THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 30, 1996 TAG: 9610290130
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LORI A. DENNEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 89 lines
If Mike Proffitt were scared, he'd say so. Truth is, Proffitt is a very happy man.
The 35-year-old Beach native recently released his first CD, ``If You're Scared . . . Say You're Scared.''
Proffitt, a solo acoustical artist, won a six-week competition sponsored by The Tidewater Entertainers Association, a group that promotes local artists and members of the entertainment industry.
Proffitt's prize was eight free studio hours at The Daily Planet, a recording studio in Kempsville.
``There were some really good people playing,'' said Proffitt, a full-time engineering and computer technician with The TAF Group and a 1979 graduate of Cox High School. ``It's a great venue for people who sit around the house playing and don't get a chance to get on stage. I went just to play again.''
The first ever ``TEA Songwriter's Contest'' was held in April at a local restaurant and was judged by folks in the entertainment industry as well as audience members. For five weeks, artists performed original tunes. Each week a winner was chosen and then the five winners competed during the sixth week.
Proffitt decided to put his free studio time to good use by recording 10 of 20 songs he has penned himself. The venture cost him about $6,000 because he spent nearly 40 hours recording the songs and had to pay for printing for the card inside the CD case and the cases themselves. He ordered 1,000 CDs.
Proffitt likens the style of his lyrics and songs to ``between new country and old rock and roll or mild alternative.''
Accompanying him on many of the songs are local performers such as Lewis McGehee on acoustic lead guitar, Alton Smith on bass, Warren Seaburg on guitar, Tford Webber on electric guitar, Billy Batte on violin and piano, Jeffery Owens on drums and percussion and Carrie Volmer on harmony vocals.
Planet Music in the Pembroke area is stocking the CDs and selling them for $11.99. Proffitt plans an in-store concert to promote the CD at 2 p.m. Sunday. He was raised in a musically talented family. Both his parents were graduates of the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music. His father, Donald Proffitt, was Kellam High School's first band director and is now retired. When Proffitt was 7, he was the school mascot and would parade around the field while the band played.
His mother, Margaret Proffitt, is a school music teacher, librarian, and gifted singer who sang in many local churches.
Out of three siblings, Proffitt is the only one who stayed with music. He started playing the guitar at age 14. When he married in 1987, he took an eight-year break from performing to spend time with his children.
And though he began playing casually, once he started he found it hard to stop.
``I wasn't planning on getting back into it as much as I am but once I started playing it got back in my blood,'' he said. Now he plans to try to market his CD to major record labels and get air time on local and college radio stations. MEMO: Here are some upcoming performances by Mike Proffitt:
10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday at the Coyote Cafe, 972 Laskin Road.
7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Cara's, 123 N. Battlefield
Blvd.
2 p.m. Sunday at Planet Music, 4485 Virginia Beach Blvd.
9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Nov. 7 at Smackwater Jack's, 3333 Virginia Beach
Blvd.
For more information, call Proffitt at 428-1072. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
Mike Proffitt, 35, recently released his first CD, ``If You're
Scared . . . Say You're Scared,'' after winning a six-week
competition.
Graphic
WHEN & WHERE
The Tidewater Entertainers Association is holding a benefit to
raise money for the Hampton Roads Entertainers Relief Fund, which
helps people in the local entertainment industry who may come across
hard times that won't allow them to work.
The fund was started in memory of the late Jim Bowling, a local
musician and nationally published songwriter who recently died of
cancer.
The benefit will be from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Nov. 10 at the
Heartbreak Cafe, 800 Baker Road. There will be nonstop entertainment
from Mike Proffitt, Lewis McGehee, Norman Harrell, Dave Patretto,
Blvd. 58, Clearwater, Warren Seaburg, Tammy Gardner, The Gangsters
of Love, The Rhondells, Road House Band and many more.
Tickets cost $5 per person and can be purchased at the door on
the day of the event. For information on upcoming TEA competitions
and events call 471-4531. by CNB