Michael Annotti first recorded his song “Time Keeps Tickin” locally before having it professionally recorded again six or seven years ago. But it is just in the last couple weeks that the song has been picked up by six radio stations across the United States for a four-week campaign.
“I put it away and moved on to the next song,” he said. “It was considered old to me even though no one had heard it.”
The song that Annotti classifies as R&B or soul has been airing on Star 95.7 in San Francisco as well as stations in Florida, Tennessee, Colorado, North Carolina and Texas.
The week after the song began airing, Annotti also received word that he was nominated for a 2014 Artist in Music Award – people can vote for him online at aimusicawards.com/vote.html by clicking on the folk/acoustic category link.
He said he was nominated last year for the Hollywood Music in Media Award and Artist in Music Award. Though he didn’t win either of the awards that include a red carpet event in Hollywood, he said, “I’m happy to be nominated again.”
Annotti has been going the solo route with his music career as he passed up a chance on a record contract right when digital music was beginning to change the way in which people listen to music.
“I was offered a chance at recording my music if I signed with a major label,” he said.
But he decided to go it alone so he could retain control of his music.
“At the same time, mp3s were beginning to change things,” he said. “Independent music began to be disbursed.”
Annotti has long had a page online with his songs at www.reverbnation.com/michaelannotti and he also has a Facebook page where fans can follow him.
“I decided to stay independent,” he said. “It was a little longer journey, but it was better for me than selling out my rights to my music. When it is all done – all the work – I want to own at least half.”
With his first song to get airplay on the radio, Annotti has released the song for purchase on iTunes. He plans to release a full album on June 24 and even has a ringtone of “Time Keeps Tickin” that released Monday.
“It’s growing,” he said. “It’s growing, but I’m not a household name yet. I’ve built up enough live shows that when I go play with other artists, sometimes I’m surprised” when people have heard of him.
While Annotti acknowledges it took nearly 10 years of writing songs to get one on the radio, he said he wants his music career to last a lifetime. He said his hope with having a song on the radio is that more people will hear it and it will “bring happiness into their lives.”
“Music is a powerful communication tool,” Annotti said. “It transcends many forms of education and media. It’s why people use it to motivate others – for church, for nation or teams. Humanity is connected to rhythm.”
Annotti worked with musician Emiliano Valdez this year on a musical project to create a series of songs about San Benito County with grant funding from Creative Work Fund. The artists will debut the songs at a summer concert this year.
“What it did mostly was expand my songwriting ability,” he said. “It helped me work with a group of musicians from different backgrounds than myself as a collaborator.”
He said he writes every day and is developing more content for a new album. This summer he will also be touring, with his schedule available on Facebook or Reverbnation.com. He has upcoming shows throughout the Bay Area in June and July, including a performance on July 20 at Mom and Pops Saloon in San Juan Bautista.
“I’m really at the beginning as far as my own plans even though I’m 10 or 12 years in,” he said.
