As a personal friend of Ron Irizarry I would like to shed some light on what an amazing talent this guy is. A true hero for all Independent artists I’ve read some of the posts ranting that this Competition was somehow rigged....Ridiculous!

I’ve known Ron for the last 15 years....15 Years of commitment to his craft. 15 Years of driving to whatever, wherever place would allow him to set up his guitar and play for an audience. Many times I"ve helped him as he set up his gear at local pubs in Orlando to play for an audience that many times were much more interested in their dinner than the guy in the corner playing the guitar and singing. Ron is far from a "Hollywood Heavy hitter" as some have suggested. Yes, he’s gotten some cool opportunities over the years. Opportunities that many would have thought would have landed him his "big break" but for whatever reason turned out to be just that "great opportunities" Despite disappointments, despite setbacks Ron has continued with his commitment to his craft. His commitment to his Dream!

And just like every other contestant Ron entered the Henry Poole Contest with the hope, with the dream that maybe just maybe his song would be chosen. Well it has gotten him to the top 5 so far! And we are so proud of him! So for anyone to take that honor away from him or any of the top 5 finalists by suggesting that he or anyone else had some inside connection is a disgrace. It’s a disgrace to all struggling Independent artists who are continually "trying to make it" and finally get some sort of break.

If Ron was to win this Contest. I don’t know of anyone else that deserves it more! His story will be of a guy who never gave up on his dreams. No matter the cost!
T

Despite the criticism I believe it also was a back door compliment. The conspiracy people are saying this guy is a pro.

Feel free to criticize me like that.

Anyhow I wish Ron and everyone nothing but the best.

-ANDY

I can relate, Ive been doing this longer than I care to remember, having a few small breaks don’t pay the bills, people think that since I have had several songs in a movie already that I should have be disqualified, maybe I was.

I really think Ron understands that people were/are hurt they didnt make top 5, hell I cried the night I saw I didnt make it, well I actually didnt cry but yelled things like "WTF" and "Did my song not upload" and "I suck at life" and "Fuck it, I’m going back home and going back to school"

So, congrats to the top 5, deep down we all know they deserved it, no matter how much we think our song shoulda/coulda.

I know I had fun with this, it lead me to a whole new chapter in my musical life, sersiously. Since I did my song, I put together a string quartet for the new songs I’m working on and I have had a ton of people wanting strings on their songs as well, leading me to start advertising it, now it seems to be snowballing a lil’ bit.

In addition, I got something really big about to POP! and if it doesnt you will hear me yell "WTF" and "Did my song not upload" and "I suck at life" and "Fuck it, I’m going back home and going back to school"

Peace

Tony you wrote:
If Ron was to win this Contest. I don’t know of anyone else that deserves it more! His story will be of a guy who never gave up on his dreams. No matter the cost!
T


Not to take anything away from Ron, you are obviously a good friend for defending him but get real, you think he is the only one that has sacrificed and struggled? 80% of us can make that claim and for many more than 15 years. Ron wrote a good song, I agree but my theory is they started googling people or asking around and saw who they thought had potential $$$.
If Mark got the songs narrowed down to 30 then it would be easy for the deck to be stacked. Anyone that thinks it doesn’t help to know someone in this town is fooling themselves. It is what it is but Tony, we all have a sad story of not giving up, just no one has heard them. I have been doing this since I was 17, playing jazz gigs for steak dinners. I’m 42 now so do the math, LOL!


Peace and see you at the Movies


Michael

I’m still voting for Ron

That would explain the delay.

Okay have we ruled out JEB BUSH as running the polls? Or anyone named Chad?

-ANDY

Andy,
Jeb just called and said he can’t believe you don’t trust him.

That’s a cool direction to go, Robert, good luck with it.

There’s a service that’s free called Pump Audio that I have been using for years, and can get you tv placement and potential royalties - it may not make anyone famous, but it’s a non-exclusive agreement, and I’ve probably made about $1500 over the last five or six years - not a fortune but every little bit helps.

I have no interest in promoting them just had good success with them pumpaudio.com

I also was disappointed I didn’t make it, and I thought, arrogantly so clearly :) that if there were people who would beat me it would be you, Vekstar and perhaps Scarthe Locke. Clearly my taste is my own of my own music, and my subjective friend’s music. It’s like Michael G was saying, if Mark P. only heard 30 songs who knows what was screened...

Even those who get in this film - the winner Ron, it’s not to say that it will lead to anything...

In the end it comes down to us, the artists and our creative process and love of the craft. And unfortunately sometimes it’s an expensive little venture with an intangible compensation.

You wrote a great song -

For me it also represented a turn of events - I’ve been collaborating since this whole poole-ishness and that has been my direction - just started a new group with a fellow troubador on the psych/folk/jampop tip and we’re having a lot of fun - will it be on mtv or an indie movie anytime soon, I don’t know, but go figure.

I also had my music in an indie documentary years back (sayitoutloud.com) and it didn’t lead to anything but personally it was very satisfying and it was a great cause and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. And I’m sure it was satisfying for you to have your music in film as well...

You’ve got a lot of talent Robert and I will be enjoying your clips for some time to come...

--Erik

Robert you will always be famous with your Henry friends!

-ANDY

Ron Deserves it and HE WON! And it is a great song!
Go see the movie now!

Ron does deserve it.... I think the negativity out there comes from a couple places. Jealousy, yes..... How the contest was run...yes... But let’s remember, this is new media and in MySpace’s defense, were all just getting a handle on how this new media stuff works... I bet you’ll be seeing many more contests like this one and they will be bigger, sponsor backed and better run in the future. Stay tuned.

Congrats to Ron. No jealousy here. My song sucked and I obviously didn’t put that much time into it. Still, it was fun to do on a lark and I applaud MySpace for putting it on...Look at us, we’re IN a MySpace forum talking all over the world about this (Well, at least the U.S.) Imagine that 5 years ago!

Brad

Hey Dave, I liked your HPH version. I kinda wondered what it would have sounded like in an acoustic format, but definitely tuneful...

I totally hear you on this, but I think it’s larger than the contest - when you submit stuff a lot of times they want it to sound like you’re already signed, and that can be a daunting task for those of us who don’t have the funding. I spent a lot for me, and then again for radio-quality, it’s nothing to spend on a recording, and I just kept it guitar and voice - I was very happy with the way it came out...

Anyway I think you definitely have some skills, might have been tough for an indie movie to get a metal style tune in there, but I thought it was pretty cool...

Usually the people I’ve known, with a very few exceptions, who have toured extensively usually have some kind of financing...

Good luck to you, and yeah, good luck to Ron too... At the end of the day we can’t let it ruin the enjoyment we have for the craft. The contest pushed me to write a song I feel good about and to lay it down so it can be preserved, and I think it means something.

Wasn’t he the guy who pretended to be the President of the USA because he looked exactly like him when the real President was dying?

Tony Wrote:
I’ve known Ron for the last 15 years....15 Years of commitment to his craft. 15 Years of driving to whatever, wherever place would allow him to set up his guitar and play for an audience.

Now that it is all said and done, I am curious what became of Ron. Did he sign a contract with Lakeshore or did it lead to a contract with another record deal or did it boil down to a much helpful personal promotion?