Tim Johnson, a northeastern Indiana-based writer, editor, and reso-guitarist, has published a new book, BandBoost, designed to help musicians of all types, especially independent bands and artists, use AI to assist with their publicity and marketing.
Here in the bluegrass world, we still have a few holdouts who insist that the use of AI in our business is inherently wrong, and should be avoided at all costs. But that war is over, and their side lost. AI is a genie that won’t go back in the bottle, so it’s becoming increasingly important that bluegrass professionals learn how to put to use the various AI tools within reach of independent producers.
Johnson plays reso-guitar with Steel, Grit and Grace, a bluegrass and gospel group in Indiana, and has written BandBoost based on his own self-taught odyssey into AI for band management and promotion. What he has learned he shares in the book, which is available as a PDF online for $29.
The book is broken into chapters, or lessons, and all information is presented in a very straightforward fashion. Tim recommends a number of important tools that he has found effective, including Canva, Bandzoogle, Meta Business Suite, Descript, and ChatGPT. Anyone who has felt a bit intimidated approaching this sort of software is walked gently through the process, and if you’ve never used them, you might be surprised how easy they are to learn.
There is also information about setting up a prompt journal to remind you of unfinished tasks, or the need to follow-up with someone after a set period of time. Plus there are details about how to build your own web site from scratch, and to plan and create 30 days worth of social media posts in one sitting.
Something every band can use is a lesson in how to use AI to find other venues that are similar to ones you have played, or how to use AI to add fans to your mailing list and social media.
For those who find value in the book, but have trouble with implementation, Johnson makes himself available as a consultant to assist as well.
Tim is currently building an online BandBoost community for bluegrass artists and musicians interested in collaborating with one another in this space.
All necessary details to get a copy of the book, join the community, or contact Tim can be found online.
