Austin Music Scene, Austin Music Stores And Austin Musicians

Austin Music Foundation (AMF) is a non-profit started by two long-time Austin music fans with the goal of uniting the Austin music scene with information, mixers and the Austin Industry Music Boot Camps, a free educational seminar series which includes panel discussions and audience questions and answers. Research papers or handbooks on music related topics are distributed at most Austin Music Industry Boot Camps and handbooks from past Boot Camps can be obtained through the Austin Music Foundation website. The Austin Music Foundation provides Austin musicians with information on how to navigate a career in Austin music scene including promotion, marketing and general business aspects of the music industry. Austin Music Foundation’s programs are free to attend and open to the public.

Austin, Texas-based musician and artist Bob Schneider has won more than 24 Austin Music Awards including Band of the Year; Musician of the Year; Song of the Year for "40 Dogs (Like Romeo And Juliet)"; Album of the Year for “Lovely Creatures”; Male Vocalist of the Year; and Songwriter of the Year. Besides appearing on the soundtracks of a number of movies and making national television appearances, Bob Schneider maintains a vigorous touring schedule while still appearing regularly in Austin live music venues.

Born in Michigan, and raised in Munich, Germany, Bob Schneider dropped out of the University of Texas at El Paso in the early 1990's and moved to Austin where he started his first band, Joe Rockhead. Joe Rockhead released three albums. Bob Schneider went on to front The Ugly Americans and The Scabs, which became well known in Austin, particulary for playing at live music venue Antones, and become solid touring bands.

In 1999, Bob Schneider began to perform as a solo act under the name Lonelyland. Lonelyland was later dropped by Bob Schneider as a band name, but became the title of his first major record album release and has been followed by a string of album releases and hit songs.

Bob Schneider is also known for having at one time dated the actress Sandra Bullock, who also maintains a home in Austin. Bob Schneider's songs have appeared on a number of film soundtracks including "Miss Congeniality," "Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back," "40 Days & 40 Nights," and "Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood."

Bob Schneider tours frequently across the United States, but regularly appears in Austin at smaller venues. His Austin shows include a long standing Monday night solo residency at the Saxon Pub as well as Antone's where he appears both his band and The Scabs.

Almost all of Bob Schneider's live shows are recorded and sold to his audiences after the performances. These recordings are released under the label "Frunk" and are usually available for download on his website. Bob Schneider appearances and tour dates are also available on his website and he is currently on tour in support of his latest release “A Perfect Day” although he still has a number of appearances scheduled for Austin in 2011.

The SIMS Foundation provides mental health and addiction recovery services for Austin-area musicians and their families. SIMS was founded in 1995 by the friends and family of Sims Ellison, a talented young Austin musician whose battle with depression ended in suicide. Late night hours, the rising cost of living and increasing competition for jobs in the Austin music scene and proximity to alcohol and drugs can result in depression, anxiety, relationship problems, and alcohol and drug abuse for the musicians who make Austin their home and perform at the over 200 live music venues in Austin. Many musicians are uninsured or underinsured and cannot pay for counseling or addiction treatment. Treatment is arranged for professional musicians or their immediate family members living within a 50-mile radius of Austin from a network of 60 therapists and treatment centers after an in-depth clinical assessment from the two on-staff licensed counselors at SIMS. Musicians needing help can call the SIMS Confidential Clinical Line (512) 494-1007 or reach SIMS through the clinical intake form on the SIMS website.

The Texas Music Office is part of the Office of the Governor of Texas and promotes and provides information on musicians and music related businesses in Texas. The Texas Music Office maintains an online and published directory on the Texas music scene with approximately 16,000 listings totaling over 3000 printed pages including 7,300 Texas music businesses in 96 music business categories, Texas music events, Texas talent, Texas recording artists and Texas radio stations. The Texas Music Office also assists Texas musicians with individual projects and is liaison to worldwide press inquiries. The Texas music office was established in 1990 and was the first state agency created in the United States to promote the commercial music business. Since then, more than a dozen cities and states have created similar offices. Casey Monahan, a music journalist with the Austin American-Statesman at the time, was appointed the first director of the Texas Music Office and has remained the director through four Texas gubernatorial administrations.