazing evening at 'Food Fiend Experience' where Kathy Fitchett will be laying out quite a spread of home cooked food. The menu is a surprise, but I'm m not worried because I've enjoyed Kathy's cooking before and I know tonight's meal will be fabulous. Just hope I can still fit in my slinky Diana Ross dress on Saturday!!

That's it for now ... 

Gloria

Being Diana Ross!

I never thought I would do a Tribute Show, but now that I've developed 'Supremely, Diana Ross' I'm wondering why I waited so long to do it!  I performed the first show back in September at The Old Vic and was immediately addicted to taking on the persona of such an iconic entertainer. Yesterday I was watching Oprah, Behind The Scenes and they were featuring the show where Diana Ross was appearing.  I was really struck by the fact that Oprah Winfrey felt just as indebted to Miss Ross as I do for being a trailblazer for showing black beauty to the world! Click here to see a clip.

Here's what I wrote in my bio about Diana Ross ...

Twenty-five years ago when Gloria first started performing professionally she didn’t know that she would be paying tribute to the woman who had paved the way for her all those years ago; but now Gloria realizes that everything she’s done before has been preparing her for the moment that she would become Supremely, Diana Ross! Maybe the desire to do a Tribute to Miss Ross was Gloria’s way of saying thank you for breaking through racial barriers and stereotypes, to allow countless others to have the opportunity to share their gifts and talents.

Since I've been promoting Supremely, Diana Ross I have come to realize how loved Miss Ross is by pretty much everybody. The response has been amazing. I have several shows booked through the end of the year and a few already booked in for next year.  For my next performance of the tribute show, I'll be backed by my fabulous function band, 'Move On Up! for our a special Christmas performance at The Jolly Sailor on Saturday, December 14th! The first set will be the tribute show followed by a 2nd set of upbeat party music ... two shows in one!!

I really enjoy paying tribute to Diana Ross and giving my inner Diva a platform to shine! In addition to performing the show solo or with Move On Up, I am also developing the show to be performed with a 10-piece orchestra and will be touring the show next year to include theatres across the UK and cruise ships. I will keep you posted as the tour takes shape!

Please contact me if you are interested in booking the Supremely, Diana Ross Tribute Show for your next event or celebration!  gloria@gloriamillermusic.com or 07504 611173.

Earn Money from Performing Your Own Songs!

Did you know that you are owed royalties if you are performing your original songs at gigs?  Look into PRS: http://www.prsformusic.com/creators/joiningus/Pages/Benefitsofmembership.aspx

and Sentric Music:

http://reverbnation.sentricmusic.com/AboutUs.aspx

 

to signup and start earning more money from your songs!

If you are already signed up to ReverbNation, Sentric Music will automatically upload your show data from ReverbNation and administer your royalties. That's how I earn money from my songs.

Take a few minutes and look into these great services and the financial benefits they offer.

Booking Agent: Defined

I am approaching a month of officially being in business as a booking agent, and I am finding that most artists don't really know what the role of a booking agent is and more importantly, what it isn't!

A booking agent is responsible for finding work for individuals working in the entertainment industry. Agents continuously work to find jobs for musicians, bands and singers and are employed independently or work for an agency. A booking agent represents the talent and negotiates a contract with the talent booker. Talent Bookers are responsible for booking musical acts into venues and are the booking agent's point person. Music booking agents might also be involved with promoting the events they book.

The negotiation process includes reserving the performance dates for the venue and determining the artist's fee or percentage of ticket sales.

Booking agents work strictly on commission and take a percentage of anything the band makes for a show. Typically, a booking agent will take anywhere from 5 to 20 percent of the booking fee or the artist's income from ticket sales.  Some agents also take 5 to 20 percent of merchandise and CDs sales.  

A few other things to remember:  

1. Always confirm your start and end times with the venue you're booked with the day before you are scheduled to perform because performance times can sometimes change.
2. Always take your signed contract with you to your booking.
3. Always make sure you get your money before or after you perform and count it before you leave the venue.  Booking agents are not responsible for any short falls in pay. This fact is usually stated in the contract.
4. Always remain professional in front of the client. 

I hope this information is helpful to anyone currently working with booking agents or hoping to do so in the future.

Gloria

Perky

perk·y ˈpərkē:  Adj. Cheerful and Lively!

This is the name I was called for the first five years of my life.  I didn't know my actual name was Gloria until the day before the first day of school.   I asked my mother how to spell my name (Perky) so that I could have a bit of an edge in my kindergarten class the next day.  Much to my surprise, I was told my name was Gloria and not Perky.  It was quite embarassing sitting in class on the first day and completely not responding when this name, Gloria, was called because it really wasn't my name yet.  It took me a while to take full ownership of it.  

During the Yoga retreat I attended last weekend I had a visit from Perky.  You read right.  During one of the morning meditation sessions, my young self paid me a visit and I'd like to tell you about it and what I think it meant.  What you will read next is taken directly from my journal ... here goes!

Sunday, October 9, 2011:


Today is the last day of my Yoga retreat and during morning meditation I had a visit from Perky ... my young self.  I first appeared as a shy little silhouette; then as the figure sharpened, I recognized it as me!   I was wearing green pants, a white top, white sandals with the straps under my heals instead of on them, with white barrettes in my hair.  It was like I stepped right out of one of the only photos I have of myself as a youngster.

There was my little self looking up at me with awe and wonder in her eyes.  Perky was offering me something cupped in the palms of her hands ... her arms were lovingly stretched out to me.  And there in my young hands was a lotus flower.  Only the night before I had learned what the lotus flower symbolizes:

The lotus flower is one of the most ancient and deepest symbols of our planet.  The lotus flower grows in muddy water and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. At night the flower closes and sinks underwater, at dawn it rises and opens again. Untouched by the impurity, lotus symbolizes the purity of heart and mind. The lotus flower represents long life, health, honor ... light!

I accepted this blossom, this light from my young self with the full understanding of what it meant.  Perky was proud of me.  She looked upon the woman we've become with fascination, awe and wonder because she knows better than anyone that we started with nothing, we often times felt inferior, and we certainly couldn't have imagined the path our life has taken!  The lotus was what connected Perky to me.  We had blossomed from nothing into who we are today ... and she was proud.

Pride was the last thing I was feeling when I arrived at the Tilton House to begin my 3-day Yoga journey.  I came to this retreat feeling like a failure.  Like my life hasn't really mattered and like I've not really done anything important.  My intention for my practice was to get some clarity as to what I was going to do with myself.  Since moving to the UK just over a year ago, I've been feeling very small and lost ... like all the things that made me "me" in the US only made me invisible in the UK.  I'm not quite sure how to be me in England. I've also realized that I've spent my whole life trying to be what I thought people wanted me to be and I've consistently failed at this. I've never been the "favorite" and I have so often wanted to be.

My talent has been treated as mediocre by so many people that I sometimes follow suit.  It's hard to believe in yourself when no one else does. I've tried so hard all my life and it's exhausting.  I seem to always be trying to get noticed, trying to have my talents recognized, trying to be good enough ... well, I'm sick of trying.  I just want to be me ... even though right now, I'm trying to figure out who I am.  I just want to be happy with the life I've lived and with the life I'm living.  I want to be proud of myself!

Perky is proud of me.  She looked up at me and I could see utter happiness and contentment radiating from her face.  Like she couldn't believe the life we're living.  I smiled at my little self and took the lotus blossom in our hands and allowed the light to shine between us.  Then she turned and started to walk away, waving as she went ... leaving me with the light!

I so enjoyed my brief visit from my self as I was so many years ago, and I will continue to let the light of simply being shine through me, and at dawn of each new day I will rise and open again to the possibilities of life!