Goodnight Kiss and Janet Fisher Testimonial Page

Dear Janet,

I just wanted to let you know that I found your words in the latest
newsletter very inspiring. I was particularly moved by your reminder that
what we may consider to be little steps could be someone else's big dream.
This is something I constantly overlook, to my own detriment and
discouragement.

My son (a wonderful wise child!) makes fun of me because I'm always saying "I
didn't get anything done today," when in fact I've accomplished quite a bit.
I beat myself up constantly as a "failure" because I have not yet reached the
level of success of which I believe I'm capable. I will use your insight to
remind myself of all the blessings I do have, and all that I have accomplished.

When I think of it -- geez! -- I've put myself on tour across the states and
Europe; recorded and sold 9,000 albums; gotten played on hundreds of radio
stations, some even big ones, on heavy rotation; played at many of the
best clubs in this country; brought 10,000 people to their feet in tears in
concert; and played with some of the world's very top musicians --- what
am I complaining about??? One man's ceiling is another man's floor, indeed!

Thanks for knockin' me upside the head! Greatest success and joy to
you in this time of new beginnings.
Yours in songmaking,
Sara Messenger

Dear Janet,

Thank you so much for all your hard work on the "Tribute To Irwin Drake" for the Songwriters Guild of America.

The talent was wonderful, and the show went more smoothly than any I've seen for years. The audience loved the trio, too!

Thanks for stepping up to the plate on this one, you really hit a home run.

Songwriters Guild of America, Los Angeles

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To Janet Fisher:

I can't tell you how many great comments I heard about your mentor session at Songs Alive Expo at UCLA (mine were with them). I never heard anyone so right on realistic and funny. I never had anyone ask me the questions you asked me.

I couldn't think of an answer to the $5,000,000 question, because it had never occured to me to ask or answer that one. I have an answer now, so if I see you again, I'll tell you what it is!

It went by too fast. The Q&A was the best I ever heard, because you see the big picture, but approached all of us as individuals. That's a new one, too, for me!

Anyway, thank you for your knowledge and being so entertaining about it yourself! Please be there next year!

KB
Los Angeles

Dear Janet,

My names Marrs Coiro from Melbourne Australia and I'm a confident songwriter/producer/business man that has huge aspirations for my career.

I stumbled upon your article "Don’t dream it! Do it!" by absolute accident in a weird set of circumstances, and amazingly you bring up some issues that im in fact dealing with right at this moment.

Me and my cousin have been producing a various styles of music for some time now, and things are starting to piece together. We have contacts in the advertising industry and music industry, which are both avenues we can chance down if we want to.

In the past week my aspirations have changed immensely, and ideas...or should I say callings or dreams, have came to mind and I know i've found my chosen path in life.

Being from Melbourne, we have a thriving music sceen, one of the biggest in Australia. But it seems every time a Melbourne Act become big, they depart for overseas to make more money, leaving Melbournits with just the memories of their early days( i.e. AC/DC and Jet).

I want to create an institution where musicians and producers alike can liaise under one roof and collaborate and exchange ideas, then have the possibility through me and my team, to be recorded professionally, advertised and distributed.

Where my problem lies, is I just don't know enough about how the industry works, and how to go about things in a smart way. I know one thing, it’s all about experience and that’s the best way to learn. Get you foot in the door somewhere and start learning from the bottom up. But that proves a difficult task hear in Melbourne. With few recording studios and only 4 major distributors in the whole of Australia, its hard to get anyone to throw you a life line!!

Im a strong believer of just letting things happen. I believe if you put all your positive energies into the universe, it will kindly return you a favor in a golden opportunity. I can proudly say I have taken all my opportunities up to this point. But now all I need is the knowledge....

Any suggestions?

Words of wisdom?

I like to ask people in the industry how they got to where they are today, and i'm happy to hear the response, 99% of the time is! "IT JUST HAPPENED". "I put in all I could and some how I ended up here"!!!! But I feel this is not the case with me at the moment. I WANT to create my own institution, I WANT to create something special for everyone involved to enjoy, I WANT to realize all my ideas and my dreams...BUT...I find myself at the beginning of my journey with my sense of direction a bit blurred.

I'm not expecting the answers to all of my problems in a reply to this email, I guess I really don't know what Im expecting in the reply to this email.. If anything me stumbling across your article, has given me the opportunity to script these words in this email, and make me relies a few things myself in my own head. So I thank you, just for being there.

When I hit send at the end of this email (after the spell checker of course) I guess I will be just content that I have chased down this avenue and having the opportunity to say thanks for the article. It raised some profound feelings in my soul and some greater questions in my mind and for that I have only 3 words...

Thank you kindly!

Regards,

Marrs Coiro

Janet, Thanks for writing such a poignant article about following the "dream" but
doing your homework to get there. As a songwriter I'm constantly amazed
at how many other songwriters I talk to that do not listen to radio. To each his own,
and that's great, if you want to write songs for yourself that sound new and different.
But as someone who is trying to produce a "product" to sell to the masses, you have
to know what the masses want.

I currently live in Tampa and perform around here locally and everytime I
talk to someone here who's also trying make it as a songwriter/performer I'm
amazed at some of the statements I hear from them and deep down inside feel
bad for them because no matter how bad they want it or even how talented they
are, they don't really understand the industry and what it is they're trying
to do. I'm assuming from your screen name your in LA. At what point in your "dream"
did you realize you were on the right track but needed to be around more
likeminded people? As you can probably tell I'm real close to making that jump myself, but
really want to make sure I have a good foundation before I move somewhere and
end up learning the hard way anyways. >>
JB

Hello, JB,
I appreciate the kind words. I have had much feedback from that article. Of
course, you can fall off a hay truck and get a record deal, also...but the
percentages are just kind of low.... When I had performed in all the clubs and
venues and circuits I could find around my area, (and wanted to be part of the
real Industry), I moved to L.A. I worked odd jobs and anything I could find that
had something to do with the Music Business. I laughed when I read you say
<<really want to make sure I have a good foundation before I move somewhere
and end up learning the hard way anyways. >> because that is exactly what it's like.

Even now, as a someone who "works" (most of the time, anyway) on a daily basis,
it is always learning, and usually the hard way. Sounds like you have
a realisitic start, in that you are already out there playing, building a fan
base, polishing material and chops. Best wishes and luck to you.
Janet Fisher
www.goodnightkiss.com

Dear Janet,
I recently sent you a Christmas song, and I'm not here to bother you about it, I am sure I'll hear if you're interested...But having looked at your website, your attitude and advice to writers, I have to congratulate you enthusiastically in spite of how brownnasal it may appear.

It seems to me you have it exactly right: open to new material although not necessarily all types all of the time; enthusiastically encouraging and demanding artistry, though stating baldly the market and competitive realities.

Your advice to
songwriters on how to proceed is impeccable. My detector registers an absolute zero bullshit factor, and that is all too rare, especially in this business. The way you approach things seems to me to be objectively true.

Keep it up!
G.P.

Janet~
As per your March 22 newsletter article, "Who the heck are you?", Thank you for your plea for integrity as the music industry grooves
onward in this internet age...

Let us endure with passion and patience.
Yours truly, Amanda
Music Previews: www.mp3.com/amandaemery

Just wanted to say that I read an article on your site dated September 2000 that throroughly explained "black-box and foreign tax losses," which
helped me understand my recent ASCAP foreign distribution statement. I am a concert music composer but the info was still very helpful; I found it
through an internet search.

Thank you,
Philip Rothman
New York, NY

Napster is bad .. Janet Good.

You have it right and it is a shame that the sham went so far.. many companies like mine suffer under the law working to make music work the right way and get very frustrated that we cannot get funding like the 51 million given to these Napster thieves. Why do we get a license when we can just offer EVERYTHING for free??? While I have never seen more than 10k users on Napster I think if I gave away any music you wanted for free I could get 50 million to line up too.

I deal strictly with new music because of the labels, but I do not steal their music to get their fans, even the appearance of thievery to me is distasteful.

Anyway, here is something about my honest company and keep up the faith even when all those verbal idiots send their venom. Napster must die or it sends a message to me that it makes GOOD money and GOOD business and you will get ahead stealing.

Rick

Q. Your last newsletter was really great, particularly your answer to
Rick. That would-be phone call conversation is terrific ! Thanks.
Costy L.
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Q. Thank you Janet, I look forward to the newsletter, announcements and updates.
John C.

Q. Hello Janet, thank you for responding to my message that I had sent to you
on your newsletter. You are right, the four songs that I have under contract
(Three in BC Canada and one in Georgia) have all been done in a pro demo
studio. Yes, I do want it bad enough, I send something out every week and
have done so for three years. Just when I feel like giving up I read
something you have written and I am encouraged all over again. This probably
sounds corny but I need your words of wisdom. Thank you for them. I have
written so many songs, some I am proud of, some not, but I know that I have
ONE that could make it. It is not pro demoed yet but because of you I'M GOING
FOR IT. A struggling songwriter J. R.

A. Hey, J.R.,
Thanks for your considerate words. Almost everything I do is just sort of
"passing it on" the way it has been passed along to me. Some people have
been thoughtless and insensitive, but part of the real business is that way
too, so fine. But most are happy to share with someone who appreciates the
art of something ... at least most of the great ones I have known. They sort
of "steered me to the right path" in the journey I was on, and now I pass it
back to you. I know you'll do the same.

Hello Janet:
Thanks again for your straight forward newsletter. I for one
appreciate your honesty. As far as I am concerned your opinions
are right on, no fluff, and thank you for them.
Janice Romano

Hi -- Just a note to say I really look forward to your News.
It's always interesting.
Thanks,
Michele Wilcox

Q. Janet, I just wanted to thank you for suggesting that I place an ad in your
newsletter, for a composer. After doing so, I met one of the most tal-
ented composer's I have ever come across on the net, and now have what
I think is my best song to date! Thanks again!
Diane Richardson

Q. Dear Janet: I just wanted to thank you for the mention in the last newsletter with
regard to my part in "The Corner." It was very sweet of you, and I
appreciate it. I didn't expect it at all! Thanks again, and keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Pete

A. Anytime, Pete, congrats again on the fine work,
remember our catalogue when you are calling the shots...
Janet

Dear Janet, I just wanted to thank you for your newsletter. It's nice that you
keep songwriters posted about opportunities such as the "October Sky" film.
Kindly yours,
Frank
www.mp3.com/swurveland

Hi friends, Janet,
Thanks for the excellent, impassioned opinion on Napster &
similar piracy. My favorite one-liner on it all:
"Sharing is such a warm, cuddly, friendly word ...
this is not sharing, it's duplicating." - Lars Ulrich, "Metallica"
Jamie

"Beyond Mainstream and I chose the Goodnight Kiss Song Contest as one of the
Top 12 Songwriting Contests offered... Thank you for all your efforts. Ronni " See the entire list.