If that wasn’t enough, he still manages to carve out time to team up with Peter Hawkins and Ryan Mullinex and organize Acoustic Nights, a weekly live show tailored to showcase the talent of local singer/songwriters.
“It’s an idea I had, to support local artists and local music, and support acoustic music,” he said. “I think acoustic music is the most pure sound, a real straight-from-the-earth kind of sound.”
With all of the local songwriters’ nights held regularly, especially in Nashville, one might wonder why Salaway is sponsoring this event. According to Salaway, he wants to give artists more time on stage than the usual 15 minutes they get at most singer/songwriter nights.
“They’ll get up, sing three songs, and get back down. So there’s no time for the artist to really connect with the audience,” he says.
His solution is to give artists about 30 minutes onstage, a chance to do a full set.
Salaway also wants to incorporate more participation from bands, and recreate an MTV Unplugged feel.
“Give them an acoustic guitar, take away the effects, and see if there’s any real talent behind that,” he said.
When it comes to actually putting the show together, Salaway says the process has been easier than he thought it would be. He uses the ultra-popular website, myspace.com, to connect with local acts. He’s also built a great relationship with the folks at the Sweetwater Saloon, the venue that has been serving as home for Acoustic Nights since its inception.
Though Salaway says, “Sweetwater has been good to us,” he has opted to move Acoustic Nights to The Boro to take advantage of the venue’s intimate setting, close proximity to MTSU and popularity.
“The Boro is going to be more the atmosphere we need,” he says.
As an addition to the more intimate setting, once a month Salaway plans to get artwork from the Art House to create a musical art show, further separating Acoustic Nights from other songwriter’s nights.
Salaway says he wants to take full advantage of Murfreesboro’s “infinite potential and infinite talent.” He wants Acoustic Nights to be a place for artists to showcase and network with peers and perhaps industry professionals. As for spectators, he just wants to offer them something they know will be happening every week in Murfreesboro. He offers attendees a “nice, casual night out” as an alternative to going to a rock club and “having your ears blown out.”
Salaway has also decided to keep the cover low (a whopping $3) because he understands that people may not want to pay inflated prices to see local acts, regardless of how good they are. He also offers advice to local artists about selling their CDs for $5 instead of $10 or $15 so that people would be more likely to make a purchase.
In addition to all that he already does, Salaway has found a mentor in Alan Jackson’s tour manager, Tony Stevens, and is about to start learning the ins and outs of planning a tour, experience that will definitely come in handy in the future.
He’s also prepping the release of the first major artist on his label, a talented female hip-hop artist by the name of Sasse, and even has plans for his own music. And when he’s not writing songs, talking to investors about their interest in his label, or tending to the needs of his daughter, this passionate Florida native passes the time with rock trivia.
“I have this vast, useless, knowledge of rock, metal history facts,” he jokes. He even posts some of it on his website,
defkatmusic.com.
To check out some good acoustic music or perhaps test Salaway’s rock trivia knowledge, go to Acoustic Nights at 8:30 p.m. Sundays at The Boro.
