MINUTES
Colorado Music Business Organization – Board of Directors Meeting
Sunday, July 9, 2023 – 7:00 p.m.
A. Called to Order at 7:10 p.m.
B. Present: Barb Dye, David Barber, Todd Caron, Johnnie Johnson, Tony Molina Absent: Annette Cannon, Tracey Chirhart, Tamera Duran, Jamie Krutz
Guests: Nick Summers (absent); Bryan Belisle, Alex Porter (absent)
Maurice Avatar has decided to withdraw from the board. However, he said he would still be willing to help out with special events if he is able to (status similar to that of Mark King).
C. Approval of the Minutes of June 4, 2023: Motion: ____________; 2nd______________ Tabled (not enough board members attended to vote)
D. Treasurer’s Report:
Income received:
Memberships (PP): $ 175.00 (June 2023 – Paypal) (See Membership Report) Songwriting Contest: $ 90.00 (June 2023 entries)
Interest on Savings: $ .03 (June 2023)
Total: $ 265.03
Expenses paid (Ck = check; PP = Paypal; BW = bank withdrawal, checking acct.): Bank Fees for June (BW): $ 2.00 (checking fees)
Paypal fees (PP): $ 8.57 (See David’s accounting below)
Paypal Fees (PP): $ 5.31 (Songwriting contest; see below)
Google Workspace (PP): $ 18.87 (June 1, 2023)
Zoom acct. (PP): $ 17.40 (June 20, 2023)
GoDaddy (PP): $ 21.17 (June 15, 2023 – Domain renewal – .com) GoDaddy (PP): $ 21.17 (June 15, 2023 – Domain renewal – .org) Mailchimp (PP): $ 35.10 (June 30, 2023)
Total: $ 124.28
Paypal Fees: (0x$1.19= $0) + (4x$1.54=$6.16) + (1x$2.41=$2.41) + (0x$3.81=$0) = $8.57 || Pay pal fees for Songwriting Contest: $5.31 | Total PP Fees: $13.88
Checking Balance: $1,523.73 (as of 6/30/23)
Savings Balance: $ 754.03 (as of 6/30/23)
PayPal Balance: $ 545.86 (as of 7/04/23)
Grand Total: $ 2,823.62
To be paid: 501(c)(3) – $875; T-shirts: est. cost $700; internet fees – continuing.
1
E. Membership Reports:
Renewed Members in June:
Supporter(s): None
Individuals: JD Droddy (6/06), Bill Emery (6/08), Steve Son (6/22)
Band(s): None
Business(es): None
New Members in June:
Supporter: None
Individuals: Jeff Miguel (6/08)
Band: Bryan Belisle (6/29) (The Acousticators)
Business(es): None
Up for Renewal in July:
Supporter: None
Individuals: Robert Hojaboom, Joel Ashmore, Zachary Weld, Jerry Nelson, Angela Perry
Bands: None
Business(es): None
Membership Surveys Received: 4 (B. Belisle, L. Selle [repeat], JD Droddy, J. Miguel) F. Unfinished Business:
1. Upcoming Programs:
a. Tuesday, July 18th: At Odde’s. Nick will ask Chris Odde to run the Happy Hour a little longer to accommodate work hours. Time: 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
b. August: Taking August off. We will hold a board meeting on Sunday, August 6th so that we can set/confirm September’s meeting and speakers.
c. Monday, September 18th : Suggestions: Suzi Humbert approached us at the VVE and said she would love to speak on “Management & Support Services”. She currently manages James Robinson, a classical guitarist – www.James-Robinson.com She also provides social media program entries. Barb asked Marty Jones if he would give a talk and he agreed. Marty recently helped Tony set up an Open Mic at the north Dry Dock. Marty has been involved in the CO music scene for years. He has had many music projects including a television show. Barb contacted Emily Ferguson from Westword to ask if she would consider speaking and she said “Yes”, too! Barb also reminds the Program Committee that Rick Roberts and Richie Furay from the bands “Firefall” and “Buffalo Springfield” are available to speak as well. David suggested that we ask Brian Coates (Music-Go-Round) and Mark McElwain (Soundtown) to speak on the sales of musical instruments and accessories since the pandemic shutdown – like people bought guitars to learn to play but then did they decide to return them after the shutdown ended? Barb will contact them.
2
Program Committee’s next meeting: Probably not until the end of August. 2. Web & Social Media Reports – David Barber (as of 7/04/23):
a. Current Email Subscribers: COMBO has 2,404 subscribers down from the 2,405 reported at the June meeting. As of the 6/29/23 newsletter, we had 28% opens and 4% click thrus. No meeting reminder email (on the Schmoozer). Barb has 27 sign-ups from the YoR Block Party to enter.
b. Twitter Account Followers: COMBO has 7,412 followers, down 22 followers from the last report of 7,434. We are back to auto-posting to Twitter.
c. LinkedIn: 172 followers – same as last month.
d. Google Analytics: In June 2023 there were 5,345 sessions, up 25% from June 2022 when we had 4,208 sessions. Spike on June 10th: Doug Garvey wrote to say that we were featured in NewsBreak again. This time they posted about our Songwriting Contest!
The most read post this month was about a Trump-appointed Federal Judge who rejected Tennessee’s anti-drag law as being “too vague”. It had 2,200 views.
e. Facebook Analytics: Followers: 1,966. Reach: 649. Post Engagement: 50. New Likes: 1. New page followers: 5.
Reminder – Our Facebook address is:
http://www.Facebook.com/ColoradoMusicBusinessOrganization
f. New Social Media – Threads: Hosted by Meta (Facebook), this is a competitor to Twitter. David has “joined” but says there are some kinks to be worked out.
3. Ombudsman Program – Annette Cannon: She talked to Johnnie about the cancellation of his show on June 9th. Turned out to be a HUGE misunderstanding so Annette will not follow up on the complaint.
4. Promotion/Advertising: Tamera’s idea: New music venues are opening and we might want to have a booth at them to connect with COMBO. Someone will have to volunteer for this. Good opportunity to pass out business cards and/or guitar picks.
5. Open Mic Night with Tony: The Dry Dock manager set the next date as July 30th. The DDBN is at 2801 Tower Road, Aurora, CO 80011, 303-400-5606, one block south of I-70 on Tower Road, west side. Tony asked for signs and/or a banner to hang. COMBO has a long, vertical banner that Tony can use if there is a place to hang it. Barb brought the “table” banner and a couple of clamps to hold it to the June 25th session. Since the DD moved the Open Mic indoors to the back room (due to the potential for high outside temperatures – which happened), Barb was able to hang it on a shelving unit behind the performers. She passed out the four swag bags leftover from the YoR Block
3
Party to the musicians, as well as guitar picks to everyone in the bar. She also grabbed the mic and did a short commercial about COMBO to the attendees! David sent T-Loop a QR code for him to add to a sign.
6. Event Spaces: Nothing new at this time. The former Irish Pub, now called the Crazy Horse Bar, should be opening soon. Barb will check it out to see if it would be a space we might be able to use again. For several years, we held our meetings downstairs in the private room which may have been eliminated in the remodel.
7. Team up with another non-profit to hold a joint event: Tabled.
8. Pursue the exchange of website links: We need to be able to add website links to our website. David added a paragraph to our new members “Welcome” letter about an exchange of links.
9. Pursue offering our liquor licenses out? Barb has not heard a peep from Tim Bovenzi re this issue, nor have any other opportunities come up.
10. Other Fund-Raiser Ideas: Benefit Concert: Need someone who will draw. Hazel Miller, Ryan Chrys, etc., that will bring the crowds and sell out. Gordon Close has a good sized back room in his new space so Barb will check it out.
11. Marty Jones Suggestion for a Fund-Raiser: The general consensus of the board is that this idea would not work for us, at least at this time. Barb will send a note to Marty thanking him for his suggestion but saying that we do not currently have a way that we can sell his CD.
12. Country Jam: Barb booked 6 Western Slope songwriters for the Songwriters Rounds at the Country Jam in Mack (Grand Junction), CO on June 22, 23, & 24: Kevin Danzig (also a winner in COMBO’s 2022 songwriting contest), Tracey Egolf, Cole Campbell & his wife LeAnn Coffey, Sean Moon, and Lyndsey Olish. One of the local songwriters bailed at the last minute causing a big problem.
13. Sunnyside Music Festival, Sept. 9th: This Music Fest has blossomed into a big music festival that raised $15,000 for local youth music programs in 2021. Barb inquired about the cost of having a booth there. Matthew Good replied that the fee is $99 for a non-profit. Further Discussion: Board decided not to participate due to the cost.
14. Songwriting Contest: Our annual fundraiser started May 1st. We paid the upgraded one-year fee to Dropbox of $199. David will try to look for a less expensive option for next year. He also reported that, As of July 4th, we have 16 entries, with an income of $100 (difference is in members having at least one free entry).
4
G. New Business
1. New Board Members: Bryan Belisle (attended tonight’s meeting) and Alex Porter expressed an interest in working with us at the “Schmoozer” at Illegal Pete’s on June 26, 2023. Jeremy Grant, who found us on-line, said he would be interested in knowing more about the organization. He is a “retired” musician who moved to Denver about a year ago.
2. Lifetime Membership: Per the June 2023 Board meeting, it was decided to write up an official clause to add to the Minutes for future reference. Barb proposes the following clause:
The board may approve a Lifetime Membership Status for any board member who has paid their initial dues and then serves for at least one full year from the date they are approved for the board by the majority of the then serving board members. People who serve on the board would not be asked to pay dues in exchange for their time of service but they would be required to attend or help out at least at 75% of our meetings and/or events during any given year.
Discussion/revisions: First reading. A suggestion by David was incorporated above.
3. Paul Fiorino Wants to Start a Music Consortium: Paul has been offered the use of an office space but Barb gathered that Paul was looking for non-profits to split the rent with him. Discussion by the board felt that we were doing fine without the expense of an office.
4. City Records: Barb came across City Records at 1331 Colfax Avenue (just north of our office at the Alta Court Building). She went in and introduced herself to the owner, T-Bone. He said he’s been in that building for the last 6 months! Barb left business cards and picks. They run a free event on the second Sunday of each month to promote artists & businesses in the area.
H. Reports
1. Youth on Record Block Party: Brian Coates (Merry-Go-Round, Aurora) provided drink cups; Duane Evarts (Guitar Show) gave us 100 Guitar Show magazines; Mark (Soundtown) gave us 100 stickers; Anne Blonston (AirShow Mastering) sent 50 stickers; Rod (CODA, Inc.) gave us 100 postcards; and Kevin Clock (Colorado Sound Recording Studios) gave us 50 pens, postcards, and business cards for us to put in the bags. Barb added Welch’s gummies from COMBO, stuffed 25 SESAC bags, and then ran out of bags. She looked for the Atlas Case bags but was unable to locate them so she stuffed an additional 10 zip-lock bags just in case. However, we only gave out 21 bags at the Block Party. (Barb passed out the other 4 bags at Tony’s Open Mic). Barb, Mark King, Jamie Krutz, and Johnnie Johnson tended the booth. The event was well attended with lots of booths, bands, and food trucks. Barb & Jamie ended up getting “vegan” meals since the other trucks were swamped but both meals were delicious and were made up of normal foods! Although rain was in the forecast, it only sprinkled lightly.
Barb will submit a bill for the Gummies & the food for reimbursement, as well as other miscellaneous expenses she has had.
5
2. Monday, June 26th: Illegal Pete’s Schmoozer – No program; just a get-together at Illegal Pete’s on Race & Colfax. Some of us ended up talking “music business” until 9:00 p.m.! Attendees were board members Barb, Dave, Annette, Todd (with wife Diane and daughter Haley), Johnnie & Nataliya, Jamie, Tony, and Rod Tanaka, Paul Fiorino, Bryan Belisle, Alex Porter, Bill Emery, Steve Son, and Hank ??
3. Movie Night With Barb: Per discussion above on Happy Hour at Odde’s. 4. Book of the Month: None
I. Next COMBO Events: Tuesday, July 18th– Happy Hour at Odde’s, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Tony/T-Loop’s open mic on Sunday, July 30th , 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the North Dry Dock. Bryan said his band was going to be playing at a couple of benefits. He will send a press release to Barb for publishing in the newsletter.
J. Next Board Meeting: 7:00 p.m., Sunday, August 6, 2023.
K. Next Program Committee Meeting: TBD
L. Adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
/s/ Barb Dye
___________________________________
Barb Dye, President