I was reading the latest issue (March 2007) of Electronic Musician and the last person I expected to read about – in an electronic magazine – was acoustic singer-songwriter Ari Hest.

In 2005, Ari released his first major-label album on Columbia Records. It was a great album – one that I personally own. From my perspective however, he got lost in the white male singer-songwriter craze at the time.

Nevertheless, he did get some radio play, some great tour runs, and built a pretty loyal fan base.

Not one to rest on his laurels, he completed a new album in 2006. Unfortunately, a bunch of management changes at his label resulted in the album getting “shelved” for the unforeseeable future.

Thankfully, Ari has that fiercely loyal fan base. As he was getting ready to head back out on the road, he realized he needed something new for the fans. So he looked around at what options he had available to him.

He did not have the time or the money to learn some new recording platform. But he noticed his Mac G4 did have a copy of something called GarageBand. He also had an M-Audio Fast Track USB Interface, as well as his own Shure SM-57 microphone.

So, he began recording an EP, which eventually became “The Green Room Sessions”.

The Moral of the Story

Ari epitomizes what it takes to be a successful performing songwriter. Others might have given up. Or wallowed in self-pity waiting “until the label stuff gets sorted out” – as if label approval is really an indication of their value as a songwriter. Others might think “I don’t have a ‘proper’ studio to get my stuff done”.

Ultimately, it’s common for many artists to do nothing.

In the article, Ari says, “I was thinking that I’d better make something positive out of the situation.”

He had no formal recording training, and his experience recording was nothing more than recording some demos for his currently shelved album.

But he made it work.

When the power to get something done is in your power then DO IT. Don’t wait for others to make it happen.

Ari elaborates on the process a bit more in the Electronic Musician article, which I have scanned in it’s entirety. Click the image on the right to read the full article.

I’ll keep the scanned article up until Electronic Musician Magazine threatens me with legal action In all seriousness, it’s a great magazine.

Do It Now

I found this anonymous poem that seems to illustrate Ari’s outlook well:

Do It Now!

If you’ve got a job to do,
     Do it now!
If it’s one you wish were through,
     Do it now!
If you’re sure the job’s your own,
Do not hem and haw and groan -
     Do it now!
Don’t put off a bit of work,
     Do it now!
It doesn’t pay to shirk,
     Do it now!
If you want to fill a place
And be useful to the race,
Just get up and take a brace -
     Do it now!
Don’t linger by the way,
     Do it now!
You’ll lose if you delay,
     Do it now!
If other fellows wait,
Or postpone until it’s late,
You hit up a faster gate -
     Do it now!

Author – Unknown

Ari Hest on YouTube

Buy Ari Hest Music

Even if you don’t plan on buying an Ari Hest album, I strongly recommend you check out the song “A Fond Farewell” and the lyrics. One of my hands-down favorite songs – ever.

Ari Hest – The Green Room Sessions – EP

Ari Hest – Someone to Tell