Up and coming songsmith Rachel Cantu's advise to aspiring touring musicians has as much to do with good marketing skills as it does a good performance.
"Be as organized and professional as you can," she said. "Be on time, advertise for the show the best you can, have merchandise available, a mailing list. Make your live show the best it can be, make people remember you. Stick around for the entire show, be accessible to the fans."
Opening for blues legend B.B. King Saturday and Sunday before making her way to Hammond's Blue Room Café Monday and Valparaiso's Cornucopia Coffee Company Tuesday, Cantu was reared in Orange County, Calif., and is currently based in Los Angeles.
A songwriter since she was a teen whose songs have drawn comparisons to the influential likes of lead Pretender Chrissie Hynde, Polly Harvey and Norah Jones, Cantu released her debut EP, "Blood Laughs," in 2004 and followed that up two years later with the full-length "Run All Night."
Last November saw the release of her second long-play offering, "Far and Wide." The set was produced with assistance by indie stalwart Futcher, who came at the recommendation of friend and studio collaborator Tegan Quin, one half of the acclaimed eclectic duo Tegan and Sara, and was recorded in less than a week.
"I wanted to be involved in the recording, and to have it sound real," she said of "Wide." "I'm playing the songs, I'm singing with no auto tune, it's recorded in real time and with heart. 'Run All Night' was a very organic process, but I've grown since then and wanted to have a little more control with the overall sound of the record."
Last month, Cantu performed in a showcase at the acclaimed South by Southwest Music and Media Conference in Austin, Texas, which is reputable for its focus on up and coming artists and bands amongst record labels and music industry movers and shakers.
Performing at South by Southwest gave Cantu a chance to mix business with pleasure.
"I never understood how important (the festival) is until I actually played a showcase this year.," she said. "As a fan, it was incredible to be able to see so many bands play live. As an artist it was such an honor to be in such amazing company, to be able to network, make new friends, and just be engulfed by music everywhere you go."
B.B. King, Rachael Cantu, 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
WHERE: House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St., Chicago
COST: $76
FYI: (312) 923-2000, HOB.COM
Rachael Cantu, 8 p.m. Monday
WHERE: The Blue Room Café, 5246 Hohman Ave., Hammond
COST: $8
FYI: (219) 933-8124, THEBRCAFE.COM
Rachael Cantu, 8 p.m. Tuesday
WHERE: Cornucopia Coffee Company, 210 E. Lincolnway, Valparaiso
COST: $8
FYI: (219) 477-1000, CORNUCOPIACOFFEECOMPANY.NET
