“I’m living on borrowed time and everyday is a gift”

Quoting Paul Cardall from an interview on YouTube. Check it out here.

Paul Cardall was born with a congenital heart defect and has gone through numerous surgeries in his life. He has also survived a heart transplant waiting for an entire year for a donation.

Not only that, Paul has had two #1 albums on billboard music New Age charts. Including his latest album – 40 hymns for forty days..

His story is amazing from having poor health to becoming an incredibly successful musician and entrepreneur.

But how did he do it?

As a teenager Paul admired musicians like Yanni and George Winston. He learned to play piano by ear and modeled after these great artists. Paul later sought after a piano job at restaurants and department stores and after 3 years recorded an album called Sign of Affection and began to sell it his local gigs. Paul soon learned it was a business.

Soon he was making a living performing as a musician. When he would perform at a store or restaurant he we give the business a cut of the the albums he sold so everyone was happy. If the store wouldn’t accept his service he would leave his album with them as a reference and calling card.

After years of selling his album he needed to expand his distribution. Paul went to a booksellers trade show in Chicago and eventfully made contact with Narada Music a big dog for New Age music. Though it helped his career the label was struggling financially.

In 1999 eventfully starting his record label Stone Angel Music. Created a website and began to sell online. The internet was young at this time and was a great launching pad for Paul’s music.

Pandora played a huge part in his musical success. Hundreds of thousands of people have discovered his music through Pandora.

Starting his record label and gaining distribution thought online avenues like Pandora are the beginning steps of a musical entrepreneur. Paul took a big leap of faith and risked taking his music in his own hands. At the end of the day nothing’s more important than a musicians music.

A list of Paul Cardall’s steps to success in the New Age billboard charts.

1. Passion and persistence.
2. Modeled piano after his influences like Yanni and George Winston.
3. Sought after piano gigs.
4. Created an album.
5. Sold the album.
6. Learned business and marketing.
7. Looked for expanded distribution.
8. Started a record label.
9. Built relations with fans.
10. Marketed and sold music online.