Here is Part 1 of the women behind the music, I am proud to include Song River to this addition! I made July lady's month to honor the women of rock and metal! I don't love the guys any less! I love you guys!! But as a woman myself, I wanted to take notice of our hard work to get where we are also!! Song River is a great example of women behind the music! I hope to be as good as her one day!! I am honored to be working with her to get the word out about really awesome bands! I am also blessed she came to me and added me as a magazine!! Here is her interview and her own words of how Song River came about!!

                                                                                                        Written by Jennifer Cook/Phoenix Ravenmoon

Interview with Song River 

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1.Song River, what do you do in your music career?  
Song River: I am a music publicist, assist in artist development and project management, A&R Director, and a music junkie! I love music!  
 
Tell me a little about yourself?  
Song River: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, …"- Dickens Tale of Two Cities. Just kidding... Talking about self is a compelling dynamic, we do it daily via a vehicle called social media. Although I do live 'out loud' I do have a tendency to also be very private. It comes from living life at large that one learns to keep certain things on the down low.  
 
Having spent most of the '80s working closely with many super rock stars of the time, as a photojournalist, it seems like it all happened just yesterday and boy was it a blast! 
 
Actually, I am still in contact with one of my first bosses in the industry, Jonathan L, who ran a publication, Newsreel. He went on to develop a prime spot radio show called the Virgin Vinyl Show out Phoenix, Arizona. He had his finger on the pulse of the whole swell and oh my was it a swell in Arizona during those days. With bands like Jimmy Eat World, The Gin Blossoms, Giant Sandworms, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers and so many more coming out of Arizona. Jonathan and I in the past few years managed to reconnect and he has is happily married, living and running his own radio show out of Germany.  
 
Those days, yes I am reminiscing about the 'good old days' LOL! I was so young and wide-eyed and the industry was certainly different in many ways. Chatting with Bono backstage, watching the U2 War Tour from side stage, meeting Elton John and Bernie Taupin at the airport and driving with them in their limo to dinner, kicking soccer balls back and forth with Rod Stewart, meeting Michael Jackson at a Motown meeting, chatting with Rob Halford's manager, taking walks and hanging out with Weird Al in his beginning days, shaking hands with Tom Petty, sharing a chat with Billy Idol, meeting Prince, Bowie, Bo Diddley, BB King, Stevie Nicks, Michael Hutchence, Missing Persons, Adam Ant, Lita Ford, Madonna, having casual conversations with so many artists I respected.  
 
(Honestly, I lost count of how many artists and bands I have photographed and interviewed over the years because when I came back it all kicked off again with The Pixies, Alter Bridge, Skillet, 10 Years, Pierce the Veil, Blink 182, Aerosmith, Korn, etc...) 
 
It was not too long after working with Duran Duran though that I left the industry and went into politics. Became a speechwriter and wrote Opeds for several national and international publications. The editors dubbed me, the female 'George Bernard Shaw'. This took me through three different administrations. At the end of my political involvement, I truly could no longer see a difference in either party. They had left the people.  
 
As a writer, those were some of the roughest times in our history, 9/11. Having witnessed things that are only in nightmares, written about things only in nightmares it was time to close this chapter. Is there more to this portion of my life, yes, but I prefer to keep it in the past. 
 
During my lifetime as a family person, writer, history buff, and God-fearing believer, the music stayed as a lifeline of consistency for me and long story short I came back to it when my oldest brother, who was a musician, passed away at a very young age.  
 
My approach though this time was not to go back and work with the big names but to seek out those who were independent and outside the label lines. My entrance back in came through my familiarity and connections already established through writing and photography but the pursuit of learning other components of the music industry was now my drive. This time the adventure was about how the 21st Century way of developing strong relationships, honesty, respect and assisting the next generation of musicians. This would take me into development, management, marketing, and PR.  
 
When I came back did I still photograph when called upon? Yes, my portfolio is full of Warped Tour Bands, great metal artists of our time, punk rockers, pop artists, indie and hard rockers. My favorite past time when doing concert photography was to study the light patterns, stage plots and calculate as quickly as possible the variables that make up live concert photography. It became a game to me and the challenges were fun. I had time for this passion up until about two years ago. However the more involved I became in assisting bands in development the less time there has been to give photography. 
 
When I am not working (which is very rare) I enjoy my family, humor, history, horses, astronomy, cooking, painting, traveling, satire, theatre, fashion, beach combing, and mission work.  
 
I feel the need to interject here a last thought about who I am. I miss the times of intelligent debate and the exchange of ideas. Remember the days of civil discourse?  
No? I believe I have forgotten them too. 
During my political years, I became a huge fan of William F. Buckley Jr. and his brilliant ability to enter discourse via his command of the English language. 
Love the works of Mark Twain, and Oscar Wilde.  
 
2. How did you get started with Tag Publicity? 

Song River: I had opened my own PR company and was working in the southwest. The opportunity came along to work with a small independent label and clientele continued to build. Since I was still writing and photographing bands for several publications during that time the opportunity to chat with Tom George, CEO/Brand Ambassador of TAG Publicity came about. As we continued to discuss our goals of finding and developing the next BIG bands and artists by applying genuine interest and support for the musicians the common goal of our vision came to fruition. The team came together that we have today and I am in my second year with TAG Publicity. As our company continues to develop, by being open-minded and innovative in how we approach today's exciting and welcoming music community, we are a cohesive group that puts the musicians and artists first. We are here to build long term relationships. Our recent teaming with The Label Group, owned by Dennis Sanders, is furthering our artist development and opening doors for distributionthrough INgrooves. Collectively our ability to connect dots on many levels for our bands is what we see to be the best way to help grow success. We know the most important component in our type of work is to be transparent, work hard, be open to new ideas,follow through on the tried and true and treat our clients' music and projects with the respect they deserve. 
 
One of the many qualities I have found among TAG Publicity is they never find the need to put down other writers, photographers, bands, managers publically or privately. It is a shame how some have found social media to be their platform to elevate themselves by belittling others. Not a good practice. Our ethics at TAG Publicity is to do your best, treat everyone fairly, decently and with respect. I do believe that it shows. 
 
 
3. How did you start in your career?  
Song River: It began at an early age. I worked as an assistant manager for a record store. I fell in love with music each and every day. Album by album. My desire to understand the history of music became my education. Fine tuning my ear to listen for a hit was my obsession. Wanting to meet some of these great musicians was all the start I needed. I don't let much deter me from my goals. Music is apart of who I am. 
 
4. How many bands do you take care of?  

Song River: The number varies. Something we as a team try to do is assist each other, especially as the number of bands we work with continues to grow every week. We feel working as a collective helps all of us get to know our clients' music, goals and needs. A well-run team can get so much more done together as a collective for their musicians and bands. Our bands are our priority, period. 
 
5. What kind of music do you listen to?  

Song River: My goodness, I listen to everything. I love music from all eras and genres. It might be easier to tell you what I won't listen to the second time around. LOL!  
 
If I had to pack my proverbial island bag of music to listen to for forever it would be: August and Everything After- Counting Crows, Blue- Third Eye Blind, Best of Johnny Cash- Johnny Cash, Anything by Frank Sinatra, Stop Making Sense- Talking Heads, Heroes- David Bowie, Candy-O- The Cars, At Last- Etta James, Natty Dread- Bob Marley, Ten- Pearl Jam, Avalon- Roxy Music, Confessions- Usher, The Dead Kennedys, Rancid, Blondie, ... I best stop because I can't pick just certain ones. This is an endless list. 
 
6. Favorite metal genre?  

Song River: Again, I listen to all types. It really comes down to the individual songs. I certainly enjoy the old classic style metal but listening to the modern take as they blend and bend multiple genres... it is sweet. Give me some Grunge and Punk and make it swim with metal. 
 
7. Do you feel it's easier or harder being in the music world?  

Song River: In my estimation, we are in the best time ever for music. Are there challenges? Of course but we are wide open to create the kind of music we want to create. The advent of the digital age has opened a gold mine of opportunities to get your music heard all over the globe. For the musicians with the drive to learn the business and maintain control over what happens has never been better! Embrace where we are and learn to make it work for you! 
 
8. What made you pick this line of work?  

The music industry when I entered originally was wide-open to women, and really it still is. The time has never been more apropos and the music industry is completely relevant to the way women can multi-task, manage, organize, and visualize new and organic ideas that create today's music buzz. Can't think of a better industry to be in. In truth, each and every day is open and favorable to anyone- male or female- who is ready to work it! 
I relish the daily solution finding, partnering with others to create, hearing the new music and listening to a musician who is on fire for what they do. 
 
9. Is there anything else you'd like me to add? 

Song River: There are a few artists I would still like to meet: Iggy Pop for one, at least to grab a cup of coffee with him and both of us sit there stirring the clouds in our coffee because neither of us is great conversationalists.  
 

All I know is I am right where I belong! My faith grows stronger and stronger that if you are willing and work hard you will be placed exactly where you are needed. I look forward to each and every day as I get to hear YOUR music and help develop strategies for YOUR bands' success! 
 
Working with like-minded individuals definitely builds a platform in which to grow by leaps and bounds in a positive, organized fashion. I have worked with so many great musicians, editors, photographers, managers, publicists, promoters, and fans. One might say I may be the luckiest girl alive but I don't believe in luck... I believe in a mindset that has developed me into the person I am today and will continue to learn to be tomorrow. 

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Links:

Her concert photography: https://cowgirlzenphotography.smugmug.com/Music

TAG's website: www.tagpublicity.com 

Facebook Page for Tag: https://www.facebook.com/TAGPublicity/

Facebook Page for Concert Photography: https://www.facebook.com/CowGirlZen.Entertainment