St. Patrick’s Day is almost here. Whew! I’ve been working long hours updating websites, recording podcasts, playing gigs, writing articles, and compiling free downloads. It’s a busy month! But my birthday, March 17th, aka St. Patrick’s Day, marks the end of my non-stop promoting. But not just yet, because I still have a bunch more to do…

This weekend, I’m off to MidSouthCon in Memphis where I will be Musical Guest of Honor. This is the second time I will be a Guest of Honor at a Science Fiction Convention. It’s so very flattering to know that people want to hear my unique style of crazy Celtic music. So thank you all for supporting me and all my Celtic geekiness.

On St. Patrick’s Day, I will be in the heart of the Irish community in New Orleans playing. There’s a big street party outside Parasol’s, a small pub in the Irish Channel. I go on sometime around 3pm. It’s all pretty flexible. When I’m not playing, I’ll be celebrating my birthday with a few pints of Guinness. I hope you will seek me among the hordes of people. And I’d love it if you would sing-along. Sing loud and proud.

Then on Friday, March 19th, I’m back up in Robert, Louisiana for the Haeuser House Concert. I’ll be playing music with Jamie Haeuser and sharing the stage with Claire Roche. It’s magical week of music. I’ll see you there.

Slainte!
Marc Gunn

Song of the Month: “Peggy Gordon” by Marc Gunn
from The Bridge

This Week:

Quote of the Week: “May your blessings outnumber The shamrocks that grow, And may trouble avoid you Wherever you go.” Irish Blessing

CD of the Week:Lonestar Stout by Jed Marum. A collection of Irish favorites with a Texas/Louisiana twist. It’s Celtic American folk roots that feels good to hear.

TWO NEW Pub Songs Podcasts are posted. One, an interview from the Sherwood Forest Faire. The second is a new thing I might continue, a St Patrick’s Day iPod sShuffle.

NEW Cat Lovers Podcast for St Patrick’s Day. Did you know that St. Patrick shares his holy day with the Patron Saint of Cats. I guess Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers was indeed destiny!

New Video: St Patrick Never Drank. It’s sorta shamrocky and not that cool a video, but it uses my newest song that I’d love for you to order from iTunes to help promote my music for St. Patrick’s Day.

Earlier this week, I released my annual article “17 Free Celtic MP3s for St. Patrick’s Day“. You can find it on the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine website. It’s all free, which kicks butt. Who doesn’t love free music?! Go download it.

Sherwood Forest Faire was a smashing success. A lot of fans came out for this brand-new faire and were as blown away as I was about how awesome it looked. It’s a first-year faire that looks like it’s been there ten years. I sat down and did an interview with one of the creators. You can find it in the Pub Songs Podcast (read above).

Review of “Victims of Irish Music”. This is my best-selling compilation CD. Traditional Irish and Celtic music and totally instrumental. It’s an awesome album!

iMix of the Month: St Patrick’s Day Irish Music iMix. Fifteen independent Celtic songs for St. Patrick’s Day. If you enjoy independent music, then support it. Buy the iMix or at least rate it. There’s a lot of great music in my personal archive. Help me change the way people hear Celtic music!

Celtic Invasion Vacations. Join the mailing list to be the first to find out how you can join the trip to Ireland in August.

I asked fans to name their favorite Irish songs and came up with a great list of Irish drinking songs.

$1 Drinking Songs Never Sounded So Good. I’m running special just for Celtic MP3s Music Magazine subscribers. You can download “Happy Songs of Death” for just $1. Help me spread the word. I want everyone to hear the album.

A Few of my Random Links: St Patrick’s Day Party Music, Irish Song Lyrics, Celtic Music CD Store, Fans of Irish & Celtic Music, Irish Music Reviews

New at the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine: $1 Irish Drinking Songs Never Sounded So Good, List of Irish Drinking Songs, A Brief History of St Patrick’s Day, CD reviews of Hugh Morrison, Jenna Greene, Green Tea

Marc Gunn in the News:

The Bridge was reviewed by Where Ya’t.

Syndicast played “Wild Kitty”.

I played “Twa Corbies” and “St Patrick Never Drank” in my two latest Pub Songs Podcasts. And “Black Velvet Band” was featured in my 17 Free St Patrick’s Day MP3s article.

Upcoming Gigs:

Mar 12-14, 2010, MidSouthCon, Memphis, TN
Mar 19, 2010, House Concert with Claire Roche, Robert, LA
Mar 26-28, 2010, I-Con 29, Stonybrook, NY
Apr 16-18, 2010, StarFest, Denver, CO
April 23, 2010, Nebraska Outback Concerts @ 7:30p, Sutherland, NE
May 17-24, 2010, Celtic Invasion of Scotland, Oban, Scotland
Jun 4-6, 2010, Texas Scottish Festival, Arlington, TX
Jul 2-4, 2010, InConJunction, Indianpolis, IN

See details at Marc Gunn Shows. As always, don’t forget to make a demand to see me perform and email booking@marcgunn.com if you’d like to host a house concert next year.

– Check me out on Celtic Folk Club, Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, SoundClick, YouTube, Flickr Photos, Livejournal, and DeviantArt. And if you’d like a CD…

– Do you have a quote, movie, album, tip or suggestion that you’d like to share in my Weeklies? If so, post a comment with your suggestion here.

I got an email today from another band who was uncertain about giving away free music downloads in my Celtic MP3s Music Magazine and in my Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. I decided to explain why giving away free music downloads is a great music marketing technique in this article.

by Marc Gunn

Musicians inexperienced in business economics often don’t understand the idea of giving away free music downloads in order to earn sales. Well, I can’t tell you what to do. Sure, I could show you some “evidence”, but my market research is poorly-defined. So really, I can only testify what I’ve done and point you to other bands who swear by it too.

I started out giving away free music on MP3.com. Back then, MP3.com was paying artists every time someone downloads their music. When the site closed down, I had a tough dilemma. Should we keep giving away music or should we stop? I decided to test it.

I took a risk. I realized the reason that we were one of the Top 30 bands on MP3.com was, in part, because of our strategy of how we gave away free music downloads. Thanks to that site, we now have well over a two hundred thousand fans around the world. It is all thanks to free downloads.

WHY does it work? Because my whole music marketing philosophy is not about selling music, it’s about making fans.

You see, my goal is not to sell one CD. My goal is to make a FAN who will buy CD after CD through my entire music career, maybe even provide me with a retirement. My old band, the Brobdingnagian Bards, has tens of thousands of fans who’ve NEVER bought a CD. BUT they HAVE told tens of thousands of others about our music. Many of those people bought CDs.

I remember playing a house concert in Kentucky with the Bards. ONE person bought our entire CD catalogue from that one show. Why? Because they didn’t like buying CDs online. So they downloaded our music. They the listened to it, loved it, shared, and then one day bought our entire 10 CD catalog.

You see, I STILL have a new fan even if they don’t buy my music. True fans tell friends. And friends tell friends. Somewhere magically along the way, people buy my CDs. That’s why I make a living as an independent musician.

Honestly, I won’t claim this is for everyone. If you’re fiddler isn’t comfortable giving away music. Don’t do it. There are other ways to promote yourself. So do what makes you more comfortable.

As for me, I publish a The Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine, and I get musicians telling me all the time how much it’s helped them. But there are just as many others who’ve done as well without.

I guess, I just see my method easier. It doesn’t require me trying to sell someone on something I think is great. They only have to listen again and again. I just provide them the music. They listen and listen and listen. And they are convinced.

Think of it like radio. People freely listen to music over and over ad nauseum. Then they buy the CD. That’s what free music downloads does.

It’s a little counter intuitive but the results are just tremendous. If you’re a musician, give it a try. And if you’re a Celtic musician, make sure you submit your music to the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine.

Marc Gunn is an acoustic Celtic folk musician, called “The Godfather of Celtic music online” for his steadfast support of indie Celtic music, free Celtic music downloads, and his award-winning Irish and Celtic Music Podcast, one of the most-popular music podcasts on iTunes. He has helped 1000s of musicians save and make money with their musical groups through The Bards Crier Music Marketing Ezine. Now you can get FREE “how-to” music marketing and promotion advice by visiting www.bardscrier.com.

What a weekend! Sherwood Forest Faire was amazing! I didn’t expect it would be THAT cool. But this brand-new faire is raising a LOT of eyebrows around Texas.

Unlike most start-up faires, Sherwood Forest Faire LOOKS like a faire that’s been there for years. A dozen stages. A hundred vendors. A beautiful tree setting. It takes you right into the heart of Robin Hood stories while remaining true to the spirit of the Renaissance. It’s bound to be the next Best New Renaissance Festival in the Ren Fest Awards!

I had a Great time seeing old friends, making new ones, and playing music throughout the day. I had four shows a day, and despite a couple minor hiccups, they went extremely well. I was even able to treat listeners to a few new songs from my upcoming Kilted For Her Pleasure CD.

I can’t wait to head back for my final weekend at the faire. I hope to see many more familiar faces this weekend as well.
Slainte!
Marc Gunn

Song of the Month: “Peggy Gordon” by Marc Gunn
from The Bridge

This Week:

Quote of the Week: “If you tell a funny joke early in the morning and only I hear it, is it still funny?” Marc Gunn.

CD of the Week: Ships Are Sailing by The Langer’s Ball. Celtophilia.com calls it “…a CD that will be a standout in everyone’s collection for years to come.” *PaddyRock.com gave it #11 in top 20 Celtic rock & Punk CD’s of 2009 *Shite ‘n’ Onions gave a special mention for Best CD’s of 2009

Pub Songs Podcast. Reboot with More Music and Horror.

New Video:

iMix of the Month: Please rate the St Patrick’s Day Irish Music iMix. This mix combines a bunch of independent Irish and Celtic music that I hand-picked from my catalog for you for St. Patrick’s Day. It’s just a small mix of great music. Buy it. Rate it. Enjoy it. We’re changing the way you hear Celtic music!

Celtic Invasion Vacations. Join the mailing list to be the first to find out how you can join the trip to Ireland in August.

Cat Music Blog and Cat Lovers Podcast. I updated the website and got excited. So much so I might have a new Cat Lovers Podcast coming out to a podcatcher near you very soon!

A Few of my Random Links: St Patrick’s Day Party Music, Irish Song Lyrics, Celtic Music CD Store, Fans of Irish & Celtic Music, Irish Music Reviews, Austin Celtic Calendar.

New at the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine: Settlement of Ireland, Irish Megalithic Tombs. Reviews of Jillian LaDage, Grey Aengus. Plus free MP3s from Stanley and Grimm, Killrush, The AM String Band, Thomas Patrick Kenny.

Marc Gunn in the News:

Soul of a Harper and When Kitty Eyes Are Smilingreviewed by IrishMusicReviews.com

“Wild Kitty” was played on Radio DeDanaan.

Upcoming Gigs:

Mar 6-7, 2010, Sherwood Forest Faire, McDade, TX
Mar 12-14, 2010, MidSouthCon, Memphis, TN
Mar 19, 2010, House Concert with Claire Roche, Robert, LA
Mar 26-28, 2010, I-Con 29, Stonybrook, NY
Apr 16-18, 2010, StarFest, Denver, CO
April 23, 2010, Nebraska Outback Concerts @ 7:30p, Sutherland, NE
May 17-24, 2010, Celtic Invasion of Scotland, Oban, Scotland
Jun 4-6, 2010, Texas Scottish Festival, Arlington, TX
Jul 2-4, 2010, InConJunction, Indianpolis, IN

See details at Marc Gunn Shows. As always, don’t forget to make a demand to see me perform and email booking@marcgunn.com if you’d like to host a house concert next year.

– Check me out on Celtic Folk Club, Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, SoundClick, YouTube, Flickr Photos, Livejournal, and DeviantArt. And if you’d like a CD…

– Do you have a quote, movie, album, tip or suggestion that you’d like to share in my Weeklies? If so, post a comment with your suggestion here.

Continuing where I left off with the last Weeklies, I spent the past week working on websites. Look at this. I now have FIVE new sites and all are looking quite spiffy: Celtic MP3s Music Magazine, MarcGunn.com, Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, Renaissance Festival Podcast, and Celtic Invasion Vacations.

I’m excited to have them working, but I also know with any transition, there are bumps along the way. So if you notice any bad links or things that aren’t working properly, please email me.

I also have nearly completed my next CD “Kilted For Her Pleasure”. I recorded the last two tracks for the album a couple days ago. I spent yesterday mixing the music. Today, I’ll do a little mastering.

But I can’t focus on that right now. I have to get ready for Sherwood Forest Faire.

Sherwood is the new Renaissance festival located 40 minutes outside of Austin, Texas. I hear great things are happening there. They have a permanent site and a bunch of permanent buildings in their very first year. I’m can’t wait! I have four shows daily, and I am there for the next two weekends. So I hope to see you there soon!

STOP! Listen to my new recording of “Gypsy Rover”. It’s a beauty to hear.

Song of the Month:
“Gypsy Rover” by Marc Gunn
from The Bridge

This Week:

Quote of the Week: “Money is for people. So give it away.” Harry Chapin.

CD of the Week: “Metamorphosis” by Stonecircle. Vibrant, energetic, and moving traditional Celtic music fused with original, classical, and jazz elements. Fans of “Battlestar Galactica” will enjoy a version of “Gaeta’s Lament” as well as compelling arrangements of traditional favorites.

NEW Website: Irish & Celtic Music in New Orleans. A new website I put together to celebrate the music and culture of the Celts in NOLA.

Return of the Pub Songs Podcast. After contemplating whether I would keep this podcast running or not. It is now officially not going anywhere. Season 5 (or show #49) is now begun. Listen to the latest episode today.

New Video: I-Con 29 Early Promotional Video. Just over a month away and I’ll be the Guest of Honor. Here’s a new video promoting the event. Look for me in Stonybrook, NY in March!

The 5th Annual Renaissance Festival Awards are now online. Find out what was most-popular in 2009. No. Sorry. I help run the show, so I wasn’t eligible. But there are a lot of great winners listed.

Promotion of the Month: American Celtic Music iMix on iTunes. It features a bunch of Celtic American groups like yours truly. Your review will help me to climb the charts on iTunes. So please help out.

Sherwood Forest Faire begins this coming weekend. I’ll be there to see it launch. I’m excited to be back in Texas not too far from where my first faire begain. So come join me!

Celtic Invasion Vacations. Join the mailing list to be the first to find out how you can join the trip to Ireland in August.

Join the Celtic Folk Club.

A Few of my Random Links: St Patrick’s Day Party Music, Irish Song Lyrics, Tribute to Excalibur Fantasy Faire, Fans of Irish & Celtic Music, Celtic Music CD Store.

New at the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine: New Kilt Wearers’ Tips, Druids, Catherine L. Tully’s Top Ten Celtic CDs of 2009. Plus free MP3s from Rathkeltair, Siochain, The Nettles, Anne Roos, Battlelegs, and Na’Bodach.

Marc Gunn in the News:

Review of Whiskers in the Jar by the Celtic Mp3s Music Magazine.

I was mentioned as a guest of I-Con in the Yu-Gi-Oh forums.

Texas Travel News mentioned me as a familiar face to show up at Sherwood Forest Faire.

The site Ando Lateando is a spanish website that cross-posted my “Lord of the Pounce” lyrics (in English).

Baron Dave Romm posted a review of “Confessions of a Celtic Music Junkie” on his Bartcop Entertainment website.

Bilgemunkey played my piratey parody “What Shall We Do With a Catnipped Kitty” in show #117.

Upcoming Gigs:

Feb 27-28, 2010, Sherwood Forest Faire, McDade, TX
Mar 6-7, 2010, Sherwood Forest Faire, McDade, TX
Mar 12-14, 2010, MidSouthCon, Memphis, TN
Mar 19, 2010, House Concert with Claire Roche, Robert, LA
Mar 26-28, 2010, I-Con 29, Stonybrook, NY
Apr 16-18, 2010, StarFest, Denver, CO
April 23, 2010, Nebraska Outback Concerts @ 7:30p, Sutherland, NE
May 17-24, 2010, Celtic Invasion of Scotland, Oban, Scotland
Jun 4-6, 2010, Texas Scottish Festival, Arlington, TX
Jul 2-4, 2010, InConJunction, Indianpolis, IN

See details at Marc Gunn Shows. As always, don’t forget to make a demand to see me perform and email booking@marcgunn.com if you’d like to host a house concert next year.

– Check me out on Celtic Folk Club, Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, SoundClick, YouTube, Flickr Photos, Livejournal, and DeviantArt. And if you’d like a CD…

– Do you have a quote, movie, album, tip or suggestion that you’d like to share in my Weeklies? If so, post a comment with your suggestion here.