Strung Out Episode 63 How Farmer Doug Seyb still raises music

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The southeastern corner of Iowa is home to Lee County.  There, a little town called Donnellson has one water-tower, some shops, a nice city park and the distinction of having its first organized music scene created by one live-music-loving farmer by the name of Doug Seyb.  For 15 years, Doug ran the quasi-house-concert-meets-Grange-meeting-meets-Austin City Limits "Under The Water Tower" series.  It was a series that presented live, independent musicians, offering their own originals and pretty much nothing else, to a populace that hungered for community through music.   A "whos-who" of regional, local, national and international artists, all independent and all featuring their own original music visited "Under the Water Tower."   It was never a money-maker, but a community sustainer.  It was, truthfully, what real music should be all about. 

All was well with this small, well attended temple of independent music.  That was, until the music licensing agency of ASCAP asked Doug for money to support the very musicians Seyb was supporting.  What amounted were thinly veiled (and not so thinly veiled) threats of lawsuits by ASCAP representatives for their "licensing fee"  in order for Doug to continue the  public gathering at Under the Water Tower.  

The result?  Seyb ended the series.  ASCAP did not get their money they maintained was being used to support the artists featured at the venue.  Those artists the agency was supposedly supporting lost a venue and desperately needed funds for their survival. And the folks of Lee County lost community and joy through music.  Sadly, this has been part of an ongoing campaign by licensing agencies that have successfully driven live music out of small, rural and for all intents and purposes, non-profit venues.  Mom and Pop restaurants and coffee houses lost out.  

Nobody won. 

Independent artists are now turning to house concerts and other under-the-radar opportunities to survive. 

Music promoters like Seyb are a treasure of the live, independent musical performers and their audiences. Doug, a farmer by trade has continued to support live, independent music in Lee County through other less-traditional opportunities.  He offers advice to those wishing

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