Jim Levatte is a Canadian producer, and engineer. He plays all the instruments and handles all the vocals on his original songs. They are recorded at his studio in Westport, Ontario, Canada.
Jim Levatte Interview
– What’s new in the world of Jim Levatte? This Ain’t My Day, the first single release from my upcoming album has created a huge buzz in the music community. I have been very busy with promoting, and getting the song heard.
– How was it recording the single This Ain’t My Day? Is albums as popular today as singles are? Whats your opinion? This Ain’t my Day was recorded in my studio, in Westport, Ontario ,Canada. The fact I have no time constraints, or schedules, allows me the opportunity to work on each part of the song , until I am 100% happy with it. This song was recorded rather quickly. It came together very easily. I still love the full album format, but I think an artist can be successful today by just releasing singles. Fans can purchase the songs they want, at a cost they can afford.
– Do you consider album artwork as important now that music is mostly downloaded?
For a new artist, artwork containing a picture is a must. Fans want to see who they are listening to.
– Could you describe some of your earliest influences in life and in music? My uncle always played guitar , and at an early age, I knew that was something I wanted to learn how to do. Songwriters always fascinated me. Lennon and McCartney, Page and Plant . I always tried to duplicate there sounds and styles. I had to get a 6/12 string double neck, like Jimmy Page, as soon as I could afford one.
– Do you use mostly Facebook now as a primary website source for the band? No, I always thought a .com website was something you needed to set you apart from the literally thousands of other bands, singers and songwriters, that you are competing with.
– Do you have any tours coming up in the near future? Yes, I have been doing a few live shows, in my area. I have been playing with the same guys for a long time now, and they already know most of the new songs. We have a few more details to sort out, and I will be posting something on my website.com
– How important is merchandising? Could artists survive without? Merchandising is crucial today. With song and album sales at an all time lo , touring and merchandising are huge revenue boosters.
– Is the band fans of Spotify and similar streaming services? What are your thoughts on this? Yes, streaming sites allow people like me to get into markets that not to long ago, we never dreamed of. It is very simple to get your songs onto their sites, and with a little self promotion, you have a world wide audience.
– Where do you see music in general going in 20 years from now? Independent artists will continue to grow. There will be less need for the big record companies. Bands will need to find new and innovating ways to make money.