Writing Your Bio

by Alex Walsh

Your artistic bio is the “central nervous system” of your press kit. It is the piece that potential clients, editors, writers, the media, booking agents, etc. turn to when they want information about you or your group. Writing your own bio sounds excruciating, but with a little patience and a lot of hard work, it can be done.

To help you get started; here is a basic bio outline that I have adapted from the book The Billboard Guide To Music Publicity, by Jim Pettigrew, Jr.

Introductory Statement

Introduces you, your group, establishes your persona. “A Saxophone player. ” A “String quartet.” Stick to the facts and keep adjectives/adverbs to a minimum.

Example: His name is Tex. He sings his own brand of country western with his band More Meat. Tex plays guitar.

Current Summary

Encapsulates your present activities and gets the reader quickly into your latest CD, tour, etc. Give the highlights.

Example: Tex was released from prison and went directly to the studio where he recorded his debut CD, Jail Bait. He is now on a roadhouse tour in the southwest with More Meat.

Additional Information

Elaborate on the highlight points you made in your current summary. If you don’t have much to say, keep it short.

Example: Tex would like to dedicate this CD to his mother, Irene.

History and Formation

Include your group formation, solo development, musical influences, and funny or unusual anecdotes.

Example: Tex met More Meat on death row in the summer of ’99. Tex and More Meat played the first annual Barbecue Prison Dance at Texas State Prison and impressed the governor’s daughter so much that he granted them a full pardon and immediate release.

Elaboration: New Release, Tour, etc.

An information “grab bag.” Elaborate on your artistic philosophy, interesting tidbits about your new CD, instruments, favorite color, etc.

Example: Tex and More Meat recorded their CD at the Wrecking Ball Studio. “They were raw,” says owner John Ball,”like a prison break gone bad, like an old beat up shoe caught on a barbed wire fence, like they kept thinking I was gonna turn them in. I was just turning the knobs.”

Summary/Closing

Wrap it up. Possibly build to a quote about your artistic philosophy.

Example: My name is Tex. I believe in More Meat. More Meat believes in Tex. Thank you.

I hope this helps.

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