Wind River Records
by Allan Shaw and Vicki Ingle

Wind River is a record label of contemporary singer-songwriters who are actively touring and recording today.   You'll find albums that stretch the gamut from acoustic jazz to Australian blues, traditional sounds to modern Americana, singer-songwriters to song interpreters, and contemporary Celtic based pop to ancient Canadian heritage -- in short, the roots of yesterday and tomorrow. 

The Wind River label was founded 10 years ago to manufacture, promote, market and distribute recordings of artists who typically fly “under the radar,” i.e., music-makers who do not have wide name-recognition but are fine musicians, usually supporting themselves by performing.  In order to assist the artists and encourage them to tour, CDs are provided to them at manufacturing cost so that sales from the stage supplement the frequently inadequate performance revenues.  The intent was that the label’s overhead and marketing expenses would be covered by sales through distribution, usually to record stores, and that, as sales through distribution increased, the label would move from a break-even basis to making a profit.

But, as we all know only too well, the music biz has changed dramatically in the last 10 years.  With the shift to internet sales, the almost total disappearance of record stores, and the decrease in commercial venues that welcome acoustic music and are able/willing to pay musicians, the plight of touring singer-songwriters and independent labels such as Wind River has steadily worsened.  Close to 100% of the sales of (primarily acoustic) artists are now from the stage or through internet outlets such as CD Baby.  Its not that sales from the stage have increased - they haven’t!  They’ve stayed even at best while sales through distribution have become nearly non-existent.

This has negatively affected radio play as well.  Radio DJs used to receive promotional copies from the record labels, and the resultant airplay would send people to the (now non-existent) record stores and to the venues where the artists were playing.  Although the latter still occurs, the burden of promoting to radio DJs has now largely fallen to the artists, and is an expense they can ill afford.  In addition, there are increasingly fewer stations and programs that play acoustic music. Finally, the audience that enjoys acoustic music has gotten older, and is not going to as many concerts, nor purchasing as much recorded music.
 
Is it all doom and gloom?  Well, we don’t think so and we certainly hope not.  However, it certainly won’t be business as before.  The question may be one of time and it’s hard to say who will be able to ride out the storm.  The general appeal of acoustic music to the public seems to rise and fall, but as long as there is a stringed instrument around it will always be here.  We are encouraged by some of the artists our grandkids are listening to - but only some. 

On the positive side, with the decrease in commercial venues, house concerts are on the rise and CD sales seem to be pretty good there.  Artists are increasingly taking total control over CD production and exploring opportunities to take advantage of the internet.  So where does this leave independent record companies?  Seems like no one knows, but for now, Wind River continues to make available to you, the consumer, some of the best music in the world.   

Wind River artists are featured at www.folkera.com/windriver which links to the Rediscover Music website (www.rediscovermusic.com) where you can purchase a great variety of DVDs and CDs.  For those ordering online, through February 29, 2008, you can receive, with your purchase, a free copy of “The Wind River Collection,” a CD that provides a sampling of several Wind River artists.  When starting to order the screen will show a message saying, "If you have a promotional code, enter it here." The promotional code is PLANK and after that is entered and the COLLECTION is ordered - the item number is WRI4000D - it will come up as no cost.  This is a great opportunity to acquaint you with some of this wonderful music.

Wind River Artists:

Jack Williams, David Roth, Tim Grimm, Rod MacDonald, Danny Santos, Michael Smith, Cosy Sheridan, Small Potatoes, Kate MacLeod, Erik Darling, James Gordon, Kim and Reggie Harris, Jeff Lang, Hunter Moore, Lisa Moscatiello, New St. George, Tamarack, Dick Weissman

Allan Shaw is the president of the Rediscover Music Catalogue, Folk Era and Wind River Records.