Testimonials

Betsie and the Blind Raccoon team are true professionals and get great results. I wouldn’t trust my music to anyone else!
BENNY TURNER

Every day of every week I am overwhelmed with your work and the coverage you’ve gotten for us.  Everything you do compliments the radio play we have going. I can’t thank you enough.
WENDY GOLDSTEIN, DELBERT MCCLINTON’S MANAGER

Thank you for helping this be my most successful album. Always an exciting pleasure when you agree to take on one of my projects.
BLIND LEMON PLEDGE

World-class, savvy, aggressive PR! Great stable of artists!
DUANE VEHR, ROOTS MUSIC REPORT

Betsie provides us with efficient and friendly service to her stable of artists…. Always on the ball and prompt in her attention to all matters. Appreciate what she does for the music.
ANTHONY MOULAY, AUSTRALIAN BLUES & ROOTS AIRPLAY CHART

And now I can relax, knowing that things are in your capable hands. I don’t know if I told you this before, but I promoted our first CD myself and I worked with another publicist on the 2nd and 3rd albums, but the level of organization and planning you bring to this is FAR above and beyond. I see the hard work that goes into what you do, and I have perhaps a better inkling than many of what it takes. Just want you to know how much I appreciate you!
MICHELE D’AMOUR

Thank you for all the hard & tireless work you put into our two 2018 releases – morning , noon and night, 7 days a week. That’s why you’re the best.
PETER VETESKA, PETER V BLUES TRAIN

You have done an outstanding job for me.  I’ve really been surprised and very pleased to have gotten the recognition that came from the album.
GORDON MEIER

Thank you! We very much appreciate the job you’re doing on Decisions and I wanted to commend you for the quality, consistency and candor with which you operate.
JOHN HEITHAUS, SUPERSTAR FACTORY

By the way, if I hadn’t said so before, your work on the Michael Packer project is outstanding.
ALAN LORBER, PRODUCER

Out of all the publicity companies that have supported me you have been by far the best one. I really appreciate your support. I have been doing blues programs for just over 15 years. Keep the mojo going.
GRAHAM HENRIES, GRAZ’S BLUES DEN, ENCORE FM

I am still getting more and more amazed at the incredible work Betsie has done for this album!  I am so happy to see that the Blues World is accepting and respecting Micki Free at the level to which he has earned after decades of incredible guitar and song writing work.
TRISH BOWDEN, MYSTERIUM BLUES RECORDS

I am one of Blind Raccoon’s clients and I wear that badge with pride. Betsie Brown deserves all the kudos she gets and then some.
MICHAEL FRANK, EARWIG MUSIC

I looked us up and, OMG, 3rd consecutive week at #1!  Eight tunes on the chart with 4 in the top 10. The guys and I are over the moon and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for putting us in front of these fine folk.
ROBBIN KAPSALIS, VINTAGE#18

Betsie Brown: keeper of the flame!
THE REVEREND SHAWN AMOS

Just want to thank you for the magnificent job you did of helping me get radio play and recognition for my album “When We Die, We All Come Back As Music” and for my career in general. You are highly respected in the music world, and this respect paid off with respect for me when you shared my album with your many contacts. The entire effort– your ideas, energy, plan and execution were top notch.
JON GINDICK

I want to thank you again for the great job you did in promoting my music. You really made it happen. Everybody kept telling me you were the “best in the business” and I think it is true. Just getting on the Grammy ballot was such an honor. And the fact that my little one person indie project did so well has been most gratifying.
BLIND LEMON PLEDGE

You are very welcome Betsie, must say l am looking forward to the next two new releases on your list. Trust me we are the lucky ones as are the artists to have such a great publicist looking after them. You go all out for your clients and supply us with the music that is always of the highest quality. Our listeners would agree in a heartbeat with me.
PETER MERRETT, PBS106.7, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

It’s not enough to create great music and have a great band, you need to have a team that helps get your music in front of the people.  I have worked with others in the past with varied success, but no one has done a better job at getting our music in front of the people via radio and magazines better than Blind Raccoon. Betsie and her team have surpassed all my expectations!  My only regret is I didn’t work with Blind Raccoon sooner.
JOHN WALKER, MANAGER OF CHASE WALKER BAND

Of all the people I have met in the music business I consider you to be the most pure of heart.  You care more about the music and the artists than anyone else I know.  You are straight-forward, honest, caring, knowledgeable, and hard-working.  While we all have lives to live and need to eat, I get the impression that you put the welfare of your clients first and foremost.  If there was an award for that, you would win hands down.
BILL WILSON, REFLECTIONS IN BLUE

I have support, from you, Michael Frank and many others that allows me to go and schmooze with the general population for eight months at a time, living on the Musician’s Four Food Groups, break sort of even, play gigs among my peers, teach occasionally, and even begin to be Facebook-famous. For the first time ever I feel like a working artist. You have no idea what all you guys do for me.
ANDY COHEN

I am 100% happy with what we accomplished with “So Close To It.” It was totally worth the money and I will do it again for my next album. You did a fantastic job and I will definitely recommend you.
BREEZY RODIO

I’m thinking about where the band was at the beginning of this year and where we are now — and how much of our progress is due to the fact that we have gotten great reviews, lots of radio airplay and other outstanding forms of publicity — and we’ve been able to roll that into our marketing and promotion activity with great success.  You are a great professional and there isn’t a week that goes by where I don’t think about how much you have accomplished for us.
JON SPEAR BAND

I was talking about all you do for artists at the Poconos a couple weeks ago. Everyone agreed what an excellent job you do to promote a considerable stable of artists. Heading to Wheeling Heritage Blues Fest this weekend and will continue to spread your gospel!!
DUSTY BLUES

I hire Betsie Brown when we want an excellent job done in a timely manner. She is currently working the new Charlie Musselwhite release Juke Joint Chapel. Not only has every blues publication known to man been contacted, but we are very pleased with the response Betsie has garnered through her many personal contacts. Betsie undertakes the tedious parts of promotion under her belt – in our case mailing out over 500 copies of our recording to press and radio – as well as advising us regarding the ins and outs of getting our record noticed. Every day we receive reports from radio stating that the album is being played, often in serious rotation. She is a whirlwind of energy, making sure every avenue is addressed. We are very pleased with her pleasant personal interaction with us and with the folks she is pitching. You can’t go wrong with Betsie.
HENRI MUSSELWHITE,
Personal Manager to CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE

Betsie Brown’s hard work and magic Rolodex provided the springboard that launched our third album, Cryin’ Mercy. The album was in the top ten on the Roots Music Report radio chart for three months, including two weeks at #1; it hit the Living Blues radio chart three consecutive months, and reached #3 on the iTunes blues chart. We received a number of reviews from established blues outlets, several radio interviews, airplay on cable radio programs, and much more. Betsie knows her blues, and her website, press docs, correspondence and overall campaign proved she’s a real pro!
ALTERED FIVE BLUES BAND

Our band recorded its debut CD with an attitude from the movie Field of Dreams – we thought “if we build it, they will come.”  Well, we built it and it was a damn fine effort, but no one came!  Oh sure, a few hometown radio stations played our songs but our little CD was like a cork bobbing around in a vast ocean of good music – all too easy to become completely lost and overlooked.  At the same time, we quickly realized that getting our CD the attention it needed from the right people required a mountain of time-consuming work in an area where we had virtually no expertise, and it diverted the band’s attention from what we really do best – writing and performing music.

In fact, the story of our CD might have ended prematurely had it not been for an extraordinary stroke of good luck that brought us together with Betsie Brown of Blind Raccoon.  Betsie is an award-winning music industry veteran based in Memphis, who specializes in bringing newly-released music to the attention of people in the music industry who can make a difference.  Over her 25 years in the industry, Betsie has established a great deal of personal credibility with a long list of industry leaders from all around the globe, not to mention a thorough understanding of technology including social media.  Her specialty is blues, roots, rock, R&B, soul, Americana and folk music genres – our band’s sweet spot!

When Betsie started working with us, we immediately felt like a huge weight had been lifted from our shoulders.  No longer did we need to worry about spending endless hours writing and mailing promotional materials, contacting radio stations or scouring the internet for contacts only to find that most of the information available online is out-of-date or inadequate.   Our hit-and-miss efforts to publicize our CD were quickly replaced by one bulls-eye after another as Betsie took over and used her skill and experience to guide our CD into the right hands.

Your results may vary, but ours have been like night and day. Within several months of Betsie commencing her efforts, our airplay increased to the point where our CD actually hit the Roots Music Report “Top 50” song and album charts for Blues and Contemporary Blues, and even reached #1 on the Virginia state chart (our home state).  In short order, instead of deafening silence, we were hearing positive reports back from different stations not just in the USA but from all around the world, along with some great reviews from people with established reputations in the blues world.  Our music was being played on dozens and dozens of broadcast outlets including Sirius Bluesville.  All of that love, in turn, translated into improved promotional materials, greater recognition, radio interviews and more ready access to booking agents for clubs and festivals — and increased sales of our CD as it was heard in more and more places.

In short, Blind Raccoon has the know-how and the know-who that made a real difference in whether our music was heard by people who have standing and recognition in the industry – DJs, publishers, writers and editors, broadcaster and other industry experts.  At the same time, Betsie has kept us informed on almost a daily basis on everything that has been going with our CD – we sometime feel like we are her only client although she clearly works hard for all her artists.  Looking back on all of this, I am now amazed that we decided to spend many thousands of dollars to record a 1^st class CD and never considered spending a penny to promote it.

It’s important to note that companies like Blind Raccoon aren’t just few new artists.  Betsie’s client list over the years has included many well-known veterans who don’t need help with name recognition but who obviously well understand what we learned, namely that an artist’s time and energy is much better spent making music and leaving the publicity to folks like those at Blind Raccoon who are experts.  At this point, our band does not know what may lie ahead for us but we DO know that we are in a far better position today than we were a few months ago due to our fortunate association with Blind Raccoon.
JON SPEAR BAND

We’ve been working with Betsie Brown and Blind Raccoon since 2008 and in all of those years we could not have asked for a more Artist and Music devoted Publicist. We have constantly been impressed by Betsie’s professionalism and attention to detail, her efforts have made it possible for our music to reach a level that we could not have imagined. Betsie’s work has contributed to the worldwide success of all of our CD releases and we would never consider embarking on any new music project and not have her onboard. Simply put, she is the best!
CHRIS JAMES & PATRICK RYNN

Navigating the business of getting your name out there, and your music played and reviewed is probably the most difficult and daunting thing you will face as an emerging artist. Creating a “buzz” requires someone with connections and experience to get you past the wall. You need someone who has an intimate knowledge of the genre and a passion for the client and their music. Someone who is very motivated, and who will work tirelessly for you. Betsie delivers all of this and more. When I hired Betsie Brown, I was told she was the best, if not the most respected professional in her field, but even after hearing those accolades, I was not prepared for the results she achieved! My music was on playlists around the globe, and there was a flood of great reviews. She generated several interviews, and my CD has consistently charted in the Top 25! She has prepared a solid platform from which to launch my future projects, and I have no doubt that I will use Betsie Brown and Blind Raccoon to handle the publicity for all of them. What she says she will do, she does! She is the best investment I have made in my career!
DEB RYDER

What sets Betsie Brown apart from most publicists is her personal interest in her clients. Even after our contract ran out, she continued to send new reviews and helpful suggestions about booking and promotion. When it comes to blues, Betsie doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk: She’s an active member of The Blues Foundation, corresponding regularly with people in all branches of the worldwide blues community, from DJs to writers to record distributors, blues society directors, and more. And she never sleeps!
PAUL RISHELL AND ANNIE RAINES

James “Yank” Rachell, 1910-1997, was a first generation blues player and songwriter known as the “Blues Mandolin Man.” Being a mandolin player and a blues music lover I decided to do a small time project honoring Yank. Not knowing anything about the music business I called on Betsie for help. Betsie got Yank and the CD the kind of attention I never could have. Tons of radio airplay and reviews in magazines like Blues Revue, Sing Out!, Living Blues, Dirty Linen and more. Betsie played a major role in re-introducing Yank Rachell and his music to the world. In this case Betsie truly earned her “Keeping the Blues Alive” award by keeping Yank Rachell’s music alive.
MIKE BUTLER ~ YANKSVILLE RECORDS

Little Joe McLerran and Robbie Mack want to thank Betsie Brown and the staff at Blind Raccoon for the exceptional job she did as Little Joe’s publicist during the release of his new CD “Believe I’ll Make a Change” on Root Blues Reborn. Little Joe did make a mighty fine record but we all know how that goes. We believe that due to Betsie Brown’s efforts the record has been in the top 10 of the Roots Music Report blues chart since the first of the year. The CD reached #1 on RMA Jan 29 and is currently #5 of the Living Blues charts.
ROBBIE AND LITTLE JOE

In our 40 years in the music business, Betsie Brown is the coolest most professional person we have had the pleasure of working with. The results of her hard work were astounding; press and radio play way beyond our expectations. Always available to answer questions and advise us on new directions. We could not ask for more.
JOE AND VICKI PRICE

Developing a relationship with Betsie and Blind Raccoon is one of the best things I’ve ever done. The network of contacts she brings to the table for radio airplay, press, and a myriad of other aspects is unparalleled in my experience. I also appreciate the fact that she doesn’t “over-represent” anything and thereby does not create expectations that don’t end up being met. She is as good as her word which is very rare in the music industry. I feel very privileged to be one of her artists and hope that our association lasts a long, long time.
STEVE HOWELL

I have previously enjoyed the fine publicity efforts of Alligator Records and Telarc, so my perspective is comparing Betsie Brown’s campaign to what they did – a few years ago, when major Blues record companies had more money to spend than they do now. I released “In North Carolina” on my own label, Steady Rollin’ Records, in early 2007. I didn’t dare hope for the results that Betsie got for me, generating torrents of reviews and interviews in all media, and promotional appearances. It’s an opportunity that I’ve worked to fulfill and I’m very grateful. My partners and I in Steady Rollin’ Records and the VizzTone Label Group intend to work with Betsie as much as possible in our future efforts, and I recommend her constantly to my musician friends at all levels of the music business. It’s the best money they can spend to advance their careers.
Enthusiastic and sincere, BOB MARGOLIN

Betsie Brown was wonderful to work with. From the beginning of our association, she became an integral part of the Michael Powers, Onyx Root, Baryon Records team; as important as the production team and the distributors. It was as if it was her record. We owe a lot of the record’s success to the hard work and publicity savvy of Betsie. I can’t imagine NOT using her in the future!
JOHN AGNELLO ~ BARYON RECORDS

I have worked with Betsie Brown for the past six years and she is professional in the best sense of the word in every way, but what makes her special is the attention to the details no matter what your needs are.
BILL WAX ~ BLUESVILLE XM SATELLITE RADIO

On a personal level and a business level, Betsie Brown has been a joy to work with. I’m thrilled with what she’s done with my CDs TIME’S A WASTIN and ALL WOUND UP. I have all different kinds of clients: corporations, artist types, & small business. I’m always providing my services to them. That’s why I appreciate Betsie’s sensibilities and sensitivities. She’s perfect working with creative people. Something that I personally love about working with her is her spunky yet pragmatic nature. She’s not afraid to speak her mind but never in an offending manner. She’s also one of those rare people, who is available to discuss things either by email or on the phone in a timely way (Something I really appreciate). I’m excited about working with her on future releases.
DAVE FIELDS

Betsie Brown has been one of THE biggest factors in helping us move through the “ranks” of professional musicians. Her hard work, coupled with a genuine interest in the music she promotes, has been amazing. I would highly recommend her services to anyone seeking to work with a top-notch, motivated, and honest professional. Given her combined talents of people and business skills, she is truly one of a kind.
MORELAND & ARBUCKLE

I have done several radio mailings with Betsie and the service has always been precise and professional. More than that though, Betsie is bubbling with enthusiasm and a fount of knowledge of the who, where, when, what and how of the blues scene.
RICHARD PAVITT ~ NUGENE RECORDS

“I got very lucky about a decade ago when I hired Betsie Brown as a publicist for my book “JOURNEYMAN’S ROAD.” She was, and is, a pro, and worth every penny. I would use her again.
ADAM GUSSOW