Industry pros in town today to view talent

MUSCLE SHOALS - A number of music business professionals will get a closer look today at several local artists affiliated with FAME Records.

At the same time, the artists will get to network with the type of people they will need in their corner once their careers take off.

Rodney Hall, president of FAME Music Publishing, said several artist managers, booking agents, entertainment industry attorneys and music television professionals are traveling from Nashville to hear FAME artists such as James LeBlanc and Gary Nichols. Also appearing will be Angela Hacker,

Zac Hacker, Jason Isbell, Ugli Stick and Carla Russell of Kozmic Mama

Hall said the artists are either signed to the newly revived FAME Records label or have publishing contracts with either him or his father, FAME founder, Rick Hall.

"We're basically trying to hook our guys up with management and booking," Rodney Hall said.

Solo artists and bands commonly do everything themselves when they're working their way up the entertainment ladder. They create the music, book their own shows, send their own press releases, handle their finances and merchandise and everything else involved in their career.

But once they start getting more popular and time is at a premium, Hall said it's important that the artist have dependable people to work with them.

"You can't do it without a team behind you," Hall said.

Hall said the people coming to hear the artists are already familiar with the music, but want to see them perform live.

"All of them are highly interested," Hall said. "We know we have a distinctive thing here that most places in America don't have."

Hall said the FAME artists are a close-knit group that play off one another, giving them the feeling of the Capricorn artists of the 1970s.

"They all know that if one busts it wide open, it's going to help them too."