Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Sanders
Hi Lisa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am Lisa Sanders, The leader of the duo group Lisa Sanders and Brown Sugar and the Lisa Sanders Band.
I always dreamed of being a songwriter for the biggest pop stars. As it turns out my life would take a different turn. I got into the music business most unexpectedly. I had been out playing at coffee houses all around San Diego in hopes of honing the craft of songwriting so I could sell some songs to famous pop stars. In 1996 I met San Diego-based producer and famed bass player named Josquin Des Pres while playing at a coffee house in El Cajon, Josquin thought we could make a great album together, and after a few months of going back and forth wondering if being a recording artist was a good idea for me. I decided to make my first record with Josquin. So he brought down a prominent record label executive named Eric Goodess, Eric owned Cargo Records, and on his label were bands like Blink 182, and Natachas Gost. So I signed on to be a recording artist, Singer/songwriter. And so it began.
We made a record called “Isn’t Life Fine”. Isn’t Life Fine won a Best Acoustic Artist spot at the San Diego Music Awards, a record distribution deal with MCA Records, a publishing deal with Windswept Pacific, and local and National attention in publications such as Billboard Magazine, and Music Connection. a second album on Cargo with Josquin, ” Life Takes You Flying” also won another “Best Acoustic Artist” award for me.
I thought finally, with a publishing deal at Windswept I could become a pop star writer to the stars like I always dreamed of. After all, Windswept had the whole Bert Bacharach music catalog! Bert is why I wanted to be a songwriter. What I did end up doing was collaborating with hit songwriters for my recordings, Like, Susan Gibson, who wrote, ( Wide Open Spaces ) for the Chicks, and Steve Poltz,( You Were Meant for Me ) with Jewel, and putting out 9 albums with a tenth on the way, “Daughters Of The Rising Tide”. Co-written and produced by JT Nero of the Birds of Chicago. featuring Grammy Winning Broadway and recording star, Allison Russell on 3 of the tunes. A song compilation for CBS Viacom. movies and TV, and a season 2 of the NBC / Peacock spot writing the music for their series, “Babble Bop”! All along the way I’ve been steadily playing shows around the world, opening for and sharing the stage with artists like Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, BB King, Mary Gauthier, Dave Coz, America, Emmy Lou Harris and so many more. After all these years in the music business, I’m just getting started! I’m gratefully still out here playing music for the fans and I absolutely can’t think of anything else I’d love to be doing.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Ha! No! Not complaining. I was doing it mostly on my own. I’ve lost some deals I wanted. Got passed over for things I thought I would be great for. I have dealt with people yelling at me. Had to get out of contracts. Having management, not having management. fierce competition and lost some and won some none of it without a lot of stress and pain. I did the first half of my career as a single mom with two daughters to raise. I’ve slept in crazy maybe dangerous and cold places, driven through storms, run from tornados out on tour, All on a shoestring or no shoestring.
I’ve Traveled hundreds of miles driving and flying only to find out the gig was canceled. Setting up my record label so I could keep putting out music, mostly alone wasn’t and isn’t easy. Getting great consistent help with my career is a big challenge, Paying for all or most of our travel. coming up with all the expenses that come with running a music career, having my guitar damaged by an airline, The list goes on. Ups and downs. Thank god I’m a tough nut! I got to learn the business the hard way! It would have been great to have the support I needed, but man, all in all, it sure is fun!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work is creative in every sense of the word. I am a singer and a songwriter but I am also a business owner, They say that the music business is first a business. So with that comes navigating the changing social and retail climates, and the ever-changing marketing strategies that come with the internet boom. We are creative first so we want to present our music in exciting and meaningful ways. We tour and play shows in many cities while still having deep ties to San Diego our home.
There is so much music and many artists inhabiting the music space these days, so we reach our fan base with care and consideration for our listeners. meaning we have to care about them. And we do. They are the driving force for why we create the music we do. That means we have to continue to put out music that people can be touched by. That’s what we strive for. We are always learning, and expanding our scope of reach so that we can reach as many people with our music as possible. while also creating music that comes from a deeper authentic place that reaches down into hearts. We believe music is a shared experience between us, the artists-creators, and our audience. To us, there is only us and our audience. in that way, we transcend the business of the music business. and put the art into business.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I think finding a mentor is crucial. In the past when I was coming up I thought I didn’t have any mentors per se. but I was wrong. I had my peers, and it has helped me perfect the art of learning as I go by watching and learning from those I am in the room with. So if you find you can’t find a mentor. look around where you are and the people who are industry around you are teaching you without really teaching you. If you get what I mean. Watching them you will learn what you should and shouldn’t do. Also, if you happen to be with those who are ahead in the business ( hopefully you are ) they will usually tell you things and give you advice if you ask for it. More times than not they will give you advice even if you didn’t ask for it!
Being a quiet observer and speaking up when I didn’t understand something on my own has helped me immensely. I’ve had a lot of dust-ups along the way, like I said before, there have been those quietly giving me good advice without being a quote Mentor, gratefully that has saved me from a lot of problems. listen to those giving good guidance if you can’t find a mentor just yet and you feel in your heart it is good sound advice. Please don’t just take anyone’s advice if it is not right for you or your situation or goes against your values. I never compromise on my values and it has served me well in this business. Integrity is everything. It will build great relationships that last and attract good people around you. Very important in this business. The bad ones will fall away.
Also if you can’t find a mentor I find mastermind groups are amazing. The financial cost has proven to be one of the best things I could have ever done for my career. You meet extremely talented, motivated, wonderful people who are there to help you in every way. That lifts you up and helps you build your career with a more solid footing. Much faster than I could do on my own. I wish we had this tool when I was coming up. It is a much easier softer way with help. I find them in groups I’ve joined to help me learn more about the business. You can find them on social media but make sure the groups are giving you what you need.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://LisaSanders.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisasandersmusic
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/lisa.sanders.942145
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lisasanderswow
Image Credits
Cathryn Beeks, Photographer for Lisa Sanders & Brown Sugar Photos, And Lisa against the wall Photo
Chris Woolley photographer for the picture of lisa with guitar sitting on an ottoman.
