Backstage Pass with... Jill Zutty
An interview with songwriter Jill Zutty
By: Sharon Chapman
Jill Zutty is not only a very busy New Jersey mother, but she is an aspiring recording artist. Zutty has recorded and self-produced three CDs - Cold Dark Night, Look Into My Heart and You Turn Me On. Zutty recently sat down with us to discuss her music as well as what it is like producing and marketing CDs.
TUNED IN - When did you start playing music?
ZUTTY - I've been playing all my life -- probably since I was in third grade. But I'm not a strong guitar player, so I hire people to do that for me and I use the guitar basically to write. I can play my own music. But if I were to go out and play in a band, I would need people to play it for me.
TUNED IN - Aside from the guitar, do you play any other instruments?
ZUTTY - I can play on the keyboard lightly, like chords, but no. I can use it to write, as a tool.
TUNED IN - When did you start writing music?
ZUTTY - When I was really young -- when I was in third or fourth grade. But that was really basic kind of stuff. I started strongly writing when my kids were in school and I wanted to have something to do for myself. I started writing for the Princeton Junior Choir at the Princeton Jewish Center - they really liked my stuff and they sing one of my songs every year. Then the cantor's wife said that I really needed an arranger, and she hooked me up with Todd Herzog in California. He's really talented. We spoke on the phone, and I said, "I have other stuff besides Jewish music," and he said, "You know, I don't really do Jewish music." So that's when we started doing my other stuff. Before you knew it I had 22 songs and I flew out there and we recorded two CDs. And then we did another one [You Turn Me On].
TUNED IN - What was the process like?
ZUTTY - He basically put everything together for me, as far as arranging goes. We had co-written some songs. As far as bridge writing, I didn't really know what a bridge was, and Todd taught me how to do it. Since then I have written tons of bridges myself. It was a learning process for me and I've totally grown as a musician -- I feel grateful to him for that. Lyrically and melodically I think my songs are much stronger now. You Turn Me On shows a lot of growth -- production-wise I think it's better than the other ones, and the feedback has been great. The musicians out there were phenomenal and the studio rates I got were great, which was why I went out there. I think they're all really gifted musicians.
TUNED IN - How long did it take to record the CDs?
ZUTTY - Each one took about a week.
TUNED IN - How much practice was required?
ZUTTY - They are totally professional musicians. I practiced here and they would send me a track and I would just sing, sing, sing until I got it right. Then we would go into the studio for eight hours to ten hours or more each day and we wouldn't really see daylight -- we'd go in early and come out really late. We'd eat in the studio. It wasn't glamorous, but it was fun.
TUNED IN - How do you distribute the CDs?
ZUTTY - I would put them in Tower Records all over the country myself. I would ship them out and make phone calls and put them online through the Internet. You Turn Me On is available online at http://www.cdbaby.com/ and through my website.
TUNED IN - How long have you had your website?
ZUTTY - I've had it ever since I recorded the CDs -- for the past few years.
TUNED IN - How did you go about getting your website?
ZUTTY - Through my graphics designer. He does websites, and he's amazing. Through the website people have found me from all over the world. I've gotten sales from The Netherlands. I have fans from Italy, from Canada, from all over the place.
TUNED IN - How many visitors does your website get?
ZUTTY - We've had over 5,000 visitors.
TUNED IN - Is the website an avenue where you can interact with your fans?
ZUTTY - Yes, definitely.
TUNED IN - How else do you get the word out about your
music?
ZUTTY - I have hooked up with the National Foundation for Cancer Research. They're doing publicity for me through their newsletters. I also send packages of CDs to the radio stations who play my music.
TUNED IN - Do you perform live?
ZUTTY - I would love to perform live. I'm trying to figure out how to do that right now.
TUNED IN - What are your goals in the future for your music?
ZUTTY - What I'd really like to do is try to get placement in films and TV. I've sent out my music to an attorney in Philadelphia who said that he would review everything for me. Distributing music as an artist is hard, because there are a lot of artists out there. Another way to go is to try to get a publishing deal or to place your stuff directly. Selling music to soap operas is a way to go -- it's not a fortune, but you can develop your fan base, which helps you sell CDs.
TUNED IN - What advice do you have for other singers and musicians who want to publish their music?
ZUTTY - I definitely think that if you have any creativity in you that you should go with it. You should write whatever is on your mind. Be true to yourself. Write your feelings down. Go with a melody line -- go with whatever is in your heart and in your mind. Write down your lyrics. Write down your melody lines. Just do it. Don't worry about whether you're going to make it -- just write it down. I really think you need to express yourself, which is what I'm trying to do. It's like leaving a legacy -- I really wanted to do this because I wanted to leave my kids something. To leave part of me. I didn't really care if I made it - I wanted to leave something of myself, that was me! I think it's just something to be proud of yourself for because this is the real you, and I think people will like it if it's real.
For more information about Jill Zutty, be sure to visit