the worst part about it

[we're talking music, here]

I'm not one to shy away from tooting the horn of someone that I really like. I like it when good things happen to people I like. I like it when they succeed. I like that Mumford & Sons are getting a lot of air time on the radio. I like it that Adele is killing record sales right now.

What I don't like?

I don't like it when people I like succeed because the American public is stupid about music. I don't like that when you say "John Mayer" people think about running through halls of their high school. I don't like that when you say "Jack Johnson" people think about Curious George (although that is great song writing).

Ernie Halter has been one of my favorite "boys" for years. I LOVE his sound. I think he is an extremely talented song writer and his vocals are crazy unique. He has collaborated with other genius musicians on several projects, is highly involved in Mocha Club, and does really awesome things for his fans (he infamously plays a lot of house shows). He chums around with fellow Mocha Club supporter and one of my very favorite bloggers, Annie Downs, and that gives him a heck of a lot of credibility in my book. [it really is all about who you know.] His music played a pivotal part in lifting me out of a particular funk. He's one of those LAbutreallyNashvilleandshouldbeCarolina sounding guys. AWE.SOME.

But something happened this week that will forever change Ernie Halter. Something that catapulted him to stardom and resulted in him tweeting just this morning: "Just got off the phone with MTV News. Apparently this is kind of a big deal? :)" Last week, while playing a show in Hong Kong, someone covered one of Ernie's songs. Would you like to take a guess at who that ridiculously powerful person is??



Justin. Bieber. 


If you ask me, while flattering, it's an awful cover. [what? This is my blog. I can say what I want].


So. You can imagine how that would hurl an independent artist into complete and utter known-ness. Hundreds of thousands of tweens all over the world now know his name. All because a very adorable little man covered one of his songs. 

Don't get me wrong. I think that Ernie Halter deserves to be known. He deserves to make oodles and oodles of money doing what he does best. [he has twins on the way, so yeah, he needs the money] But there's just this part in my heart that is a little sad that it took all the little people in the world, the ones without any money but with loads of YouTube expertise, to make Ernie Halter known. Yes, this will change his life. And yes, Justin Bieber has good taste in songs to cover. But how come we couldn't have all fallen in love with Ernie Halter in our own way and thrust success on him ourselves, without needing the slightly embarrassing obsession with a pubescent cutie pie? 

I truly am so happy for Ernie Halter. I'd like to suggest that he name his twins Justin and Bieber. I'm just a little sad that it's taken this (and this long) for the rest of the world to love him.

Man on the Side, Ernie Halter (John Mayer cover)