Big Discovery!!!

This is so cool I just have to share it. I just tonight, discovered a songwriter named Andrew Osenga. I found him through another songwriter named Randall Goodgame. Randall is originally from Clearwater, FL (across the bay from where I live) but now resides in Nashville. I found Andrew in the links section of Randall's web site.

I really like what I have heard of Andrew so far... which is much, only 6 songs so far. Aside from the fact that Andrew is a great writer and has an awesome guitar collection, one that includes a McPherson... here's the really cool part. On the home page to his web site (which is really more of an extended blog really) is a link to download a 6 song EP entitled Letters to the Editor, Vol. 1. The really, really cool part... it's FREE!!! He's giving it away. I don't know if it's only for a limited amount of time or what the deal is. I guess I should actually read the information on his web site... anyway... the 6 songs are really good.

These tunes are not your standard radio friendly, bubble gum, crap. There's some depth here. One more cool thing about the download... along with the six songs there is a .pdf file. It contains what would be essentially the "album" artwork. Photos, lyrics, etc. Plus there is a whole bunch more. On page 3 Andrew explains that he gave himself 3 rules for recording this EP.

1. Only one guitar, an acoustic, per song. However, there is no limit to how many track I can use of that guitar.
2. The only other instrument will be my voice, and again, I can use as many tracks as I want.
3. No picks

There are 6 songs and he used 5 guitars. There are pictures of each guitar plus a story about each guitar towards the end of the .pdf file. Also there are the stories of inspiration regarding each song. Get this... each of these songs were inspired by fans that wrote in to him via comments on his blog or emailed him directly. He lists some names and what they contributed to the creative process. He also talks about what he used to record the EP, which, incidentally, was recorded in his basement. He calls his basement studio The Velvet Eagle. Unfortunately he gives no explanation for the name but he talks about every other aspect of this project.

Andrew Osenga is not the first musician to give his stuff away I realize but this feels... somehow, more genuine. Not like it's just some marketing ploy or a way to get back at the big bad record labels. I don't know... it feels real and I think that is one of the best things about this whole free download thing. Plus it's awesome music... and he has a McPherson (the bastard!).

Here's some linkage for you to check out Randall Goodgame and Andrew Osenga.