As a session singer myself, and former talent booking agent for the William Morris Agency, I can attest to the number of sessions that I have personally sung on where I wondered why some of the singers were even invited And yet other sessions, and the vast majority, where its a pleasure to be singing with the folks behind the mic.

I can honestly tell you that through the years of singing sessions, and Ive sung on a quite a few, from Fox TV, UPN Station IDs to OCharleys, that there are key ingredients that make up session singers in general. Session singers in the bigger picture, have a completely different role from the lead singer, yet they are tied integrally to one another. In one sense, the session singers create their own vision and picture, but ultimately they must tie directly to and enhance the lead vocal.

If you have ever had the opportunity to sing on some sessions, you will attest to the fact that regardless of the style being recorded, that back up singers and BGVs can make or break the project about as much as any other element involved. Ever listen to a song and go man is this hot, because the BGVs (background vocals) sounded so good, even though the actual song was fair to begin with. Thats what really good session singers can do for an otherwise fair to mediocre song. This is why getting into session singing in general is not the easiest thing to do as well.

Producers and writers will tell you that they have their singer rolodex and dont experiment much with newer singers. Mainly because they have been burned in the past by what was suppose to be a great singer, that actually cost them more time and money or a project that would otherwise have turned out much tighter with seasoned singers. Getting into the session singing market can take time and energy just getting the opportunity to be invited, while not even looking at the money to be made, just the opportunity.

Heres a few key elements that you will need to incorporate if you are to become a successful session singer. Many ask, What is the deal? Why cant I get any session work? And Ill tell you its just as much about attitude as it is vocal ability. Theres no question about it Your vocal ability must stand out, but so should your attitude. On the front end of this article I mentioned singers who I wondered why were ever invited to the session You know why? They had a poor attitude. Didnt want to sing it this way or that way or knew it all. They dominated the session and pulled down all of the creative elements of the group and consequently were never asked to return.

Ive been asked to sing on quite a few of Chris Hustons projects through the years. Chris Huston has recorded and been involved with Led Zeppelin, The Who, Blood Sweat & Tears, James Brown, Van Morrison, Patti La Belle, and quite honestly this impressive list could keep going. And the reason that Ive been asked, is because he likes me as an individual and I try to be easy to work with. If you will incorporate a What can I do for you mentality instead of How can you help me out, or How can I use you to where I am going, you will be one step ahead of the crowd. And seriously, so many, no matter how kind hearted they seem on the front end, have the What can you do for me attitude Just be genuine in your dealings with people and it will pay off with both loyalty and financial rewards later on.

Weve talked about attitude in terms of entering the session singing market and the other component, which is quite obvious, and that is your demo reel you are sending out. Do you know how many singers I have met with second rate demos expecting to gain session work? - Too many. Do you have individuals with an honest ear listening to your demos, or just those who will tell you how great it sounds, not wanting to hurt your feelings, listen to your demos? Make sure you have honest ears listening to your demos. At the same time, understand that, just like everyone is an expert on resumes and by sending out ten resumes to ten different people you will get ten different suggestions on needed changes, can sometimes hold true here as well. The other component to watch out for, are individuals who dont have your best interest in mind, but theirs. They are sometimes jealous, ignorant, or have alternative motives and so you must watch out for those individuals.

Your session singing demo should consist of a variety of styles contrasting your dynamic range and scope of styles and ability. At the same time, be aware of whats you and not you and steer away from styles that you really cant pull off. Better to have less styles and consistency of quality, than to try and be all things to all people. And quite honestly, I utilize people, even to this day, who produce styles better than I on projects, so that when someone hears the project they say wow! When producers listen to your demos, they better say Now were talking, do they have anything else they can send us? Thats the response you want. Dont settle for anything less!

As you continue on in your singing careers and dreams of session work, jingle singing, or plain artist development, remember that there is room for one more singer in the crowded waiting areas of the session singing world, and you can be the one of the newest session singers with a great attitude and demo that turns the heads of all your listeners. Just keep at it. As the old saying goes, Luck comes to those who try!