Scams and con men are everywhere. And the Nashville music business is no exception. As a matter of fact, there seem to be scores of unscrupulous individuals preying on musicians' lofty dreams. That being said, you have to approach all potential opportunities with cautious optimism. Even though the music industry is full of sharks, you will be offered legitimate opportunities as well. Avoid ruining a great opportunity due to an overly defensive attitude. Remember, save the aggressive business tactics for when a contract is actually on the table or money is changing hands. Once a deal gets to that point, you better have an entertainment attorney.

Now I'm going to show you how a lot of these scams work. How do I know? I've used many of these scams to prey on musicians myself. I was very good at it. Now I want to use this knowledge to help musicians. So here goes...

THE NASHVILLE CONSULTANT:

Consultants are in almost any industry. They are supposed to be experts in their field. In the music business, consultants are often ex-industry people (record company executives, A & R reps, producers, agents, ex-band members, songwriters, managers, session players, etc.) who have either had success in the business or claim to have had success at some point. And many do. That doesn't necessarily mean they know how to help you. Just because he played guitar for Brooks & Dunn for 8 years doesn't mean he has and business producing your album or advising on your career path. Here are the 3 main types of these consultants I mention.

1) Completely full of it!
These people have never had any significant success in the music business, but they talk a great game. You'll have to really watch out for these people. They'll name drop people they may actually know and talk an amazing game. Just be careful.

2) Ex-Label Bigwig
The music industry has done a complete 180 in recent years and many previously important industry people have been made irrelevant due to the new generation, reduced record sales, downsizing, different business models, etc. Many of these "consultants" try to impress you with their former credits in hopes of luring in starry-eyed musicians. They will offer to "get you to the next level" for a fee, but you have to ask yourself some very important questions before you enter into any agreements with these people. Are their contacts still relevant in today's industry? When was their last significant credit - five, ten, twenty years ago? Are they just telling you what you want to hear? These types of "consultants" are the most dangerous of the three in my opinion because of their impressive resumes and ability to make artists feel "special". These guys actually knew their stuff... ten years ago.

3) The Nashville Elite
These "consultants" actually have current connections, relevancy and they may or may not be able to help your career. They are the people everyone wants to work with, but unfortunately they are very rare. Also, they typically don't advertise or namedrop as much, because they are already in-demand. But you also should be cautious here. Just because your wife is a super star in country music, you have the flashiest studio in the country and you have the neatest gear collection doesn't mean you're a superstar producer.

THE NASHVILLE PRODUCER

Wow! Everyone seems to be a producer in Nashville these days. This is probably the largest category of fakers and scum bags out there and you really have to do your research in order to find out who is for real. A producer does a whole lot more than go into a studio and cut a song or songs, hand you a demo or master and say "thank you, come again!" A real producer cares what happens to the songs after they leave the studio since his name is attached to it. His continued success depends on your success. A good producer won't take a project he doesn't believe in. Be leery of the producer quick to take your money without knowing your plan after recording. Here are the four types of producers you need to know about.

1) Completely full of it!
These people are pretty easily identifiable because their music will most likely sound like a crap demo. That being said, they'll be able to talk a really good game and namedrop more than you thought was humanly possible. Use your ears and instinct to stay away from these bottom feeders. If there is a bedroom anywhere near the tracking room, their family lives in the back, it smells like a kennel, or the center piece of the studio is a keyboard/controller... run away!

2) Legit, but not current
These producers had some success a back the 70's, 80's even the 90's. But they haven't done anything commercially successful in a decade. This doesn't mean that they're lacking in skills or musicality; in fact they might be a perfect fit for your music. It really just depends on your style and if you gel with their production style. The real question you need to ask yourself is... what are they offering you? If they are simply promising to make your track sound awesome in their own production style (which you're already fond of), then by all means you may have found a good match. But if they are claiming to be able to shop your track successfully and make you famous, you have to ask yourself some important questions. Why haven't they produced a popular song in a while? Do they still have those A-List connections? How hard will they really push your music? Just because he produced an album for Merle Haggard in 1983 doesn't mean he know anything about the music industry in 2014.

3) Current and Talented, but maybe not for you
Jack White is an amazing producer. Does that mean he should produce your album? I promise you when it's finished, it's going to sound like Jack White. These producers are successful but don't share your genre and/or style. It's important that you find a producer that matches your vision, vibe and direction. Just because someone is talented and connected in one genre doesn't mean that they can easily cross over to another. Sometimes a producer like this will take on your project for the right amount of money, but you should consider their motives carefully. Are they really going to help you shop your music or are they just going to hand you the masters and pocket your cash? Also, will you be happy with the results? Will it still sound like you? You have to think about all the variables here. This is your creation, your art, you want someone who believes in and shares your vision.

4) Just Right
These producers are the perfect fit. They know how to enhance your sound while retaining the essence of what you envision in your head. They have the right connections and they believe in what you're doing. If you hook up with one of these producers it could be a match made in Heaven! But remember, it's about what's in your head, not his!

THE INFAMOUS NASHVILLE ENGINEER

Some engineers with major album credits may also try to bring you into their studio. Remember that engineering (and owning a studio) is a very competitive business and they're constantly hustling for gigs just like every musician on Broadway. Choosing an engineer and a studio should depend upon how well they can make your track(s) sound. Very rarely will an engineer or a studio actually know how, or be able to shop your music. Don't get caught up thinking that just because he worked for Dolly for 15 years that he's going to call Dolly or her people and get you a deal. Most of the time they just get paid by the hour or day just like everyone else. So don't expect this long and lasting relationship. I'm not going to tell you to avoid paying top dollar for a good studio or engineer... just recognize it as a tool to help yourself and your producer. Just be cautious if you are promised any actual career success due to their connections or who they've worked for. Remember, most engineers spend their days being told what to do and what it should sound like.

MANAGERS

A lot of people claim to have been managers for high profile artists or that the are experts in breaking new artists. Many of these "managers" attribute the great success of these artists to their guidance and/or management. This is another snake pit and you must find out who's for real and who's full of it. If one of these managers is offering to break you into the business for a fee, you need to take a step back and do some serious thinking. First of all, are they still working for these high-profile artists that they're speaking of? If not, why did they part ways? Can you find any information online about the relationship between this manager and the artist? Great managers are in high demand. Really ask yourself why they didn't go to work for an established artist and why they are talking to you.

WEBSITES & SERVICES

This is where thing get ridiculous. Remember that there are no shortcuts for music industry success. If it was as easy as subscribing to a website, everyone would be doing that! When a website requests money in order to get your music to the right people, it's already beginning badly. It's the same dreams and aspirations that bring about 100,000 people to the American Idol auditions each year. It's also why there are countless websites offering to get your music heard or placed after you sign up for their premium package, etc. Musicians are constantly looking for their "big break" and opportunistic companies will always be there to pounce on your hopes and dreams. $295.99 may sound a lot more appealing than hiring a whole flock of people to advance your career, but if you're just going to throw money away, please give it to me!

This is just a small glimpse into the Nashville music machine, or in some cases... grinder! We haven't even talked about agents, publicists and PR, radio promoters, song pluggers and publishers yet! Not to mention some association on every corner. The music industry isn't easy. If it was everyone would do it and it would pay as well as Walmart. It isn't rocket science but there are certain steps that have been followed for almost 60 years. You are not going to miraculously find some magic shortcut.